The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1901-01-12
BIRDS OF PREY.
Sidewalk Hold Up By
Denizens Of a Cheap
Lodging House.
THREE NEGROES THE VICTIMS
Pistol Shots Startle the Mid
night Air Montgomery
Street in an Uproar.
THREE NEGROES THE VICTIMS

The quiet which usually prevails at the
early hours in this city was greatly dis
turbed at two O. clock this morning. by
about dozen pistol shots, much yelling
of '1Murder!' "Stop himr' Head him
off, .'Policel'' One man was pretty
badly punched, two men led an excited
crowd merry chase and one man was
IN danger Of the grip because ne ran
| about seeking murderers in his night
| clothes without any other protection
from the rain and chill of the coolest
hours of the day.
The whole affair owed it's conception to
crippled beggar and a half dozen ho-
boes, only a very small fraction of a gang
| OF beggars, tramps and criminals drawn
| to this city by the lodging houses that
are growing in number here. The beg
| gar who started the affray is described
as John Carroll. He has but one leg and
| is drunkard. He is at present a lodger
| at No. 95 Montgomery street, which is
known as the Montauk Lodging House.
Carroll was following his profession of
pan-handling last night and had worked
| the saloons in the lower section of the
! city pretty thoroughly. He worked with
a partner who is also cripple and on
his own admission jail bird. Carroll
was thrown out of certain saloon on
Montgomery street, because when his per-
sistent demands for money were refused
| he became abusive and cursed those from
whom he sought aid. The men in the
| saloon paid no more attention to the in
| cident because it was a common event
About ten minutes after he left the saloon
! Carroll took his stand at the door of the
! Montauk. seeking whom he might devour.
/ Three negroes who were on their way to
| New York, came along and Carroll ap-
preached them with his appeal for ASSIST
| ance. They said they could give him
| nothing
Then before the negroes were aware of
| how it all happened they were surround
| ed by a gang Of dodgers who rushed from
the doorway of the lodging house.
| Whether they responded to a signal from
! Carroll or not is not known, but they were
| there in second. They threatened the
negroes unless they were given money and
the three men became frightened. Some
one pulled a revolver and fired three shots
| in the air. In few seconds a crowd of
| citizens began rushing to the scene from
| all directions.
| Among others who heard the shots was
| Officer Meehan, of the First Precinct
| station. Meehan was in bed at the time
and he jumped out and rushed to the
street without the formality of dressing,
as he got in sight of the crowd they be-
/ gan to disperse.
The negroes went toward the ferry, the
4 tramps disappeared in some unaceount-
4 able manner. Meehan gave chase and
caught one of the negroes. He did not
know who was in the wrong, and caught
| the first man that he could lay his hands
on. He went for this particular negro,
who is Daniel Desdune, because he had
! a revolver.
Before Meehan got to Desdune a num-
Der of citizens caught him and attempted
| to disarm him. Desdune put up such a
strong fight his captors feared he would
use the revolver and they began to beat
and kick him.
! Meehan had trouble in reaching Des-
| dune, who was in mortal dread. He was
crying out for mercy and protection.
With difficulty Meehan reached his side
and forced his assailants away
| The officers took a big army revolver
away from Desdunes trouser leg. One
chamber was empty and it is thought he
shot in the air to frighten away the gang
! of hoboes that gathered about him and
/ his companions.
When the three negroes started to run
| a howl was set up People at the corner
| of Washington and Montgomery streets
| were called to head them off. Desdune
was caught about fifty feet west of Wash
| ingten street. His companions turned
north into Washington street and made
good their escape after lodging a half
dozen ehots. When Desdune was taken
1 to the station he related the facts in the
| case as above, but was detained until this
morning, when he was released.
Policemen were sent out to look up the
| others in the affair and they arrested
Carroll, Robert Grob. John Smith, Fred
Noble and Victor Grob. They have no
regular means Of subsistence The men
were held for further examination.