The Washington times., 1905-09-25
SUPPOSED GERARD
HOLDS Up A MAN
Threatens Him at Pistol
Point.
HUNDRED NOW IN PURSUIT
Whole Mountain Scoured-Aneged Muir
derer May Have Made Good
His Escape.

NEW YORK. Sept 25.-After an ex-
hausting day of climbing and beating
through thickets, in which nearly 100
armed men participated in the hunt over
Spitzenberg mountain for Joseph j.
Gerard. suspected of the murder of Au-
gusta Pfeiffer. word was telephoned to
police headquarters in Peekskill late
last evening that a man answering
Gerard's description had hold up at pis-
tolls point a citizen of Verplank, which
is four miles from the scene of the days
stirring chase.
Detective Sergeants Hitch and Scheu-
ing and Chief of Police Seabury, OF
Peekskill, although nearly tagged out
already, set forth on this latest clue.
They learned that Clarence Blakeley,
a highly respected resident of Verplank,
had been confronted at o'clock yester-
day afternoon by man while passing
through what are known as the En-
pire woods, skirting the Hudson river.
Man Ran Away.
According to what the sleuths could
learn at a late hour last night. Blake
icy heard footsteps behind him. and.
turning. faced a black-haired, swarthy
fellow who drew pistol and ordered
him to march ahead Blakeley did as
ordered until nearing the Verplank brick
yards where are several houses. Here
he was emboldened to turn. and saw his
pursuer darting off into the brush.
Blakeley was his way to Croton
Point on important business which
could not be delayed. Within a few
minutes after his assailant's disappear
ance he met John F. Hickey, friend.
whom he told of the hold-up. and re-
fal ha lot To Ir,fo he
kill police. Hickey told the story to
several persons, one of whom called up
Peekskill headquarters on the tele-
phone
The detectives could not find Blakeley
up 10 a late hour. and the chase for the
strange man was abandoned for the
time. The detectives have no reason to
doubt Blakeley's story, but his identi-
fication of his assailant as Gerard is re-
garded as more or less conjecture.
Hunting on Mountain.
News of the hold-up flashed swiftly
over the neighborhood, however. The
countryside was already worked up to
a high pitch over the man-hunt. Early
morning had found armed men moving
toward Spitzenberg mountain. drawn by
reports that Detectives Hitch and
Scheduling. and the Peekskill police were
murderer
1t is now known that the authorities
learned OF the mans retreat TO the
mountain Saturday night. Addie Miller
Margaret Coffee and the latter's father
saw man whom they accurately de-
scribed as Gerard, at 6 o'clock Saturday
afternoon
Watched the Trains.
The man first appeared under a bridge
crossing the New York Central tracks
near Buchannas oncloth factory and
sought 10 enter signal tower shed The
door was locked. Looking up. he saw
Addie Miller and Margaret Coffee. who
were standing on the bridge Mr.. Coffee
was fifty yards away.
The man wheeled about. dashed over
the railroad tracks and scrambled IN a
steep embankment, disappearing in, the
woods. Illich and Scheduling were mott
ned soon after and searched the spot.
yesterday morning, inspecting all freight
trains that drew into the ward and
making sure that no one boarded them
They started out at a. m. yesterday
iE covered wagon. after having en-
gagged as guide Tom Odell. who knows
IShoroughly every path and gully on
Spitzenberg mountain. Chief Seabi.ry
and Sergeant Burke struck in on the
northern side of the mountain
kx-Chief of Police c. G. Oakley. OF
Peekskill, and Deputy Sheriff l. G
Montrose. Yesterday being a hoIida y
many residents of the section armed
themselves and Joined in the hunt
These volunteers came from Crueers
Oscawana, Verplank, and CenteryiIle
and. the detectives say, numbered al
least hundred.
Ii is now the belief of the authorities
that Gerard succeeded IN eluding thf
posses. and has fed over the mountaIr
toward even more desolate country. be-
tween Peekskil and Yorktown In this
localities are Quarries which empIo,
men with whom the authorities have
had trouble before on account of theil
readiness to aid fugitives from justice
Big Mistake.
Just how careful the police have beer
II their investigation was shown yes
terday when Detective Joseph s Davis
qf the West Tooth street Police Station
Informed Price that Gerard could no
have killed Gussie Davis whose bod,
was supposed to have been found float
ing in the Waikiki river, near Middle
town, in last March Price had said hi:
1en were investigating Gerard's con
heQtion with the supposed crime
low much investigating they reall,
had done was disclosed when Detectfv,
Davis said he was a brother of Gussi.
Davis and that she was safe and sounf
in her home in New Paltz. n. Y
The body OF a young woman had beer
found floating in the WAIKIKI river an,
for time II was supposed TO be that o
Miss Davis. She was heard from how
ever, having been on d visit to rela tive,
IN Ohio. How Price was able 10 connec-
the supposed Davis murder with Gerar,
he alone knows, for he did not explain 4
yesterday. II his detectives investigated
the supposed crime, il is regarded a.
strange they did not know OF the youns
woman's return.