The times., 1897-05-25

oIIiCe uIIel SCDcIIy entered au1 iOcHeu
the door behind him could only be gotten
In fragments. Mr. Totten refuses abSo-
lutely TO talk of the affair. The only
persons in the apartment at the time were
the young lawyer, Scooffy, and his sister
in-law, Miss Willie Lonsdale, and they all
declined to discuss the happening which
might have resulted in a tragedy. Charles
Frawlew saw Scooffy and the young
woman came down Fifth street. They
stopped a few yards north of the old law
building and conversed for a few moments
The man said something in an emphatic
tone of voice and gesticulated as though
lie was enforcing demand. Miss Ions
dale Eesitated, but finally followed hun
into the building.
The couple passed into the main law
office OF Col Enoch Totten, where several
gentlemen were sitting, and Scooffy de-
named in a tone of excitement:
Where is Mr.. Totten?"
(Which one; the colonel or his SOM"
replied Mr.. J. s. Flannery.
Il mean young Mr.. Totten."
MI Howe Totten. who was poring over
some law papers, arose and politely Ie-
quested the man and woman TO go into
mis- private office, which adjoins the main
room. The lawyer entered first, followed
b. Miss onsdale, with Scooffy Bringing
I'D the rear. The next instant Scooffy
closed the door with a hang an d these In
the main room heard the lock click and the
noise made i,y removing the key, evidently
to prevent Mr.. Totten 5 escape, as the man
placed the key in his pocket
An nanimatedconversation nbetweenScOorfy
and the lawyer followed, while occasion
ally Miss Lon nsdale's voice could be heard,
hut it was Impossible for those in the next
loom TO understand the purport of the
conversation Finally Scooffy's voice be
came louder and trembled with excitement
as he was heard to eXClaim:
You are liar!'
An instant Ia ter he concluded a sentence
with the words: I'm kill you."
Then there was q struggle and Mr.. Tot
ten loudly cried "Helpl Help,' MIN
gled with his shouts was the voice of Miss
Lonsdale crying: Don't. Don't shoot
hiul. +"
Lawyers J. s. Flannery and w. C John
son, with the veteran ballplayer, Paul
Hines, and Mr. James H. CathelI, of the
Pennsylvania Railroad, sprang from their
chairs in the adjoining room and made q
rush for the locked door. After more than
a minutes hard work they succeeded in
forcing open the door and rushed into the
private office They found Scooffy and
Mr.. Totten engaged in a desperate strug-
gle for possession Of a big revolver which
the intruder had pressed against the at
torney's body. The latter had a firm grip
or the barrel OF the weapon and was try
ing to thrust it aside as the two reeled
about the room.
The young woman was begging SCoeffy
not shoot and trying her best to prevent
him from doing so Her velvet cape was
lying on one desk, while on another were
her purse, package of papers and her
parasol
Mr. CatheIl, who is a portly and power
full man, with a grip of steel, fastened
his hands about Scooffy's throat and
choked him until his tongue protruded,
while Paul Hines wrested the pistol from
the desperate. fellow. In the meantime
several persons in the hallway ran out
upon the portico in front OF the building
and set up a chorus of cries:
"Helpi Helpl" "Policer' and ''Mur-
derI"
Detective Hartigan and sergt. Hamilton
heard the yells and came TO the building
ON a run. They secured the prisoner, who
suddenly became uneommunicatiye, and
escorted him, with Miss Lonsdale, to police
headquarters. Mr.. Totten and his friends
followed, and at the lawyers request, he
was allowed 10 hold a secret conversation
behind closed oors with Schooffy and Miss
Lonsdale in Inspector Hollinberger's pri-
vate room
When Mr.. Totten came out the patrol
wagon was sent for and the assailapt
sent to Lieut. Kelly's station, where he
was entered as 'Leonidas Scooffy; age,
80 years; occupation, gentleman Of leisure;
charge, assault to kill; complainant, Howe
Totten''
Miss LohsdaIe soon followed him TO the
police station, and held a whispered con-
versation with him through the bars
of his cell She then left hurriedly and
could not be found last night to give her
version of the affair.
After her departure Scooffy summoned
District messenger boy and kept him
running for several hours in an effort
to have his friends call to see him
to arrange for furnishing bail SO that
he might be released from custody. He
also sent q telegram to ex-Congressman
Franklin Bartlett, at New York, which
stated:
Come at once. I am In trouble"
Scooffy was formerly Mr.. Bartietts con-
fidential secretary. and did spattering OF
newspaper work during the last session OF
Congress.
When seen in his oell by Times re-
porteY the pYisoner had inst finished Yaad.