The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-05-19
CAPTURE f ADESP[RAD0 STATE INSURANCE LAWS
After a Stubborn Fight
With the Police.
THE MURDERER at BAY

City-SurrOunded by Police. He makes
Desperate Resistance-One Polices
man Killed and Another wounded.
Preparations TO Burn Him Out Forces
surrender.
Washington, May 17.-Humphrey
Taylor "a negro suspected of the Rosen-
stein murder at Slidell, Nd, today shot
and killed Police Sergeant Fritz Passau,
wounded Policeman Cow, and kept
posse Of a half dozen officers at bay
from the loft Of house for nearly two
hours. Dozens of shots were exchanged
between the officers and the fugitive,
who only surrendered when prepara-
tions were made to burn the premises.
Last Saturday morning Louis Ros-
enstein and his wife, who kept small
store at Slidell, were found insensible
and horribly wounded, in their store
room. Rosenstein soon died from his
injuries and the woman is beievd to
be near death. Suspicion fell upon a
negro named Humphrey Taylor, alias
Brown, who had disappeared.
"A negro answering the description
of Taylor was seen last Saturday even
ing and information received by the po-
lice led them to believe their man was
living in small house about quar-
ter of a mile west of Georgetown. Ear
ly this morning Taylor was seen to en-
ter the place and word was immediate
ly sent to the nearest precinct station
and a posse of officers hurried to the
place. The men were posted about the
house while Passau, Cow and another
officer attempted to gain entrance
through the front door.
Finally the door was forced. The
two small rooms on the first floor were
empty and the officers ascended to the
second story. The front room was al
so untenanted and as the men passed
into the rear apartment, Taylor open
ed fire from the trap door of cOcklOft
in which he mad taken refuge.
Sergeant Passau sank to the floor dead
with two bullets through his chest
Policeman Cow opened fire through the
Trap, Dut 1dllGu W III tuO IUSltlNS- OOW
received bullet in his right hand bad
ly slattering it, and another struck his
metal balge and glanced downward the
entire length of his coat. The reserves
of two precincts were called out and the
house surrounded The shooting,
meanwhile, had attracted several thou
sand persons, occasionally the negro
would fire shot at the officers and i'm
mediately a volley would answer it,
but no one was hurt.
With revolver in hand they watched
every window and tried several ruses
to draw Taylor's fire He seemed to
have an unlimited supply of ammuni
ton Finally, concluding that he would
not surrender, District Commissioner
Wight directed the police to fire the
premises. A mattress was secured, sat-
urated with oil and the officers began
to remove the furniture.
Seeing his game was hopeless, Tay-
lor surrendert l. Surrounded by Off
GERS with drawn revolvers he was hus-
tied out of the house to the patrol wa
gon, when the crowd surgel forward
with shouts of lynch him. burn
him." a nd made rush for the prison
er. A rope was secured and the mob
made a desperate effort to place it
around the wretch's neck. The cool
ness of the officers, however, saved
Taylor though he was rather badly dis
figured by blows from the nearest Of
the crowd.
Upon searching the premises the po-
lice found 1892 and q gold watch and
chain where he had secreted them. He
had a diamond ring and a small sum
Of money on his person.
It is believed he is the man the Mary
land authorities are looking for. 1t is
probable however, that he will be de-
tanned by the dis trict authorities and
tried for the murder of Sergeant Pas
sau.
yed ofif1c Observation-Disclosures
Pneumonia la grips coughs colds,