The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-08-07
Officer James Moan Shot While
Attempting to Make Arrest
of a Desperate Gang.
PANIC AT "OLD EENNER STAND"
John T. Carter and John Farrell Of the Gang
Wounded Man Escaped -RevoIvers
Used Freely and With ConquerIng Effect.


PROVIDENCE, X. Aug. IA police OFF,
Ger was shot and seriously wounded at the
old Fenner stand In Johnston yesterday
afternoon. This Is one of the relics OF the
old stage coach days, and Is situated In
Sleepy Hollow, hamlet on the old Plain
field pike, and about seven miles from this
hard affairs, and latterly 1t was a famous
rendezvous for cock and dog fighters. OF
recent years the old and squatty building
has been used as a tenement with COM
mon bar-room in the basement.
The affair Of yesterday had to do with a
break and shooting scrape which oc-
CURED at Falmouth, Mass, within a day
or two. One of the men concerned In that
break was shot at by an officer, and
wounded in the heel. All of the gang
escaped, so it is given out here, but they
were traced to Providence, and yesterday
afternoon Detective Parker got track of
them in Johnston.
About o'clock he called upon Chief Of
Police Holbrock of Johnston, and request
ed him to get posse Of his men and join
with the Providence officers In running
down the quarry, and at 8 o'clock the
party started. 1t consisted of Detectives
Parker, Merrill and Nickerson, Chief Hol-
brook and Officers James Moan and John
Lennon.
Parker proceeded to the Fenner stand.
Before reaching the old hostlery plan of
attack was mapped out. Upon arrival at
the place Moan was placed on guard at the
rear of the house, Lennon at the end in the
lane, Detective Nickerson in front, and
Detective Parker, Merrill and Chief Hol-
brook entered the bar-room from the street
door. They found four men there, three
of whom were villagers and one stranger.
The latter gave his name as Smith.
The searching party, not finding their
man, started to the back yard, and, seeing
screen door partly ajar at the head of a
flight of stairs, ascended to it. The door
was hastily shut and locked by woman,
who refused to let them in, although they
said they came in the name of the law.
Chief Holbrook forced the door, and
the party entered. in one of the chambers
they found man in b0d and undressed.
He refused to give his name. Detective
Merrill turned down the bed-clothes and
found that the man had been wounded in
the heel with q pistol ball. Holbrook
identified him as Jack Farrell, q resident
Of Johnston, and Parker further identified
him as one of the men wanted for the
Massachusetts, break.
About this time pistol shot was heard
had been shot. "Smith," who had been
left In the bar-room, and whose right name
is John T. Carter, 50 he declares, had
slipped out Of the house and went to an
other place, where Joe M0nahan, also q
Johnstonite, wanted in connection with
the Falmouth affair, was hiding.
Monahan, getting the tip went down
the lane, and as soon as he sighted Moan,
pulled out q 38-caliber revolver and began
to fire. The first shot struck Moan In the
right thigh. The officers In the house
opened fire on Monahan, but missed him.
Carter drew his gun and began to fire, and
and as he did SO Detective Nickerson shot
at him, striking him in the right shoulder
and disarming him. Monahan fled up the
hillside and vanquished In the thick
woods before the officers could reach him,
and he has not since been found.
Moan and Farrell were sent to the Rhode
Island Hospital. Carter taken to the Johns
ton police station, where 3S -calibre bull
let was cut out of his shoulder.
In the meantime the house was searched,
and there were found several chisels, a
steel bit and stock, several implements
used by burglars, lot OF smokeless pow
der, fuses, several pieces of rope and a
pistol with about 800 cartridges.
Carter Is % years old, Farrell 40 and
Monahan %. Monahan was arrested on
July z, 1896, for shooting a small boy In
0lneyville square I'm Johnston. lie was
intoxicated at the time and went into a
store kept by man named Pohle, who saw
him steal bunch of radishes. Pohle fired
him out, and at the doorway Monahan
drew a pistol and attempted to shoot the
old man.
William Mathewson, one of the Union
railroad stable foremen, seized Monohan's
hand. In the struggle the pistol was dis
charged, and the boy was shot I'm the leg.
Monahan escaped conviction because the
jury could not determine which of the two
men had his finger on the trIggcd and dis
charged the weapon