The Topeka state journal., 1898-08-03
BIG OFFICERS PLIGHT.
Ten Heavy Policemen Stuck Fast In
as Many Small Windows.

Chicago, Aug. 3.-Ten big detectives
met their Waterloo in as many small
windows last night, and the elusive
burglars they were pursuing slipped
past the conveniently open doorways
and fed with a merry ha-ha at the
plight of the minions of the law. 1t
was just about dusk that a telephone
message was received at the central
station to the effect that a band of safe
breakers had blown open the vaults of
the w. w. Barnard Seed company at
161 KinZie street and wrecked all the
neighboring buildings with the charge
of dynamite used in the operation.
The ten big detectives responded
braVely to the call to duty. With Lieu
tenant George Perry, who in cOnhden-
tial moments will confess to weighing
not less than 25O pounds, they dashed
into Washington street and clambered
into a patrol wagon that was waiting.
The driver laid his lash across the
backs of the horses, and the heavy
wagon went rolling and careening
nOrthWard through the LaSalle street
tunnel and over to the scene that prom
Used a wealth of bIoodshed in short or
der.
The gloomy seed house wore its US
ual mien of peaceful desertion, but in
the road stood a wildly excited young
man who was shouting to the police
that the burglars were trapped on the
top floor of the six story structure.
Out on the street the perspfring central
men climbed, each with his trusty' re-
vOIver tightly cIutched in fingers that
would tremble just a little bit. The
doors of the building were securely fas-
tened, but the stout shoulders of Detec-
tives Tierney and Hartford forced the
bolts, and they were in the building.
Up the long dark flight of steps they
went, expecting each instant to encoun-
ter robbers. Up and on until the fifth
floor was reached, and still no trace OF
the fugitives. There was one more
floor above, but the stairway was
guarded by a high iron gate that none
sprang out of one of the front windows
and gained the fire escape. After him
trOOped the wise men from the city
hall. and the crowd in the street was
treated to a rare spectacle as those ten
pistOl-fashing sIeuths struck ont for
the topmOst rounds of the ladder The
top once gained, a row of disgra cefully
small windows confronted the Wearled
party, but Lieutenant Perry plunged
braVely at the nearest opening, and his
cohorts spread out along the iron plat
form and tackled, in their turn, a. win
dow apiece.
Those windows might admit the
brightness of sun, but they never were
calculated to embrace such generous
proportions as were being thrust upon
them now. Perry went half way and
then found he could Wiggle neither back
nor forward. Policeman Mackey was
cleaVing the atmosphere with his heels
a few feet distant and his ribs were be-
ing held in close embrace by the jamb
of the window he had attacked. Book
and DeROche ran back to the street and
darted toward the alley in the rear. The
crowd mistOok them for the burglars
and took up the chase, peIting them
with stones and sticks. An excited pO-
Hceman from the north side station ar
rived and wanted to use Perry's kick
ing legs for a pistol target. Some of
the policemen broke into the next door
building and in this fashion gained the
desired point in the seed house. but
not a burglar man was there in sight.
A rescue party was organized and the
fat men from central were given their
liberty. Then it was learned that the
thieves had confined their operations to
the main floor and broken open a cou-
pie of desks Just what they took no.
body knew and nobody cared for it
men that went back to the city hall.