The times., 1901-06-25
BAD MISTAKE OF INTRUDERs.
Their Intended Victim Former
Policeman, who Captures One.

Under arrest at the Seventh precinct
station. Thomas Morrison and William
Mitchell. negroes. await investigation of
their records and alleged suspicious
actions last night in the rear yard of the
coffee establishment of Davis & Harper.
3302-350i NJ Street northwest. A third
negro is said to have been in company
with the prisoners, but made his escape
from the police and is still at large. Nor
rison presented a wounded scalp at the
station and was taken to the Georgetown
University Hospital in the patrol wagon
for treatment. Afterward he was re-
turned to the station and lodged in a cell.
1t was after II o'clock last night when
Benjamin Harper, junior member of the
firm. who sleeps on the premises, dis
covered three negroes prowling about the
rear of the coffee establishment. An hour
before three men. whose description tall
lies with those seen by Mr. Harper, were
discovered in the rear yard of the place,
by a daughter of the latter. She called
to them and they beat retreat in haste
and disappeared. Mr.. Harper was just
getting in bed when he heard a noise at
the rear of the establishment, as though
somebody were climbing over a fence into
the rear yard. He hastily dressed. and
looked out of a window. The forms of
three men were discernible in the shadows
below. In one hand Harper took his re-
volver, while in the other he held a club.
Thus armed, he sailed forth from the
building to arrest the men.
As Harper appeared the negroes turned
to flee. Morrison seems to have been be-
hind his companions, for he was seized
by Harper and struggle ensued. Harper
called Justify for help, and held on to
Morrison. In the struggle Morrison sus-
tanned the wound on his head, but wheth-
er from a blow Of the club which Har-
per carried or from a fall is not known.
While the fight was in progress. Police
man Passeno heard calls for help and
ran into the alley in the rear of the cof-
fee establishment. He was too late to
intercept the two negroes who escaped
from the yard, but mounted over the
fence and went TO the assistance of Har-
per, who was still engaged with Morrison
in the yard. The policeman subdued Nor
rison and placed him under arrest.
Harper accompanied the policeman to
the station, together with the prisoner
who marched between them. In cell,
after his wounds had been dressed at the
hospital Morrison said that one of his
companions was Mitchell. The police To-
Gated this negro shortly afterward and
he was locked up to await investigation.
Morrison told the police of his move
ments until the time he entered the yard
OF the coffee establishment. There mem
ory failed him. He could not remember
having been In lie yard at all, he said
ON the other haIS, Mitchell says he was
not In the yard at all. He says he has
never been there. No trace of the third
negro, who escaped. has yet been found.
Morrison has worked for some time with
. dairyman named Connolly, whose home
is on ThiIty-second Street extended.
Mitchell lives on the Canal Road
Ten years or more ago Mr. Harper was
a special officer in Georgetown, but for
some years he has been associated with
Davis in the coffee roasting business