The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1905-11-25
BATTLE FOR DEATH
ON A HOUSETOP
Burglars Try to Throw Policeman
From Roof and Very Nearly
Succeed.

| NEW loftH, NOV. Z4.-LOckeu IN
one another's arms, two policemen and
two burglars fought on the edge of a
roof in West both street yesterday af.
ternoon for fifteen minutes in full view
OF many hysterical women who had
climbed to the top Of their nearby
dwellings. Many times the policemen
were near to death as the burglars
sought to throw them four stories to
the street below.
Warned by telephone that burglars
we're seeking entrance to house from
the roof Of No. III West 130th street,
where Mrs. Anna B. Holt and her
daughter Lillian reside. Policemen
C'Connor ant Mcdonald and Detective
Wren, from the West 125th street sta
ton, found John Murphy. nineteen
years old, OF No. CT East Hath street,
and Frank ! Stanley. nineteen, of No.
AZ East 1"0tn street, emerging by the
scuttle from the home of Enoch c.
Bell, at No. 1903 West both street. Miss
Bells jewelrv. valued at $1,000, was
found i'll the burglars pockets when
they were h?ally overpowered
Mrs. Holt and her daughter, on the
top floor Of their home. heard some ono
prying off tho roof scuttle. Locking
the door 10 the room under the scuttle.
Mrs. Holt telephoned Police Headquar-
tiers. Policemen from nearby posts
were sent to her home.
Murphy and Stanley forced an en-
trance to the Holt house, but finding
the door below bolted, returned to the
roof and tried to pry off the scuttles
leading into the homes of II. C. Zeney,
No. 1O7 West both street; Charles L.
Harrison, i, Nc. 1903, and Mrs. Lillian
Fl. Stern, at No. 101. They succeed
ct in entering the home of Mr.. Bell,
" no is president of real estate cor
poration.
Mss Harriet Bell called to her moth.
er that window in the upper part of
the house must be open, as there was
a distinct draught, but her fears were
laughed away, and Murphy and Stan.
ley worked u will in her boudoir, on
the third floor. They were leaving the
house by the scuttle when they saw Po-
licemen O'Connor and Mcdonald and
Detective Wren waiting on the roof
for them.
I'VE are looking for pigeons" cried
Stanley, adSjng his way to chimney.
O'Connor and Mcdonald drew their re-
volvers and the burglars surrendered.
All were proceeding to the open
scutte when the prisoners turned sud-
denly upon the policemen and grappled
With them. Their pistols had been re-
turned to their pockets. and Stanley
and Murphy, both powerful men,
fought like wild animals.
Roll them over the edge" screamed
Murphy, tightening his grip on Nc
Donald and striving to reach the cor
nice. Time and again they fell, re-
gained their feet and again went
crashing down upon the tin roof. Wren
was helpless to aid, so quickly did the
combatants change positions.
From adjoining roofs men and wo-
men saw the burglars half drag, half
stasger with their opponents to the
edge of the roof. When the police
mems cases seemed hopeless they bat
tied their way from their perilous posi-
lions. For fifteen minutes the battle
ragged. Training told in the end ami
the policemen won. Once their revol-
vers were in their hands again they
were masters of the situation. Mrs.
Bell and her daughter did not know
they had been robbed until the jewell
ry was shown to them.