The herald., 1897-02-16
COMBATIvE PRISONER
ATTEMPTS TO Rob q coIored Woman and
Fights an Officer
Safely Landed In Jail, but In Badly Dllap-
idated Conditional Tussle In the
Patrol Wagon

With her eyes as big as saucers and
every kinky curl in her wool sticking
straight up "a colored woman rushed
breathlessly into the police station a
little after o'clock last evening and IN
a strident voice made it known that she
had been held up by man with gun,
who had attempted to rob her. She had
succeeded in locking her assailant in
her room, and If an officer would go
straight down to No. GA New High
street, the fellow could be captured.
After recovering her breath, she gave
her name as Bertha Creigler, and was
recognized as a woman Of the town, who
has several times figured in the police
courts. Early in the evening she hal
been visited by short, stout man, about
80 years old, with a heavy mustache,
who spent some time in her company.
While he was with her. Bertha had mad
vertently displayed purse in which was
quite a little money, and this her visitor
had evidently coveted.
Shortly after his departure she was
startled by having him suddenly burst
into her room again and produce a re-
volver, which he thrust into her face
and demanded her pocketbook. Instead
of complying with the demand, the ne
6lCoo oClSdluCQ anu IldQ6 ID QdSn INTO
rear room, closing and locking the
door. Then, securing help, she HAD
posted guards at both entrances to the
room, while she ran as fast as possible
to the station.
Officer Miles Long was detailed to 90
down and investigate. He mounted his
wheel and was quickly at the scene, only
to be Informed by one Of the men who
was on watch that the prisoner had in
some way made his escape He had been
seen to walk past the place a couple of
times, then to go into a saloon, and
finally into a little store at the corner
of Bellevue avenue and New High street,
where he was found playing a game of
cards
Placing the,man under arrest the offic-
er quickly relieved him of a SO caliber
revolver and marched him off to the wo-
mans room to see If she could identify
him as her assailant. The prisoner was
ugly and sullen and at first refused to
go, but changed his mind. Arriving at
the room Bertha positively recognized
the would-be robber, so the patrol wag-
on was telephoned for. Into it the man
was bundled and the officers wheel was
also piled in. A start was made for the
station, but before half block was COW
cred the fun began.
officer Long was sitting near his pris-
oner on the same seat and was taken
completely off his guard when the man
Of sudden Struck him two back hand
ed blows, nearly knocking him from the
wagon. Long used to be boxer of no
mean order and for the next few min
utes he, the wheel and the prisoner were
mixed up promiscuously. The fight
did not last long, but when the prisoner
was landed at the police clerks desk he
looked as though he had been hit by a
locomotive and his bump of combative-
ness was rapidly disappearing in SWELL
ing head.
His name was given as John Rossi and
a charge Of robbery was placed against
him. Both eyes were swelled so that he
could hardly see, and he was in gen.
orally dilapidated condition. The Of
f1cer had not used his club, but had de-
pended on his fists, which were found to
be badly sprained by the blows landed
on Rossis head. The wheel had mirac-
ulously escaped unharmed.