The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-18
NARROWLY ESCAPES LYNCHINe.
4 CoIored Thief Causes Excitement
in the Streets of Chicago.

CHICAGO. Aug. a7s-Chicago came near
Witnessing a repetition of the New Orleans
and New York anti-negro riots late last
night. William Fiqua. q negro dssperado
missed lynching by a hairs breadth, after
being chased for blocks by an Infatuated
crowd of 2.0O0 men clamoriEg for his blood
He was saved only by the strenuous efforts
Of a large detail of police within two BIOS ks
# the City Hall.
Fidua ran amuek from the moment he
snatched pocketbook from a woman at
Madison Street and Wabash Avenue. Her
scream of terror brought half dozen men
tumbling out of a cable train, and the
pickpocket dashed west on Madison Street,
drawing revolver as he ran. Policeman
Slime tried TO stop him, but the man fired
full at him, making off up an aleyway be-
lore the policeman could seize him.
Stine gave chase. firing twice at the Job
ber but failing 10 hit him. The man ran
west on Washington Street TO State, north
on State to Holden Place, and then turned
vest toward Dearborn Street.
Slime followed his man, the attendant
crowd growing larger every moment. The
reports of revolvers brought men hurrying
out of saloons. restaurants, and ho.els, and
as Fiqua turned south on Dearbon Street
there was crowd OF 100 barring his way
Mt Randolph Street. He charged betwe
the throngs on the sidewalk, fiourishing his
revolver and no one dared to stop him.
Escape east on Washington Street was irl-
possible, because of crowds swarming in
from Clark and State Streets. Another and
larger throng barred his path at Madison
Street. Sending a shot toward the crowd,
the thief dashed aside into Calhoun Pace,
doubling west toward Clark Street..
Policeman Dennehy and a PinkeItcl
Waterman headed him for a moment in
narrow passage. Twice Fiqua fired at
them, rushing by through the smoke, re-
lo,siing his revolver from a supply of car
tridges in his coat. John E. Mahar, a cab
man, seized him, but the negro smashed
his revolver butt in Mahar's face, ard
twisted away. After firing repeatedly at
his pursuers but failing to hit anyone, the
negro was finally overtaken after many
twists and turns in front of the new post
office building on Michigan Avenue. where
utterly exhausted he flung himself under a
cab horse. AT once he was seized by four
officers and surrounded by a bowling NIB.
Hang him" XIII the black dsvil,"
the crowd shrieked, and the police tried TO
make way for the captive up Dearborn
Street. Fists were battered against the ne
gro's head and face. A man with a rope
cut from an awning threw moose over the
robbers head. At Madison Street n crowd
which had been sweiled to three thousand
men and boys, tried to drag Fiqua away
from his protectors A man with a loaded
cane brought il down on the negro's skull,
and he slipped half way to the pavement,
bleeding from wound on his head.
Working toward the central station, the
officers and their quarry ran up against an
immovable barrier of excited men at Madi-
son and Clark Streets: Despairing of
breaking through the mob, which stretched
a block in each direction, riot call was
sent in ard Fiqua made the last block OF
his journey il a patrol wagon. He was
bruised md beaten about the head and
shoulder. but his injuries are not serious.
Fiqua ieca AIRED that he had recently come
from Nashville, hut the police believe that
he is the footpad who shot Fireman
Thomas ]. Honore a few days ago.