The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-06-10
FOUGHT OFF
THE ROBBER
Louis PoIiciner Had Terri
BILE Battle in His Room.
PROWLER 0VERPOWERED
Tom DifendOrfer Is Accused
of the Crime.

An attempt was made to hold UP Louis
Policiner between twelve and one O'Clock
Sunday morning. but was unsuccessful,
for Mr.. PoHciner jumped on the robber
and in the fight the man escaped. The
whole affair took place in Mr.. Policiner s
room, over I52 North Main street, and
the tables and chairs in the room were
upset and the men graphing with each
other on the floor and added TO this the
victims cries for aid could hardly keep
from waking up the occupants Of at least
thst floor, but it seems it did not for no
one came 10 the mans aid. After fighting
the man for several minutes and finally
gaining the advantage Mr.. Policiner was
forced to let him set away.
Mr. Polcner yesterday told the story
OF the fight TO d reporter for the Eagle
as follows:
After closed the store Saturday
night 1 walked around a while and talk
ed to some friends. / was feeling pretty
good. because I had done a good business
that day l hardly every carry any money
with me, but when [ locked up at night
there was over $3.50 in the cash drawer,
so I put il in my pocket to take to my
room I also had fine diamond ring
worth more than 800 and a fine gold
watch. / had walked down the hall
whiStling and opened the door. / walked
inside and as 1 had some papers I walked
over TO the bed and threw them down.
I noticed that the bed was moved a little
from where I left it but l supposed that
the landlady had moved it in changing
the clothes during the morning.
I locked the door and turned to the
table and lit a lamp and just as I did so
the man made sort Of half whlstling
noise. He was standing right behind me.
l turned and there stood this fellow with
q half mask on. He looked as tall as a
telegraph pole. Say he looked a monster
30 me l was scared. I never was and
hope never shall be scared so bad in my
life. But being scared was what saved
my money.
THE man had big gun pointed
straight at my head and he said:
Throw up your hands, give me your
money. I was scared so bad I don't
know what I did do except I yelled and
jumped right at the mans throat / was
wild and fought like cat. bit him and
scratched him and threw him down when
] jumped at him. 1 kicked and scratched
and pulled at his clothes for I was on
top. Then ne hit me with his revolver.
! felt the blow, but it did not hurt much
until after it was all over. hardly
knew he hit me at that time, I was so
wild. I had the strength OF three men and
I was working it out on that fellow.
When he hit me l grabbed the gun and
knocked 1t away from him.
I'VE We're rolling around on the floor
and upset the tables and chairs and
made all kinds of racket and after the
man hit me l began to yell for the police
and help and the fellow told me TO keep
quiet, but I wouldn't. Part of the time 1
was on top and part of the time he was
and we fought like tigers. Finally I got
on top and reached over and picked up
the gun and got off the man and thought
! would hold him there until help came,
but either when he hit me or when I
knocked the gun away the cylinder fell
out and I was pointing a worthless gun
at the man. He saw this and made a
break for the door and unlocked II and
was outside before ! could get 10 him. He
ran down the hack stairs and I was
afraid TO go after him because 1 did not
know but he might have some more men
down in the yard. I rested a bit and got
cooled off and then picked up the mans
hat and mask and revolver and took it to
the police station.
1.-THE fellow entered my room by open
Ing one of the windows IN the hall and
that is how the bed was moved. He was
standing within four feet of me when I
turned and saw him. I was not afraid
OF him because he was too close TO shoot
and l guess ana not nave time 10 lhink
about this much. All that I knew was
that he was not going to get my money
and that was scared and I jumped at
him..
From the description Mr.. Policiner
gave the police they soon had man sus-
pected. About 10 o clock Sunday morning
NJ. Policemen was walking down Main
street and found a man that he thought
was the one who held him up and he had
him arrested. The prisoner was Tom Diff
fendoffer who spends most of his time in
jail for numerous offensos and is given a
had name by the police. lie was the man
the officers had selected as the one who /
tried the hold up and they were on the (
look out for him. Diffendoffer had just /
been pardoned from the county jail from |
a long sentence on promise of good behav- /
for Mr. Policlner positively identified |
him the man Who was in his room. |
especially when the mask had been plac- /
ed on the prisoners face. The mask came /
just below the nose and left the mouth 1
and mustaCe in full view and it was by /
this that he was Identified