Bridgeton pioneer. (Bridgeton, N.J.) 1884-1919, 1900-04-05
He SHOT TO KILL THE OFFICER.
Finally Landed in jail and Friday Night 1t
Is Discovered That He Has Robbed
II. III. ShOemaker's Residence
of Jewels and Money

Constable Dare Friday came within
a hsir's-breadth of losing his life, but his
nerve in tackling his would-be murderer.
with the timely assistance of Jail Warden
Watkins resulted in pulling through
very narrow bole, and the capture of a
desperate and beyond question an old
time, professional crook.
The authorities of Philadelphia had
notiied Constables Lore and Dare that
among the gangs of tramps and hoboes
that are now swarming this way, were
supposed to be some desperate crooks,
who we're taking advantage of the trsmps'
Invasion of this vicinity to come down
this way and do burglary jobs and throw
suspicion on the tramps.
Constable Dare and Jail Warden Wat
kins were detailed to make Investigations
and as scores of other complaints have
been made against tramp depredations.
they have been making sharp inspections
of all places where the worthless gangs are
likely to gather.
Late Friday afternoon Ithe officers
were driving in back road just off N.
Pearl street, and a hundred and fifty
yards possibly, south of the Central rail-
road. Constable Dare was out of the car
riage, pushing his way through the
woods for an old barn that was known to
be in that locality.
| Constable Dare at last came across the
barn and pushed open the door, having
no idea of finding any one in it. He was
looking for camp, not the fellows In
side the old barn he found another door,
the entrance to a sort of harness or wagon
apartment, and he pulled open the door.
! Hardly had he done so when the form of
man rushed toward him, revolver
| cleaning in an outstreched hand, and in
stantly shot rang out in the room.
Constable Dare felt the sting of bullet
at his head, ard knew that he had been
hit. Instantly, pluckily, he closed in
upon his asssilant, who was cursing.
! With one hand he grabbed the man by
the throat and the other hand was en-
gagged in preventing the desperate from
firing the revolver again.
The struggle was one for life. The
stranger was cursing and using his every
effort to get the revolver in position where
constable. The constable had grip upon
the weapon and both men swayed back
and forth in their attempt to gain the
IAastery. Blood was streaming down the
face of Dare from the wound in the head,
and both men, each locked in the others
embrace, were CORY, and presented
horrible appearance. Again was the re-
volver discharged, this time the bullet
plowed through the right hand of the
desperate man.
In the meantime, Watkins, hearing the
reports of the revolver. was fastening to
the aid of Dare. The shots. being in the
barn, had made the sound muff1ed and
seemed far away. In a moment or two,
however, the barn was reached, and Wat
kns took hand, and the fellow was soon
overpowered and lying upon the floor
manacled.
Immediately he was loaded up in the
carriage and taken to jail, where he was
consigned to cell upon the first floor.
| Constable Dare was not seriously in
| jured happily. He was taken to DR..
Thompson who skillfully dressed the
wound. The flesh just over the left ear
had heen plowed away by the bullet, aud
the slightest change in the direction of
the bullet would have resulted in instant
death for Dare.
Constable Lore took charge of the man
upon his arrival at the Jail. The fellow
said his name was Joseph Emerson, and
at first declared that lis home was in
Miliville. Afterward he said he lived in
Newark, n. J. and later declared that his
last place of residence was No. 81 Henry
street. Brooklyn, N. Y. He added to this
statement, that he only had room at that
point and was not known there.
Emerson declared that he had no in
tention of killing Dare, but thought to
frighten the officer aud escape. He pro
tested he had not participated in any
crime, but was down here looking for
work.
Constable Lore then made a thorough
search of Emerson. What was revealed
was astonishing. The fellow was literally
loaded down with booty, dazzling array
of costly jewels being revealed. There
was pearl studded brooch, very valu-
able, two diamond pins, a mans ring
with rich setting, silver watch. three
pocket books, one of which contained two
new 81 notes and some silver, several pen
knives. a number of partially burned
candles, a mirror, some mems hose, lot
of fish hooks arranged as crooks grab
bing line, and many other articles.
He had also West Jersey r. r. ticket
from Clayton to Newfeld, stamped
March 2Sth, and number of business
cards from jackson House," Camden,
N. j. Emerson made no explanation of
where he secured this booty, beyond say
ing it was his own.
Later it was discovered that Emerson
had on three pairs of pants and more than
the usual amount of underclothing. He
also had concealed about his clothes two
of Rand & McNally's maps and indexed