The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-09-17
Edward Morse, a Criminal, Shot
By Officer F. A. Ribbach.
TWENTY SHOTS EXCHANGED.
Conrs9eous Policeman Goes Into the
Hiding Place of Three Well
Armed and Desperate Men sus-
pected OF Attempted BURGLARY
and Fights Them All sinsie-
Handed--others Are Arrested.

In one Of the darkest corners OF the
gloomy South end district. IN vacant lot
between the Montana stables and the
snug saloon. ON Fourth avenue south
between Main and washington. pitched
battle was fought at $50 O'Clock yesterday
morning between Police Officer Fred A.
Rif5hach and three armed and desperate
law breakers.
Az A. result Of that conflict Edward
Morse alias Edward Moore. alias Jack
Baker. a former Minnesota shingie weaver
who went to Nome and there wandered
from the path OF honesty. Hes In the
morRue with a bullet through his heart;
Harry Austin. a Seattle hoy who has
frequently been AZ outs with the police.
has a bullet through his left forearm and
occupies a eell In the city jail, and Jack
Mansfield. alias Jack Dougherty, believed
10 be the third member OF the gang,
Is also IN confinement there.
A fourth man, who was seen with Moore
during the evening. but who did not take
part in the night, has not yet been found.
OFFICER Ribbach. who fought until his
revolver was empty. sending the last bull
let into Morse's heart. escaped without
= scratch.
The three men were, II IL alleged, at
tempting to break into Quong Tai 4 Cos
store, which faces on Fourth avenue
next 10 the vacant lot Officer Ribbach
learned Of their presence and entered the
lot from the rear. He found the men
and with very scanty preliminary arrange
ments the revolver duel was commenced
Twenty shots or more were fired.
4 Lurking Place for Crime.
The gloomy corner where the four men
fought II ono OF tho most unpleasant
places In all that forbidding district Al
- ~
police station, crimea without number
have been committed IN that immediate
neighborhood. The Snug saloon. which
stands on the northeast corner OF Main
street and Fourth avenue. was held up
not many weeks ago. and It was originally
believed TO have been the design OF tho
highwsymen yesterday morning TO repeat
the crime.
Immediately north Of tho Snug IL .
vacant lot. then the Chinese store, two
more buildings occupied by Chinese. and
on the Washington street corner the
Montana stables. Across the front Of tho
vacant lot n high bill board The whole
block n on rather steep hillside, and
In the lot. about nifty feet back from
tho fence. there Il big pile OF dirt and
n sharp drop The slope and this drop
forms OF the front of tho lot regular
hole. Its disaereeablc aspect IL further
sssNt r7-s'u " tuc PFcScucf OF tnree or
four Old wagons. several piles of rotten
boards. apparently torn from the moor OF
the stable, and quantity Of other rub
hish,
There are no alleys entering the block.
almost no way In which light can come
from the street. and In darkness like that
OF yesterday morning. when the moon
was hidden by clouds. the gloom II be-
yond description = was into this black
hole that ofeer Ribbach went and faced
and fought three desperate men.
Ths three highwaymen and their COM
pnniou, who was not in the melee, had
been soon prowiing around the neighbor-
hood for several hours. They were nrst
psenfioned to the police between II and IL
O'clock. when QuonE Tai, owner OF tho
Chinese store. complained 10 Offlcer Rib
bach that they were trying to enter his
place The policeman went around into
the lot and found box standing be-
meath one Of the windows OF the Chinese
ttore. He took II away and from that