The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-27

DEATH|N | SDUTY
Charles Gebhardt Of Hobo
ken Killed While Ar
resting a Thief.
DESPERATE FIGHT IN THE STREET
The Assassin Fires Three
Bullets at the Brave
Policeman.
HEROIC WORK OF OFFICER MEYER
He Grapples With the Muir
derer and Clubs Him Into
Submission.

light on a public th~oroughfare by a pro-
fessional sneak thief. The murderer was
caught in the act of entering a fiat house
in the residential section of the city. His
partner was waiting outside. Gebharde
grabbed both men. One got away The
other did the shooting and was caught
after an exciting chase by Policeman John
w. Myers, who pfackily faced a revolver
and beat the cowardly murderer into SUP
mission.
No murder of recent years has SO
stirred Hoboken as hat which occurred
yesterday. The officer, who was so
cowardly murdered, was one of the most
popular young men in the department.
He had a wife and FIVE children. the
murderer's identity cannot be learned. he
gave the name of James N. Brown ana
claimed a residence on Erie street, jersey
City. Both are fictitious. He is a slight
fellow, of wiry build, dark hair, shifting
black eyes a hang-dog expression
He was neatly dressed in a blue serge SUIT
and when searched had a complete set OF
burglars tools.
For the past two months a number OF
burglaries and sneak robberies have been
COm0llICeQ In the 2cCOLA
manded by Captain flaming. This pre-
cinct comprises the residential section OF
the city. 1t was evident that The o
berries were committed by two men, VINO
travelled together. Captain Tanning
picked out Gebhardt, who was doing pa
troll duty, and told him to cover the
streets in civilians attire. Geohardt was
known as a cool. courageous officer, ana
was reputed the best wrestler In the &C.
partment He was popular with all
with whom he came in contact.
About Ais o'clock yesterday afternoon
Gebhardt was standing at Twelfth and
Garden streets, when he noticed two men
lettering near the corner of Twelfth ana
Bloomfield streets. He watched them for
I'VE minutes until they separated. one re
naming on the corner and the other
starting up Bloomfield street to Thir-
teenfh street, evidently to ~reeonnoitre-
Lawyer Alonzo Let's left a Washington
street car at Twelfth street and saluted
Gebhardt. Gebhardt said to him:-
Don't look now. but in a moment turn
around and see if you know that fellow
standing on the corner"
Let's did as he was told, and replied
that he did not know the fellow. Geb-
hardt and Let's talked together, and saw
the fellow enter the fashionable fat
house on the northeast corner of Twelfth
and bloomfield streets. Gebhardt started
In after him, n Let's discreetly went
home.
Gebhardt pulled the fellow out of the
names on the door plate, and questioned
him. The fellows pal, who was further
up the block. came running up, and Geb-
hardt grabbed him by the collar, and
placed him Under arrest also. He started
with his two prisoners for the Second
precinct police station, three blocks dis
ant.
He had not gone ten yards when both
men made a dash for liberty. One of
them, a big powerful fellow. with a sandy
mustache. wrenched himself free. and
darted up Bloomfield street, where he
was soon lost to view.
Gebhardt still retained his hold on his
other prisoner, who was of slighter build,
but who nevertheless was making a des-
perate resistance. They struggled up and
down the sidewalk for fully a minute,
and the officer was rapidly besting the
prisoner, when the latter made a move
ment towards his hip pocket.
William Ostendorff, a tenant on the first
floor of the fiat house which had been
entered, saw the movement made by the
fellow and realized the officers danger.
Look out, Gebhardt!'' shouted Osten-
dorf from the window. HE means MUIR
der"
The struggle had been watched with
bated breath by women from windows in
the neighborhood. They were in a ter
rible state as they saw the desperate
struggle and the prisoners efforts to get
the revolver from his pocket.
AT last the prisoner succeeded in ex-
Treating the revolver from his hip pocket.
It was a 32-calibre English bulldog. a
most formidable looking affair. Gebhardt
had the fellow by the coat lapels, and the
prisoner leaned onward. At the same
time he placed the muzzle within an inch
Of Gebhardt's stomach and pulled the
trigger.
Gebhardt moaned pitifully and released
his hold with his right hand. which he
clasped TO his stomach. where 1t was soon
dyed with his life blood. He still retained
his hold with his left hand. Neither ma
spoke a word. Gebhardt was growing
weak, and reached for his hip pocket,
where he had his revolver. AS he did so
his prisoner sprang way from him, and
at a distance of about five feet blazed
away again. This second shot lodged in
Gebhardt's right side, and his face was
pftiful to see.
The fellow kept backing away. and
Gebhardt who had drawn his revolver, at
tempted to fire it. The weapon fell from
his hand. The brave officer staggered a
few feet. and then fell prone on his
stomach with his life blood ebbing away.
In the meantime the shooting had
aroused the neighborhood. Policeman
Meyer, who was at Twelfth and Garden
streets. heard the shots. and ran up
Twelfth street. He arrived at the corner
just as Gebhardt fell.
Meyer took in the situation at q glance.
and, drawing his revolver, commanded
the murderer. who was still backing
away. to halt. The reply was a shot, and
a bullet went whizzing by Meyers head.
The two men were now less than ten
yards apart. The sneak thief had the re-
yoiver pointed at Meyer, but the brave
young officer closed in on the thief. HI
thief fired another shot which emptied his