New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-04-20
FIGHT ITALIANS IN DARK.
DETECTIVES AND POLICY PLAYERS
STRUGGLE DESPERATELY WITH
PISTOL AND KNIFE.

-Four county detectives had a desperate strus-
gle with twoscore Italians last night when they
descended the alleged clearing house for the
policy system in the Italian district. on the sec
ond floor of tenement house at No. 14l Mott
st. Stilettos. dirks, knives and revolvers were
brought into play. AS soon as they broke INTO
the alleged policy shop the italians turned out
the lights and hand TO hand fights ensued IN
the pitch darkness, while the majority OF the
players escaped. e
The raid was made on the instructions of Dis
trict Attorney Jerome who assigned County
Detectives Reardon, Dillon. Mcclellan and Sec
ord TO attempt the hazardous task. and without
apprisiug the police of the Mulberry-st. station,
Captain Stephensons command. that raid was
to be made. The first intimatiOn they had OF
the raid was when eight of the prisoners capt
ured in the raid marched into the Null
berry-st. station and arraigned
If the police it said. had known at first
the place would certainly have been tipped
off"
When the raiders mounted the stairs to the
first landing they saw lookout the second
floor The halls were dark, and the lookout did
not recognize the detectives intruders until
they had reached the second floor When he
that they were strangers. however, ne start
ed to yell. and made move as If TO draw a re-
volver But he was too late, for the detectives
sprang at him before he could utter a cry.
dragged him to end of the hall and over
powered him. They then forced open one of the
doors leading to the office. where policy slips.
they say were being delivered to runners and
players, pushed the lookout in first and then
followed him.
Immediately the air was rent with yells from
the surprised Italians and somebody who was
evidently the manager gave orders in italian
There was a great hubbub. and the men rushed
to the doors and tried to escape to the Railways
The detectives stood the doors. however,
and tried TO beat the men back. but while they
were attempting stop the rush the lights be
gan to go out. leaving the three rooms which
composed the headquarters in inky blackness.
AS the place was growing darker the detec
tives saw number of Italians drawing stilettos.
dirks and revolvers Reardon Immediately called
to his companions to draw their revovers,
which they did, and he then cried out that any
man who attempted to escape would be shot
This did not deter the Italians, however. for
they continued fight and struggle with the
detectives forcing them from the doorways and
rushing from the rooms They feared to fire.
knowing that the police would hear the shots.
so they cutched their revolvers and were con-
tent with thrusting them into the detectives
faces.
The detectives were rapidly losing ground and
when all but eight of the men had escaped they
shut the doors. The Italians who were hemmed
in groped their way through the rooms trying
to find means of escape without engaging IN
combat with the detectives. but the latter made
for them Each detective grabbed two of the
Italians and then the desperate struggle began.
The twelve men fought all over the -oonls.
clutching at each others throats and attempting
to wrest weapons from each others hands The
detectives finally got the better of the affray.
their onslaught proving effective The eight
italians were overpowered and marched from
the rooms They resumed the fight, however,
when they got the stairs. and Detective
DiIIon who weighs about go pounds. COM
pelled to sit on one of the Italians and squeeze
the fight out of him When the Italians knew
that thev were under arrest they started In to
disnose of their knives and revolverS. They
threw the weapons over the balustrades and
down the stairs.
record hooks slips, manifold paper and drawing
sheets which were found in the rooms and
taken to the station with the prisoners.