The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-07-15
BANDITS ARE CAUGHT.
Contemplated HoId-Up in Chi
cago Goes Wrong.
POLICE HAD RECEIVED NOTICE.

When Five Men Attempt TO DO the Hold
Up Act ,n Helms billiard Room They
find Themselves Surrounded by Onicers
and After Desperate Fight All but One
of Them Are Landed Behind the Bars
In the Station.
CHICAGO, July 15.-Hold-up No 10 was
attempted at 1890 o'clock Tuesday morn
ing In Helms billiard hall on the second
floor Of the building at 10S Randolph
street IL was unsuccessful because the
police received Tip" in advance. These
are the men arrested: John France, eX-
convict who held up eight poker players u
year and a half ago in Powers g. o Briens
gambling house; William ii. Burns;
Thomas Mccarthy, alias Frank McCar-
thy, alias Frank Murphy, alias Murray;
William j. Wiley. These are the injured:
John Frazee, Frank Murray, alias Nc
Carthy, Detective Sergeant Welbasky.
This man escaped: "Chick" Sullivan Ear
ly Monday evening Inspector Fitzpatrick
received information that Helms billiard
hall would be raided by robbers before
morning The information had been inn
parted by Ed Helm, who had received his
Information from a frequenter Of tho
place, who formerly associated with high
waymen, and who still maintains his as
ISOLATION to the extent of knowing their
plans. Inspector Fitzpatrick gave Mr..
Helm assurance that he would provide for
the emergency, and Mr.. Helm returned
from the city hall to his billiard rooms.
He said nothing to his employees, nor did
he hint to any of his regular customers
that robbery, shooting or death might be
seen in the place before morning
Trusty Onicers Called In.
shortly after Mr. Helm departed from
the inspectors office the police official
called in four of his most trustworthy de
tective sergeants They were John
Smith, John Norton, Bert Coudrey and
William Burke. The inspector told the
officers what appeared in prospect and
asked the men if they could play pool All
replied in the affirmative. Then Inspector
Fitzpatrick ordered the men to 20 10
Helms place and play pool if necessary,
until morning or until they had satisfied
themselves that no robbery was imminent.
The officers went 60 the billiard hall imme-
diately, and, walking to the rear part of
the hall, called upon J. T. Franklin, col
ored, who attended the tables To supply
them with a set of pool balls. The game
was begun. The detectives while playing
kept n close watch upon the door. This
door is at the west side of the hall, about
midway Of the building. and is reached by
pair Of winding stairs. While the Off
GERS played the hall filled up. Among the
men at the surrounding tables were the
well-known billiardists, Tom Gallagher,
Edward O'Malley of Indiana and Clark
streets, Banks Cregier, John Matthews
and Messrs Rex and Freeman Of the
Schiller restaurant
Mr.. Helm Grew Nervous.
To the officers all the rest of the players
seemed orderly, and the detectives still
watched the door, believing that the rob
bers, II they came at all, must come up
the stairs rather than out of the crowd.
About l2:l5 the crowd in the billiard
room began To thin out. The detectives
kept playing and casting nervous glances
about them. Mr.. Helm grew nervous. He
did not know who they were In his un-
certainty he concluded that they were the
men who were to make an assault upon
his cash register, which is on a desk
Immediately in front of the door The
man who had supplied him with the
original information of the coming rob-
berry was in the hall and Mr.. Helm con-
ferred with him. He also conferred with
his cashier, u. II. Smith, with the result
that MIR. Helm went to the central station
and reported that four suspicious charac-
ters were playing pool in his room. In
spector Fitzpatrick gave him more assur-
ance, and he went back satisfied Scarce
ly moment had passed after the prOpri-
etor had entered his billiard room when
five men entered. These walked past thg
cash register and To the very center table
in {, Q room. Porter Franklin approached
and asked if they desired to play billiards
Revolvers Are Drawn.
At that instant a horde of detectives
rushed into the door with drawn rcyOlv-
ers At that very instant also it Is
claimed. one of the five men at the center
table drew "a revolver and commanded the
occupants of the place 10 stand aud give
up their money. The command of the
robbcr brought the pool players at the
rear to their side i'm an inconceivable short
length of time, and the five men were sur
rounded before they were aware that re-
sistance was being offered TO their
hitherto unvanquished arms. Two
of the robbers were knocked to the
floor by the butts of the officers revolv-
ers Blood gushed from the noses of the
fallen men. Two of the other three Of
fered desperate resistance, and made ef-
forts TO get revolvers from their pockets.
The officers of whom there were about
twenty, overpowered them. In the gener-
nj scuffle, however, one of the men, who
was recognized by the officers as "Chick
Sullivan, escaped and darted down the
stairs He was followed and seen TO enter
the basement restaurant at Clark and