New-York tribune., 1896-01-25
EX-JUDGE HOUSTON ROBBED
HIGHwAYMEN IN LAFAYETTE PLACE
USE HIM BADLY

HIGHWAYMEN IN LAFAYETTE PLACE
USE HIM BADLY
NOW LYING IN ST. vINcENT'S HOSPITAL. WITH
SEVERAL BROKEN RIBS AND NUMEROUS CUTS
AND BRuIsEs-s5o TAKEN FROM HIM
FORMERLY A SUPREME COURT
JUDGE IN LOUISIANA.
II the police officials want to have a good
legal opinion about the prevalence Of crime in
this city. they might consult ex-Judge William
T. Houston, who lies in the st. Vincents Hos
ptal with a broken left leg. several broken
ribs and a badly battered face. When he was
carried to his rooms at No. 121 West F'ifty-
sixth-st. early on Thursday morning, he said
he had been waylaid. assaulted and robbed In
Lafayette Place. He was removed to the nos
pital Thursday afternoon. after he had been
attended in his rooms by DR.. Joseph ID. Bryant
the former Health Commissioner.
Ex-Judge Houston is not quite fifty years
old but he was a Supreme Court Judge in New
Orleans for fifteen years before he came to TINS
city to practise law about seven years ago
His brother. the late James Houston. was
political power in NewOrleans for years, ana
his mother Is wealthy woman living In WASH
ington d. c. His wife has lived In New-Or-
leans In the winter, because she cannot endure
the cold weather of the North. and she Is In
New-Orleans now. For a few months ne mas
had furnished rooms on the third floor OF the
house No. 121 West Fifty-sixth-st and mas
had his law Office at No. 30 Lberty-st. Form
erly his office No. 40 Wall-st. lie is
man below medium size, and not an athlete.
He wears eyeglasses when he walks out in the
street because he Is near-sighted. He has spent
many evenings at the opera and other places or
amusement and It has been his habit to take
long walks in the streets at late hours, for
exercise.
TAKEN HOME BY A CABMAN.
On Wednesday evening he gave a supper 10
few Of his friends In his rooms. and they re-
mained until after midnight. When they LETT
his rooms he accompanied them. and after they
separated he took one of his long walks, which
led him down to the lower end Of SlXth-aNe-
and along Carrnine and Var.ck sts. to Fourth
St He walked through Fourth-st. To Lafayette
Place.
About o'clock on Thursday morning ex-Judge
Houston was taken To the house In Fifty-slxth-
St by a cabman. who rang up the janitor lie
was entirely conscious. but completely helpIess'
and the janitor had t. get the assistance OF TWO
other men I'm the house to carry him up 10 his
rooms. HIS left leg was broken between the
knee and the ankle. and badly swollen. ana ne
had such severe pains in his side. where two or
three ribs had been fractured. that he coua ho'
move without agony Ills face was covered with
blood which had flowed from cuts and bruises.
His hlrh silk hat was smashed and his clothes
were torn and muddy
When he was carried 20 his bedroom 1t was
necessary to cut his trousers and shoe away
from his swollen leg and foot. Dr. Bryant was
"a
he worked over him for hours setting the broken
bones and plastering hs cuts Then Dr. Bryant
advised him u 40 10 the hospital telling MIN
that no could receive better attention there than
In his rooms. nr the cx-Judge consented lie
was taken 70 the hospital in an ambulance
about p. m.
HOW HE WAS ATTACKED
pe,ore he went 10 the hospital ex-Judge Hous-
ton talked freely about the manner In which he
had received his injuries. He said he was walk
lng along Lafayette Place about three hours after
| midnight when two men, whom he had not
noticed until they were Hose at his heels, suh-
| denly attacked him one Of the men caught MIN
! by the throat and chOked him 50 that ne couu
/ not make an ouicry. The other man began 70
search his pockets
IN had allowed them 70 go ahead and take
what had In my pockets ne sald - Hlas. oar
low. his landlady, II probably would have got
of easily. but made a Tight for II ana soe 'ne
worst Of H." -,
/ When he struggled. said. they flung him
down on the sidewalk, struck him IN IN" lace re-
peatcdly and kicked him On the leg ana nody
l until he lost consciousness When ne iegdiheI
hls senses he was lying helpless in the gutter. and
/ all his porkets had been turned inside out. The
| robbers had even torn his coat ana waistcoat
/ In searching his pockets. and everything ne had
! I'm the pockets had been taken. lie had lrtt MS
watch at A jewelers. To- b" repaired ana that
was saved but the thieves took $50 in cash. ABOUT
! twenty KEYS which could be of no use 10 them,
and number u trnkcts, including po'k't
! thermometer which he had carried for years ana
! a silver matchbox which had been presented 10
| him at Christmas by Mrs Barows little girl
| The robbers also took away his eyeglasses
NO DESCRIPTION OF THE AsSAILANTs.
lie said ne lay helpless in the gutter until the
cabman heard his cry FOR hep and went to ms
assistance He could not give description OF
| the robbers he said. because his eyeglasses
were knocked off the moment he was assaulted
and in the struggle which followed he was kept
| SO busy trying TO ward OT the blows dlfecte1
! at his face that he did not get iair look az
| either man. until his memory became piahh
| No policeman was in sight at the time oI 'he
| assault and the cx-Judge said he saw no po-
soon as the cabman appeared he begged 10 pe
taken at once to his home, ana inc 'aDi,all II !
nut him into the cab with the ala OF ahothet
| man who happened TO come along.
| Before ex-Judge Houston was taken 10 'he
| hospital he said he thought II would be useless
To inform the police Of his encounter Win ."p
bers and his friends said yesterday ,hd' II
would be unfair To nave him worried ny g. g.
tectives until he had partly recovered. MS
70 h,.