New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-05-23
TWO POLICEMEN SHOT.
ATTACKED BY THE PROPRIETOR OF A
CHERRY-sT. STORE.
THEY HAD SECURED EVIDENCE OF VIOLATION OF
THE LIQUOR LAW AND WERE ABOUT TO
MAKE AN ARREsT-THE MEN


NOT SERIOUSLY HURT.
Two policemen Of the Oak-st. station. after
securing evidence OF the violation OF the Liquor
Tax law at No. 81 Cherry-st. yesterday after
noon, were both shot by the proprietor OF the
store The policemen Edward Shutz. twen-
ty-three years old. of No 31S First-ave.. who Is
married, and had been on the force only three
months. and Robert l.. Pless. twenty-six years
DID, of No. 81 Jam-s-st.. who has been police
man for two years. Shultz was shot In the right
thigh. and Pless after two shots were fired at
him. was wounded in the scalp by the second
bullet striking him on the left side of the lead
over the ear and passing through the rim OF Lis
hat. cutting a long furrow In his scalp The
bullet in Shutz's thigh had not been extracted
up to late hour last night but DR.. Liable. Ct
the Hudson Street Hospital, says that neither OF
the wounded men is in serious condition.
Shortly after being taken to the hospital Pless
went home. but Shultz remained at the hospital
To have the bullet extracted.
Acting Captain McNaly, Of the Oak-st sta
tion suspected that John Price, sixty years old.
and his wife. Ellen. forty-two, who keep notion
and cigar store on the first floor Of No. 81
Cherry-s. were violating the Liquor Tax law.
as intoxicated men had been seen leaving the
premises on several occasions. With the Prices
lives their eight-year old son. George.
Yesterday morning Captain McNay detailed
the two policemen in citizens clothes to collect
evidence in the case and the officers. dressed as
sailors In wellworn clothes. went to the place
in the morning. Mrs. Price suspected them, and
they unable to obtain any evidence. At 3
o'clock in the afternoon. however. they went to
the place again. They found Price, his wife. and
the boy present The front half of the store.
which is about seventy feet deep, is partitioned
off for store, in which are cigar cases. notions
and other merchandise. door opens from this
room into the back room which Is used as bed
room, kitchen and dining-r -room and in which
is parttioned off a room containing bed.
The policemen asked for something to drink,
and, according to their version Of the affair got
several glasses OF whiskey each in the back
room. for which they paid. They remained
there until after ) o'clock, drinking. when,
having secured what they considered in
disputable evidence that the Liquor Tax
law had been violated. they walked out
to the front room. where Mrs Price was
behind the counter. and she had served
them with the drinks. told her that she was their
prisoner and insisted that she accompany them
to the station. The woman objected, and ShultZ
took hold OF her and got her from behind the
counter when her husband rushed in from the
back room with a revolver and. with the excla-
nation. Il will fix you now" deliberately pointed
the revolver at ShultZ and fired Shutz feii 70
the floor with a bullet in his thigh.
Pless then ran to his comrades assistance
and grappled with Price, who fired one shot at
his head 1t missed him. and the two strug-
gled into the street through the door, when
had been opened by some ono in the crowd OF
several hundred which had gathered outside at
tracted by the first pistol shot. Another pistoi
shot rang out and the ball struck Pless on the
left side OF the ear. and passed along the scalp;
At this juncture Detective Hahn, VINO had
been standing at Oliver-st, half block away
and Policeman Cashel, who was at James SIP
arrived on the scene They rushed upon Price,
pulling him away from Pless. Policeman Cashel
took the revolver away and made him Pris-
oner
BY this time a crowd of thousand people had
gathered. With them came Detective James
Armstrong who arrested Mrs Price. Up to thls
time II was not known that Shutz had been
shot but he walked out of the place and SAID
TO Detective Hahn, Leave Price TO me; II
take him to the station" Price and his Wite
we're led to the Oak-st station. both wounded
policemen walking along. Shultz being assisted
10y brother officer.
Sergeant Hatton. fearing that the policemen
were badly injured telephoned to the HUDSON
Street Hospital for ambulance. to which place
both officers were removed. Price was locked
up on a charge of felonious assault and MS
wife for violating the Liquor Tax law