The Washington herald., 1906-12-31
Gorilla Tom Shoots Com
paniOn andCaptureS Car.
FIRES TWICE AT MOTORMAN
EmptieS Pistol at Policeman with
out EGort-Is Captured Unin5ured
After Fierce Struggle With PATROL
man and Detective, and Goes to
Jail Swearing Vengeance.


gang to-day. He shot his own pal, at
tempted to kill a policeman. held up a
trolley car, threw bullets around the ears
of the motorman and conductor. and ran
amuck through Hells Kitchen. terrorizing
churchgoers and soaring people in the
street
The Gorilla left his home at 3Oa West
Thirty seventh street this morning, with
his wife pulling at his coat tails, crying:
Come on back. Tom. and be a good fell
low. You don't want to make trouble on
Sunday. do your
Get out,7 said the Gorilla, savagely.
"GoWan back to the kitchen and tend to
your own business. 1 got job to do I'm
going to trim Coyne within an inch Of his
life"
Cooney staggered over to Twenty
seventh street and Seventh avenue, to
the Tiger. gin mill that is patronized
largely by the Razor alley gang. He
went in at the side door and saw Bill
Coyne, one OF the "strong-arm" men Of
the Razor alley outfit, sitting at table
in the little back room with its sawdust
floor and beer-stained tables. COyne was
drinking beer with two or three husky
grafters that kept a wary eye on the side
door in case a plain-clOthes man should
drop in without sending his card ahead.
Hello. Gorilla" said Bill Coyne, so
ciabIy sit down and have cup Of
suds. You know the mutt, don't your
Offers Coyne Chance to Pray.
Il don't want any Of your hot air,
said the Gorilla. Come across with
that flyer you done me cut OF, you sneak
ing crook. What's the good Of a man
shaving his life out if he's TO be trimmed
by sucker ike you? Give up or III
fatten your ugly nose"
The mutt and the other husky gentle
men succeeded In conciliating the Gorilla
for a time. but after a few minutes the
Gorilla reached across the table and
punched Coyne in the nose. A fight fol-
lowed, and both were put into the street
I'm a-goin to kill you. BILL said
Co0ney, pulling his pistol If you know
"a prayer spit it out. You won't get an
other chance
In q moment Of thoughtlessness Bill
Coyne had left his gun at home. and he
begged for mercy The Gorilla deliber-
ateIy shot at MIN. but the bullet went
low and went into COyne's right leg.
Coyne dropped, rolled over, and played
dead lie knew to certainty that If he
moved again Cooney would finish what
he had begun. The Gorilla looked at him
with a grin for a moment. Then seeing
people running from up and down Sew
enth avenue, he took 10 his heels, sprint
ing through Twenty-seventh street 10
Eighth avenue.
Policeman John O'Dea heard the shot
He ran down Eighth avenue and sighted
the Gorilla as the half-crazy man got 70
the corner. The Gorilla, pistol IN hand
compelled a conductor on a nOrthbound
car 10 stop.
Captures Car Full of Passengers.
C0oney hoped aboard the car and laid
the muzzIe Of the revolver on the con-
ductors teeth.
Now start her up. he said. and If
you don't send her along hell-bent-for-
election I'll blow your - head of" The
conductor yanked the cord hard twice,
and the ear started up with jerk O'Dea,
seeing he couldn't get aboard, wheeled
around with revolver in hand. and ran
up Eighth avenue, blowing his whistle for
help.
The Gorilla ordered the conductor to
face the front put his revolver against
the conductors back and ordered him
10 march straight through the car 10
the front without looking back. Most Of
the passengers boited for the front door
ahead of the Gorilla and his prisoner.
They piled up behind the motorman. who
had turned pale, but who kept on about
his business after one look back. The
iron gates were closed. and nobody could
escape that way. There were about a
dozen women on the car. and. perhaps.
twenty men, and everybody thought it
was downright hold-up. One woman
threw her pocSetbook out of window.
Another reached neTvoUsly for her stock
ing. one woman caught at COOney's leg
as he went by with the scowling con-
ductOr.
Here, take it. you brute" she said.
If there was man with any nerve
on this car this wouldn't have happened.
shut your mouth" said the gorilla,
roughly. Il don't want your coin
Scares Motorman Into stopping Car.
Three or four men behind Cooney
started forward. He heard them. caught
the conductor by the neck and whirled
around, waving his sun,
GO back and sit down." he yelled
"Go-wan or I'll drill yer. That's on the
level" The men sat down in a hurry.
Faster faster" the Gorilla shouted
at the motorman. David Shaw.
4 got all the power on" said the
motorman. nervously.
You're a liar" said Cooney and fired
a shot past the conductors ear. The
bullet whizzed just over the motorman's
head.
Shaw, unnerved and scared half to
death. tried to squeeze a little more
power out Of the controller box, but his
fingers went twisty ways, and he shut Off
the power and threw on the brake As
the car lost Roadway COoney cursed the
motorman and sent another bullet within
an inch of his head.
As the car stopped just south of Thir-
tieth street. COoney leaped of. lodged
O'Dea, who was out of breath from a
hard sprint The latter blew his whistle
and pursued Cooney. COoney turned and
fired three futile shots at O'Dea.
In a Last Fierce Battle.
The congregation of the Church of ST.
John the Baptist, at 200 West Thirtieth
street, was pouring out of the church
doors and there was a good-sized crowd
on the sidewalk when Cooney burst into
it, yelling like a mailman. Two men tried
to seize CoOney, but he knocked both OF
them to the street
O'Dea was getting near, but Cooney
saw him coming and fired at close range.
The bullet went through IDEAS coat
sleeve, smuggling his arm, but he kept
straight on. and nabbed the Gorilla in
front of % West Thirtieth street, and