The San Francisco call., 1898-07-24
Found Them in Her
 House.
EACH HAD A BIG REVOLVER
FOLLOWED BY A BOY AND A
 CITIZEN TILL CAUGHT.
Exciting Scene on Golden Gate Avenue Marked by the Bravery of Two
 Policemen.

Through the efforts of the boy driver of a laundry wagon and citizen and the bravery of two police officers two bold daylight burglars were captured yester- day afternoon and taken to the City Prison. They are Jack Smith. an ex- convict with a number of aliases, and George Thomas, who Is supposed to be William McElroy, a well-known petty larceny thief.
 Shortly after noon yesterday Mrs. Ro- sic Abrams, 2221s Grove street, left her house to go downtown Her daughter remained in the house for about an hour later and then left, after seeing that all the doors were locked and the windows securely fastened.
 Mrs. Abrams returned to the house about o'clock and on opening the front door was surprised to see a number of papers strewn along the hallway. She made straight for the kitchen and was confronted by two men. She promptly wheeled round and rushed for the front door, screaming as she ran. One of the men, whom she later identified as Smith. followed her and threatened to kill her 1T she did not. stop. She managed to throw open the iron door and rushed eown the steps into the street, still screaming
 The two burglars slipped out of the house by the rear door and ran through an alley, adjoining the house, to the street. Several of the neighbors, hearing Mrs. Abrams screams ran out of their houses and H. c. Benedict, a cigar man. who was visiting a friend a few doors away, was among the number He asked boy who was driving laundry wagon IF he had seen the two burglars and the boy told him they had gone down the street and turned into Van Ness avenue.
 Benedict jumped into the wagon and requested the boy to drive along to see IT he could recognize them. When they got to Polk and Grove streets they saw the burglars emerging from vacant lot that runs from Birch avenue to Fulton street They kept the burglars in sight as they walked rapidly along Fulton to Polk, up Polk to McAllister, along Me Allister to Larkin and up Larl1in to Gold en Gate avenue.
 At the corner of AIcAllister and Larkin Benedict Jumped from the laundry wagon ana telling the boy to follow the men, ran into the Central Police station. He met Louis Ratugan, the patrol wagon arlver. and told him of the burglary. Po- uceman Hostetter happened to be in the station at the time and he and Benedict ran for the laundry wagon, while Po- hceman COughlin and Rattigan made a break for the patrol wagon.
 The laundry wagon got to the burglars first, who had by this time reached be- low LeaYenworth street. HOstetter and nEutQttL jumped OH luE wagon ana f1OS- letter made for the burglars Thomas drew a revolver, but Hostetter was too quick for him and grabbed his wrist be- fore he could fire.
 Benedict made 8 rush for Smith, but Smith presented revolver at him and, being unarmed, Benedict though discre- ton the better part of ValOr and retired. Hostetter, seeing Benedict's peril drew his revolver and took aim at Smith. COughlin just then arrived on the patrol wagon and, taking in the situation, yelled to Hostetter: Don't shoot; will get him all right.
 Smith bolted into the barn of the Pa cifc Coast Horse Repository and took shelter behind the door. Coughlin had not lost sight of him, and when he saw he was cornered he leyeled his revolver at COughlin. If you shoot said Cough lin, T will kill you and he made a motion to draw his revolver, which was unfortunately in his locker. Smith did not raise the weapon and Coughlin quick ly had a firm grip on him.
 The burglars were taken into a restau- rant close by and searched. Each had a revolver. 4 number of spoons, knives an opera glass and other articles were found upon them, afterward identified by Mrs. Abrams as her property She also picked out the two men from @ number of others in the prison.
 After the burglars were locked up in the prison Policemen Hostetter and Coughlin went to the house. On their way there they went through the vacant lot between Birch avenue and Fulton street and found a jimmy" which the burglars had thrown away. The house presented an appearance as if the family had been moving. Every bedroom had been ransacked, bureau drawers emptied of their contents and strewn over the floors. A number of napkin rings and lot of silverware were found tied in a bundle in one of the bedrooms, ready to be taken away.
 Entrance had been effected by forcing open the dining room window in the rear with jimmy" After getting into the dining room they found the door locked, but the jimmy" had been inserted in the jamb of the door and the lock forced open. A piece Of the wood had been broken off by the force of the pressure.
 The two men had been observed hang ing around the place for more than an hour before Mrs. Abrams returned home. It is supposed that their object had been to rob the fiat above, as the lady who oc- cupies it had advertised that it had been newly furnished.
 Smith gave the name of George Mey- CTS, but Detective Bainbridge imme- diately recognized him. He has gone un- der the aliases of Jack OBrien. John Kelly and Charles Evans. He has served four years for burglary and a number of terms for minor offenses. Thomas Is supposed to be William McElroy. q mem Der of a family who have been of consid- erable trouble to the police He has served terms for petty larceny.