The evening times., 1899-03-13
NARROW ESCAPE
FROM LYNCHING
An Old Man Under Arrest
Pursued by a Mob.
Saved From an lncensed Crowd by
the Policemen.
of BIuecGats Pre-
vent Him From Being Hanged
From q Lamppost.

New YORK, Marcn l3.-One pOllceMan,
guarding an eXecrated prisoner until the
arrival of the reserves, was obliged to club
many agitated residents of Brooklyn yes
terday, and then barrcade himself and the
object of this demonstration in q drug
store. The crowd had already thrown a
noosed rope over the crosspiece of lamp
post, and there was a great deal of sim
cerity in the outcry for vengeance.
The prisoner was James Connolly, sixty
years old, a laborer, employed in the navy
yard. He lives at No. 235 Sands Street.
There was time when he boarded at No.
142 Sands Street, with a widow named
Dixon who is the mother of girl of eight.
This little girl, whose name is Katie,
learned to look upon the elderly boarder as
a friend. and her mother trusted him be-
cause of his apparent kindness.
Near the house in which Connolly lives
in DiXon's alley Jap named Denote
keeps an eating house Several naval men
were sitting in Denotes yesterday. Among
them was James O'Neil quartermaster of
the Newark; Harry Gum, quartermaster CT
the Vermont, and Robert Tomms, who is
connected with the commandant's office.
They sat near the window, from which
they commanded a view of Connollys
room. Little Katie Dixon was there.
Quartermaster O'Reilly jumped to his
feet suddenly with an oath and shouted
Wait until / get my gun and see me
shoot that old blackguard!"
His friends interfered, but, though less
impulsive, they were equally maddened.
Tomms rushed for a policeman, and PIE
emily Pstrolman McGoey ran up to Con-
nolly's room and arrested him. The eX-
Citement of the naval men had attracted
| public attention. and the cause OF it was
quickly made known. Men gathered thi k
| ly about the house, and by the time Nc
Goey essayed to leave the house with his
| prisoner the street was we'll nigh block
AIDED. The crowd howled and made a rush.
Mccoy proved himself man of Yalor.
Tightly grasping his covering prisoners
collar with one hand, he fourished his
club with the other. shouting a warning
against interference.
But the press was too great for him. and
he was overborne, fighting desperately
and still holding Connolly. hundred
arms We're outstretched 10 seize the latter.
Clenched fists darted from al! directions,
punching his face until it turned from
white TO crimson. In vain he raised his
arms to protect himself. His defence was
shreds by hands that snatched at it from
opposing directions. And out OF the tu-
| multi one word detached itself clear.y, as
| ii was repeated again and again-the word
| lynch.
| II is a word sometimes used lightly in
| the East-used by men who would shrink
| from the actual fact. But this time there
| could be no mistake about the intention
| for a rope had been procured. a moose
was quickly made at one end OF il, and
| the other end was thrown over a conven-
! lent lamppost. The sight of il moved
! the crowd to cheer wildly
| But Mccoy still had fight in him. Tot
! tering TO his feet he made, a sudden move
| for the door of Shields drug store. drag
! ging the dtlapidated prisoner with him.
/ The crowd was taken by surprise, and the
! rioters fling themselves against the drug
store door, for 1t had been barred in their
| faces.
Quartermaster Gum had telephoned from
the corner drug store TO the lover Fulton
! Street store. and by and by patrol wag-
on came up al a gallop, cutting a lane into
the mob and discharging its freight of
bluecoats before coming 10 a standstill
That was not by any means the end of
nOlly's safe conduct TO the police station.
Thither he was driven. followed still by
the mob bowling eXecration. The naval
man made a complaint against him and
he was locked up for the night.