Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1901-04-13
TWO MURDERS IN ONE Day
BY p|ITSDURG BURGLARS.
ZEN, ATTEMPTING TO DEFEND
HIS WIFE IN THEIR HOME.
THE SECOND A DETECTIVE,
ONE BURGLAR SHOT BY THE Of
FICERS AND PROBABLY
FATALLY WOUNDED.

in the annals of the Pittsburg police
than to-day.
Thomas D. Kahney, a Mount Wash
ington grocer, was shot and killed in
his home by three burglars, while de-
tending his wife, who was being chlor-
oformed.
A few hours later the rendezvous of
the felons was discovered at 80 Fulton
street and a force of detectives put to
work on the case.
In a desperate fight which followed,
City Detective Patrick E. Fitzgerald
was instantly killed and one Of the
robbers, who gave his name as Edward
Wright, who fired the shots that killed
Fitzgerald, was badly wounded.
Two male and two female members
Of the robber gang were arrested and
diamonds and other booty worth from
$4,000 to $4,000 was recovered. The
whole of the gang is believed to be in
custody and the detectives have evil
dence that the men are responsible for
the numerous burglars of the past
month or two in and around this city.
The wounded prisoner was removed
to Mercy hospital, where it is said he
may recover although he was shot
three times.
The others arrested gave their names
as Robert Wilcox and his wife Jen-
ME; J.. B. Wright, a brother of the
murderer, and a woman said to be his
wife. They were taken to the Central
Station, where it was learned that all
were from Chicago.
Wilcox is said to be known in that
city as kid" Nichols. Mrs. Wilcox ad-
Matted that they had all come from
Caicago some months ago and had
been working here since then.
The detectives first went to a house
ON Bedford avenue. A woman fully
dressed was sitting at a table eating
breakfast. A man lay on the bed
clothed. AS he caught sight of the
officers he darted his hand under the
bolster, but at the command hands
up" and the presentation of a loaded
revolver, he surrendered. The officers
looked under the pillow and found
three loaded revolvers.
Then they repaired to the Fulton
street rendezvous, where the shooting
took place.
The description of the encounter in
the room as told by Inspector Robert
Grey, of the detective bureau. was most
graphic. When he and Fitzgerald
went up stairs they knocked on the
door. 1t was quietly opened by a wo-
man. Her body blocked a view of the
room and the officers thought the men
they were after had escaped, having
had warning from the m
Fitzgerald was in front of Gray,
holding the door knob in his hand and
with his head and shoulders in the
room. Suddenly he cried:
"There he is, Bob, he's got a gun.
Rush him."
Suiting the action to the word, the
detective rushed into the room with
the inspector at his heels. The wo-
man had stepped aside and as the Off
GERS entered the mar began shooting.
Both officers had their revolvers out
and replied to the shots. The robber
stood upright firing his pistol coolly,
while the woman covered in Il corne
of the room Fitzgerald and Gray were
by this time along side of each other,
Fitzgerald still in the crouching atti-
tude in which he had broken into the
room.
All three men were pumping lead
into each other. Suddenly Fitzgerald
lurched against Gray and the latter:
still firing, saw that his partner was
staggering and cropping blindly with his
hands.
I'm all in, Bob" shouted the detec-
tive, "but don't mind me. Get him."
Then Fitzgerald fell. Gray grasped
the pistol which the murderer held
and snatched it from his hand. 1t had,
as afterwards discovered, one ball in 1t.
so that four shots must have beer fired.
Suddenly the fellow pulled another re-
%volver, where from Gray could not re-
alize. The man began to shoot. Gray
had fired all his ammunition, and the
fellow still kept firing, although appar-
emily very weak from the bullets that
must have reached him. Gray grasped
him by the throat and tried to throw
him to the floor, both men stumbling
to and fro over the body of Fitzgerald.
Then at last the man threw up his
hands, and with the words. "IIl give
in" dropped to the floor.
No examination was made of the
body until later, but it is supposed
that n or more bullets from the muir
derers pistol had struck Fitzgerald In
the breast. 1t is Grey's opinion that
he died as he fell to the floor, although
he i not positive. his own fight