The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-17
SOLDIERSACCUSEDO ROBBERY
POLICE GET a PRISONER AFTER
BESIEGING A FORT.
re Had Escaped From q COP After q BOldup
~ south Beach n Taken asefuge In
fort Wsdsw Srth -sentrirs wouldn't Let
the Policemen IN Tor Three Hours.

the Policemen IN FOR Three Hours.
Fort Wadsworth was under siege by the
police yesterday morning, surrounded and
guarded 40 that no one might leave. After
three hours some OF the besiegers we're per-
mitted TO enter and eventually a prisoner
was taken.
The trouble followed an assault and rob-
berry by men in the uniform of p~rivates OF
the artillery corps. The victims were
o h Bugler. a New York broker. and Mrs.
Bugler. who live at 1888 Fingerboard road,
Fort Wadsworth, Richmond. The affair
occurred on the board walk at South Beach
between 2 and 3 O'Clock yesterday morning.
MIR. and Mrs. Bugler went about midnight
to Cells Hotel at South Beach and had sup
per. They sat there until after 2 o'clock,
and then started TO walk TO the trolley ter
minal a distance equal to about two blocks.
They we're set upon by three soldiers. Mr..
Bugler was knocked down and his gold
headed cane taken and from Mrs. Bugler
a pocketbook with some money in il was
stolen. Mr.. Bugler and his wife shouted for
help The soldiers started to run. but sepa-
rated when they saw Patrolman Nelson
coming. Nelson outfooted one OF he men.
catching him close to the limits OF the fort
reservation. Mr.. and Mrs. Bugler identi-
fled him. and they. the officer and the pris-
oner, who said his name was Ralph Black.
boarded a trolley car to go to the station
house at Stapleton
Black sat between the officer and Mr..
Bugler. When the first gate to the fort
was reached Black leaped up and passed
Mr.. Bugler, and vaulting over the rail on
tho Ioft oida ~ tho n..n lapAaI - th~
road. He jumped up and bolted for the
fort gate. Nelson dropped on on the
car and grabbed for his prisoner, but missed
him. and they reached the gate only a
step apart. Black went past the sentry.
but the sentry almost rammed his bay
onet into Nelson in stopping him. Nelson
tried TO wrest the gun aside and get past,
but couldn't.
The officer and Mr.. and Mrs. Bugler after
an argument with the sentry went TO the
main gate, where the ~guardhouse is. There
they found the officer of the guard. He
was polite, but il was impossible for them
TO enter the fort and search the barracks
for Black and the others. II they would
come back at muster at $50 they might he
admitted; that was for his superiors TO
determine.
Nelson reported the affair to the station
house and IL was decided by the police
that the men might try TO desert from the
fort, so all the reserves were turned out
ana SerRt. MclVOr stationed tnem around
the and side of the fort from the waters
edge at South Beach to the Quarantine
station. At $50 o'clock yesterday morn
ing Nelson and MIR. and Mrs. Bugler were
permitted to inspect the soldiers drawn up
For roll call. Black WAS singled out. and so
we're two others. who by direction OF their
officers refused their names.
Col. Crawford refused to allow the police
10 take Black and the other two. but he
assured them the men would not leave the
reservation. Later in the day a warrant
was sworn out for Black. Then he was
surrendered and taken before Magistrate
Marsh. who, at the request Of Col. Crawford.
remanded him back to the custody of the
Colonel. Col. Crawford added an assurance
that the three men would be punished.
This did not satisfy either Mr.. or Mrs.
Bugler or Nelson. They want the men
punished by civil law. and the police take
the same view, the crime having been
committed of the reservation. Nelson
il especially anxious because he may have
TO face charges for allowing his prisoner
10 escape. He hopes. however. that Gen.
Bingham, "A soldier. will see o impossible
IL was TO make a recapture.
Last evening Mrs. Bugler's pocketbook.
empty. was found on Sea avenue just out
side OF one OF the fences OF the fort.