New-York tribune., 1901-01-21
A FIERCE FIGHT FOR LIFE.
POLICEMAN sUBDUEs NEGRO WHO HAD
SLASHED MAN AND WOMAN
ONE VICTIM WILL. PROBABLY DIE-PATRoL-
MANS LIFE SAVED BY A BUTTON
TWO NIGHTSTICKS BROKEN.

In fight for life two heavy policemen's night
sticks of locust wood were broken by PATROL
man John Tomany on the head OF six foot
negro on a rampage in a Brooklyn saloon short
ly after midnight yesterday morning
The negro. Robert Beverly, thirty-nine years
old Of No 40 Prince-st. with a long, razor
edged case knife, had made murderous as
sault upon a woman. partly disembowelled
man and delivered knife thrust over PATROL
man Tomanys heart which would doubtless
have caused his death except for the tnterven-
ton of large guttapercha button sewed IN a
cardigan jacket For fifteen minutes Tomany.
who is himself a six footer. struggled with the
enraged West Indian negro.
John Mahoney. thirty-thFee years old, CT
Twentieth-st in Windsor Terrace. who received
a slash a foot long across the abdomen, will
probably die May Finnerty thirty-four years
old OF No 1I5 Vanderbilt received several
incised wounds in the right side They are dan
serous but not necessarily fatal Both patients
are white
The scene Of the terrific struggle was the back
room Of the saloon of Robert Whitman. at
Johnson and Prince SITS. Shortly after mi1ntsht
May Finnerty came into the saloon with the
negro. They sat down to drink. Suddenly
Beverly drew a knife and began TO slash the
woman He said afterward that she had stolen
a dollar from him. John Mahoney sprans 10
protect the girl, and with sweep OF the
sharp blade Beverly slashed him from side 10
side
Patrolman Tomany of the Adams-st station,
hearing the cries came into the saloon on the
rush The minute Beverly the uniform he
turned and made vicious lunge. The point
passed through four thiCknesses of heavy CLOTH
where the double breasted overcoat and under
coat were buttoned. BY lucky chance the
knife point struck a button. which stopped the
force OF the blow. The button was split and the
knife caused only a small incised wound In the
flesh.
In spite of his wound Tomany grappled with
the burly and infuriated negro Around and
around the room they fought. the patrolman
using his club and the negro slashing with the
knife. In court TOmany showed a coat slashed
In half dozen places. Several cuts were also
made in the policeman's trousers The two
men fell to the floor and the struggle continued
The policeman succeeded in clubbing his an
Then he began to beat the negro's head One
particularly hard blow broke the stick and
seemed to stun the negro slightly.
Just then PatrOlma1 Johnson arrived on the
scene. He offered 10 assist but TOnany said:
NO; I'll handle the brute You run quick and
call the ambulance. But, say, leave your cluo
with me; mines done up.
Johnson dropped his stick and out. Bev-
erly. who had recovered somewhat, taking Tom
any by surprise, jumped to his feet Again the
patroIman went for him. and rained blow after
blow on his tough skull. So heavy were the
blows that the second club was broken BY
this time, however the negro Subdued. He
was handed over in a battered condition to sew
eral policemen who had come in a patrol wagon
During the fight Mahoney and the Finnerty
woman were lying bleeding in another room
where they had been carried by the bartender
When Ambulance Surgeon Eastman arrived he
hurried them to the Brooklyn Hospital, turned
them to the surgeons. and drove back 20
the Adams-st. station TOmany'S wound
dressed and he was allowed to go home Then
the surgeon turned to the negro, and found his
head a mass OF cuts and bruises. His right hand
also badly battered After several yards Of
bandaEes had been wrapped around the prison
er's head he was locked up.
Patrolman Tomany appeared in the Adams-st
court at 10 O'Clock to make a charge against
Beverly. and was greeted hero. To Magis-
trate Bristow the sullen negro said defiantly
that he had acted in self-defence.
II was being robbed" he declared, "and just
hit out TO protect myself. l was gettin DONE
and jus fought TO the finish"
He committed to Jail without ball. and
the examination was set for Wednesday.