New-York tribune., 1903-02-13
4 DUEL IN BROADWAY.
Excitement an Theatre District
T7r0 Womnded


hotel district two men fought a desperate battle
with pistols last night. not stopping the fusllade
Of bullets until Detective Mooney. of the Central
Office Jumped between them and Wrenched the
smoking pistol from mans hand Nine
shots had been fired out of possible eleven
from the two pistols. and, although there were
several narrow escapes. only two men were in
iured One was a principal and the other by
stander, and neither wound was serious.
The shooting took place in front of the Sturte-
want House at Twenty -eighth-st. and Broad
way. opposite Proctor's Theatre. Intense excite
r1ent prevailed while the shooting was going on.
The duelsts were Jules Forn1el twenty eight
wears old of No DDS West Sixteenth-st. who
saws he is a retired saloonkeeper. and Philip
Black thirty-four years old, who keeps billiard
room at No. 100 West Twenty -ninth-st, and
who, the police say, is an ex-convict. Bad blood
is said TO have been caused between the two
men when Formel accused Black and Cuban,
named Elbert Martin, Of having robbed his fiat
of $500 worth of stuff. Martin was arrested, but
was discharged for lack of evidence, and For
mel and the police were looking for Black, ac-
cording to Detective Mooney The robbery was
alleged TO have taken place week ago last
Wednesday
Shortly after 10 O'Clock last night Formel
walked out of the Sturtevant House the
Broadway side AS he stepped down to the
sidewalk according to the police. he was ac
costed by Ebert Martin. who said:
That's a of trick YOU played on me
last week You had no right to have me pinched
for that job. and you know it
Formel looked at the man a minute and then
said:
.rn have nothing to do with you; go away
from me-
FormeI turned to walk up Broadway AS he
did he saw Black coming across the street
from the direction of Proctors Theatre When
Black was within fifteen feet OF Formel he
shouted out something that could not be heard,
and then according to witnesses drew re-
vover from his pocket and. with an oath fired
two shots in rapid succession in Formel's direc-
ton In an instant the block was in an uproar,
peopIe knocking each other down in their efforts
to get away FormeI did not run, however.
Two can play at that game he shouted,
according to witnesses. and then. drawing his
own revolver. opened fire on Black
Directly behind FormeI when Black opened
fire were Wright Kershaw. of No. Commerce
st and J. b Curtis, of 80 East Twentieth-st.'
postofice clerks. One of the first bullets from
Blacks revolver struck eyeet on Kershaw's
right shoe and then glanced off. The impact
of the bullet drove the eyelet against the flesh
and caused a slight, but painful wound. one
ball went through the derby hat of Silas F. Rob
bins of No 1O4 Hoyt-st. Brooklyn. but he was
not injured.
Detective Mooney, of the Central Office who
was on duty at Proctors Theatre, was stand
ing in the foyer when the shooting started.
Without a moments hesitancy he rushed across
the street and between the two men who were
then steadily firing and closing in on each other.
Just before he reached them bullet from For
nlel's revolver struck Black in the left wrist.
The pain of the wound did not deter him. and
he kept on advancing.
Detective Mooney ran directly at Formel and
seized his wrist just as he fired the fourth shot
from his revolver. He wrenched the revolver
from the mans grasp and then started with him
toward Black. The latter had emptied his re-
yolver and, dropping the 1rearm to the street.
St and then east toward Fifth-ave. Mooney
following ana dragging Formel with him. For
mel did not resist very hard and they made
good time Policeman Jones. of the West Thir-
fjetb-st station who had been attracted by the
shooting also joined in the chase. As Black
req ched Fffth-aye. he into the arms of De
tective shields of the Central Office, who had
ueen ma kint, a tour Of the precinct with Cap
tain Iangar of the Detective Bureau.
Rudolf Pollack, of No. II West Twenty fourth
81 WAS walking up Broadway at the time OF
| the shooting. Two bullets went thronSh ms
o,-ercoat coat and trousers Mr.. Pollock fell
to the sidewalk in faint. but Il kind citizen
| helned him 10 arise Later Pollock declared ne
found that he had been robbed of a pocketpook
containing S1U4 Mr. PolIack appeared at the
noljce station and made complaint of his loss.
He explained that he n Portuguese who
had been in this country only four months.