Evening star., 1902-02-12
FOR LAND
FIGHT
CAPT. STREETER OF CHICAGO
BREAKS OUT AGAIN.
One Man Fatally Shot in Dispute Over
Property Along the Lake
Front.

A dispatch from Chicago last night says:
During a fight with Winchester rifles this
evening between the followers OF rival
claimants to property lying along the Lake
Shore drive the most aristocratic boule-
ward in Chicago. Frank Kirk, watchman
for one of the claimants, was shot through
the head, sustaining mortal wound.
The property in dispute consists OF made
land lying east of the Lake Shore drive, ana
between it and Lake Michigan. Capt. Geo.
W. Streeter, who has for many years been
a thorn in the side of north side property
owners because of his propensity to settle
on vacant ground and then claim In the
courts the rights Of a squatter. has erected
several small shanties upon this ground,
and claims that inasmuch as 1t was not
originally included In the government sur
yeys of the state of Illinois 1t does not be-
long to the state, but was public property
open to settlement. He claims to be the
first settler, and calls the ground 1.-THE dis
trict of Lake Michigan and denies that the
officials Of the city of Chicago or the state
of Illinois have any rights upon It,
Between Streeter and his men and the
watchmen employed by the property own
ers along the Lake Shore drive there have
been frequent fights. Tonight Henry
Cooper, lawyer, who has been actve IN IN
Policeman OMalley, went upon the ground
of the district and was attacked by
Streeter, who knocked him down with the
butt of a revolver Several of Streeter' $
followers covered O. Malley with their wean-
ons, and he was ordered to leave or be
shot.
Shortly after Cooper and O'Malley had
left the ground a pitched battle broke out
between three Of Streeter's followers. Will
liam McManners, William BlOcki and John
Hoeldtke, and two watchmen employed by
Cooper, Frank Kirk and Samuel Portorous.
Kirk and Portorous were standing just out
side small shanty Of their own, and one
Of the first shots fired struck Kirk in the
top Of the head. Portorous entered the
shanty and returned the fire Of the Streeter
men with a Winchester
A riot call was hastily sent to the East
Chicago avenue police station, and wagon
filled with officers, under the command Of
Capt. Revere was sent on the run toward
the place. When the officers arrived, Kirk
lay in the snow outside his shanty, while
from the window Portorous kept up a
steady fire upon the three men in the other
house. who were returning his fire with all
the speed with which they could work their
rifles.
The firing ceased as the police appeared,
and Gordon of officers was at once thrown
around the shanty in which McManners,
Blocki and Hoeldtke were, They barriead-
ed the door and threatened to kill the first
officer who approached. Headed by Capt.
Revere. squad of policemen began to bat
ter in the door, while the others stood wait
Ing with drawn revolvers for the first shot
from within. Because Of the entreaties of
Mrs McManners, who had been inside the
cottage throughout the fight, her husband
decided not to resist the officers, and the
door was opened before the police had
broken it down. The three men and Mrs.
McManners were at once placed under ar
rest and taken to the police station.
Returning to the building in a short time
the officers found that Streeter had barri-
caded the house once more. He was sum-
moned to surrender, and, after some parley,
gave himself up. When he came out of
the house he carried a rife and four re-
volvers. He claims that he was not on the
ground when the fight was In progress.
McManners, Bloch and Hoedtke claim that
the first shot was fired by Kirk, and that
he was shot when they returned his fire.
This is denied by Portorous. who claims
that the other side fired the opening shot
All persons living on the district of Lake
Michigan were placed under arrest pend
ing the death or recovery of Kirk.
In the immediate neighborhood Of the
scene Of tonights fight number Of Chica-
gos most prominent men reside, among
them being ex-United States Senator Far
well. 0. w. Potter, Franklin MacVeagh and
Potter Palmer.
Kirk died at the Passavant Memorial
Hospital last night without regaining con-
SciouSneSs.