The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-10-22
CROWD GATHERS QUICKLY;
THREATS OPENLY MADE

Several thousand persons gathered about
the house where the battle took place, to
many Of whom the dead and wounded
officers were personally known, and be-
fore 1t was learned that one Of the des-
peradoes had been killed and the other
mortally wounded open threats Of violence
were made.
Men and women in the crowd talked
lynching, and many sigh Of satisfaction
went up when the body of Rose was
brought out Of the house and placed in
the wagon to be sent to the morgue.
Rose was known to many persons In the
vicinity. though he ha6 been there only
couple Of days
But when the body of John ]. Shea was
brought out and placed in the wagon
the door, but were kept back by the po-
lice. The entire street was blockaded
for some time, and 1t was with difficulty
that the police cleared an opening for the
ambulances and dead wagons to pass
Street cars were held up for some min
utes; The tracks were finally cleared and
learned by the angry. and threatening
crowd that the men who shot the officers
had paid dearly for their crime
Chief Desmond was early on the scene
in front of No. 1894 Pine street when
John L. Springer. husband OF Annie
Springer, who runs the house, was ar
rested and sent to the -Four Courts. No
effort was made to molest this man, as
he was protected. but when Vaughn made
his dash for liberty some shouted to lynch
him" for they had connected him with
the crime. When Vaughn was recap
tured he was hastily placed in the wagon
and sent to the -Four Courts. From the
beginning of the gathering OF the crowd
until the last man had been taken from
the house. the crowd was large and dam
gerous. Excitement ran high, and but
for the prompt and effective work Of the
officers there probably would have been
further bloodshed.
For q time after the shooting the house
was surrounded BY policemen and the
crowd, overf1owing from Pine street into
Fourteenth, and down the alley back Of
ter1pted escape of anyone from the
premises The crowd was composed Of all
classes Of people. while many women,
anxious to learn the cause of the trouble,
hastened to the scene with infants In their
arms. On the outside Of the crowd was a
number of children, all watching the po-
lice and detectives as they moved about
One of the persons least affected by the
tragedy was Annie Springer, the woman
who conducted the house. She was ex-
cited for time, and when the shooting
was N sne the m o
ficers were making search Of the rear
rooms Of the house. several women
gathered there to watch the proceedings.
Some one threw some article through the
glass window and stampede was i'm
minent.
ssThey are shooting again, shouted
someone. and the women started for the
door but when there was no further dis
turbance they returned to watch the ofh-
GERS ransack the place.
One little boy, whose name could not be
learned, saw the entire battle from the
steps Of house across the street: He
told of how the detectives entered the
place and what followed and was one Of
those to give chase to Vaughn when he
made his break for liberty.
There were come friends Of the gang in
the crowd, some persons who expressed
sympathy for Morris and Rose. but they
quickly disappeared.
Immediately the character Of the trou-
bile was learned at police headquarters
the riot alarm was sent IN and men hur-
ried to the scene In patrol wagons. but
when they arrived the battle was over
ano the combatants lay upon the hoor,
dead and wounded.