New-York tribune., 1901-09-26
CHASE ON NLANDAND WATER
NEGRO FUGI TIVE. WAIST DEEP N
WATER. HIDES IN SWAMP.
WHILE POLICEMEN IN ROwBoAT BATTER
HIM WITH OARS HE TRIES TO CUT
HIS THROAT.

For five hours yesterday twenty policemen
and five hundred persons hunted for negro
named William Clemmns in the swamps the
Manhattan shore Of the Harlem River, and all
day long the greatest excitement reigned as
harbor and mounted policemen. with revolvers
In their hands, searched through the dense sedge
for the fugitive. More than thousand persons
lined the bank of the river for half a mile. and
when would discover the long grass
move, the cry could be heard, There he
Isl" This went on all afternoon as the negro.
determined not to be caught fitted from place
to place through the thick mud. wading knee
deep in the mre and up TO his waist in water.
It was not until late in the afternoon, when,
covered with cuts and bruises and almost too
exhausted TO move, he feebly dragged himself
through the low water to a pier. where he
finally captured.
Once when he was in reach of half dozen
policemen in rowboat who struck him with
their oars. he thought that he was to be capt
ured, and. drawing a from his pocket, he
slashed his throat. But he too weak TO
infict dee pcut, and he shrank back into the
sedge bleeding profusely. The policemen had
struck him the head and face. but he repeled
their attack and skunk from view.
According to Benjamin Randell colored Of
No. 226 East One hundred and -twenty-seventh
st. William CIemmins slashed him with razor
in front of No. 300 East One-hundred- -and-twen-
ty-seVenth-st.. the home of George Clemmins.
Williams brother, while he was talking to
Clementine Moore colored girl. of No. 1OI
West One hundred and thirty fourth St who is
said TO be the sweetheart of William. Yester-
day Rande complained at the East One-hun
dred-and- -twenty-sixth-s police station, and de-
tectives started after Clemmins.
They went to the new Lenox-ave bridge
near One-hundred-a and forty -sixth-st, where he
is employed At about 10 o'clock colored
woman presented Clemmns's ticket for his pay.
and the detectives followed her. When she
reached One-hundred- and -fortysecond she
met Clemmns. When he the detectives fol-
lowing her he OWNED their intentions and ran.
MOUNTED POLICEMEN PURSUE HIM.
Three mounted policemen of the Highbridge
station seeing the negro running at full speed.
gave chase. They joined by the three de-
tectives. At One-hundred- and forty -second-st..
the Harlem River there is a fence six feet
high The six policemen had chased the fugitive
across several lots and thought they then had
him cornered when the fence reached. But
with the skill of acrobat he jumped it,
Detective Mooney fired five shots at the fugi
tive, but they went wild. The policemen
got over the fence and resumed the chase. while
the mounted policemen dashed around the cor
ner TO head Clemmins Off but when they
reached the bank of the river at One-h hundred
and-forty-fi -first-st. they saw him piunging into
the dense sedge. where he was lost TO view.
The police Of the East red-and-twen-
ty-siXth-st. station were called on, and dozen
men arrived Il patrol wagon They were
stationed at various points along the river
FUGITIVE FELLED IN THE WATER
Sergeant Osborne, in command OF the sub-sta-
ton Of the harbor police, came to the scene
in launch, and joined in the hunt, and police
men hired two rowboats and rowed through the
sedge- After the policemen in one of the row
boats had nearly caught him. and he had at
tempted suicide, described above, nothing
of him until just before
o'clock. several hours afterward. Thomas
Kelly, who lives at -hundred-and- forty
siXth-st., near Lenox-ave had received offer
of $40 from Detective Mooney if he would capt
the negro, and he watched for him all af-
ternoon. Suddenly he the negro dragging
himself through the shallow water toward
pier at One hundred and -forty-sixth- st. Kelly
diVed into the water and swan toward the
negro. and struck him blow on the head.
Clemmins fell exhausted and would have
drowned had not assistance arrived in time.
The crew of a tugboat lying at the end of the
pier went overheard after him. A line tied
with a double halfhitch under his arms, and he
was hauled ashore. The police then came up
twenty-sixth-st station in patrol wagon. An
ambulance called from Harlem Hospital,
and DR.. Candy took him there. He was so eX
hausted that he could not speak, and lapSed
into state of Inconsistencies. His condition
is critical