New-York tribune., 1909-03-30
SHOOTS HIS PRISONER
DETECTIVE IN II FIERCE
Battle IN ELETATOR.
PinkertOn Nan Kills Fifth AUe1~te
apartment House Employe He
arrested for Burglary.

Following desperate struggle last night in a
descending elevator of the apartment house at
No. 615 Fifth avenue close by the Hotel Buck
| ingham and the National Democratic Club. Jo-
seph Parse a Pinkerton detective. shot and
killed Fred Johnson the elevator in the
building. In the encounter Parse shot off his
left index finger with his own weapon. He was
taken to the Flower Hospital weak from the
loss of blood. and held the charge of homi-
eide preferred by the police Of the East olst
street station.
Parise. who is fOrty-one years old and lives
at No. I Island avenue Corona Heights Long
Island was assigned by the detective agency, for
which he has worked for the last fifteen years.
to watch the apartment of Arthur T. Kemp,
owner OF the building. the eleventh floor
Mr.. Kemp is present in Europe. and the
apartment is in charge Of caretaker, Mrs
Unger. In his absence many robberies have
occurred. and il to prevent further depreda-
tons that Parse employed. The freight
elevator, in which the shooting took place, is in
the Of the building, and Parse was the
only witness. His story is all the police have
to work on.
About O'Clock. PaTse says he was in the
Kemp apartment and heard some one tamperins
with the lock. In a few minutes Johnson e.
tered. Not giving a satisfactory explanation
and started with him for the freight elevator.
Johnson was ordered to run the elevator to
the ground floor. All went well until the third
floor was reached. suddenly stopping the car
the floor level Johnson turned on his captor,
and catching him unawares threw him vio-
lently TO the floor of the Then ensued
desperate struggle with Parse the under
man Gaining a slight advantage. Parise was
able TO draw his revolver, but 1t was discharged
prematurely. blowing off his finger.
johnson. seeing his opportunity. threw the
detective to the floor. opened the door and at
tempted to escape. Before he could get out OF
range however. Parisc fired twice. shot
going through Johnson's heart and the other
taking effect I'm his left eye. Johnson died in
stantly and was found half in and half out of
the car by James Wright superintendent of the
building who attracted to the scene by
the shots He summoned ambulance and
sent word TO the police
Parise had been assigned to work in the house
Yesterday afternoon. and last night was his first
vigil there. He was told that iewelry had been
taken from Mr.. Kemp's fiat at different times
The detective decided that It was of the
servants in the house who committing the
numerous thefts Last night Mrs. Jnger. the
housekeepcr left Mr.. Kemp's fiat and Parise.
who had been in the building AL the afternoon.
remained in the fiat 10 watch. He put out the
lights and sat listening in the darkness.
Mrs. Unser had been gone only short time
when Parise heard somebody at the hall door Of
the apartment. 4 little later it was opened and
closed very quietly. and Parisc heard steps NOV
ing about the room. The detective suddenly
flashed his little electric lamp In the direction
Of the noise and saw man in overalls and
without a cap near the sideboard
Put your hands up" said Parise.
We'll. you've got me-" replied Johnson, &C
,ording to the detective he stood blinking In
the bright strip of light from the lamp.
P1rise said he recognized the man one Of
the employees of the place. and told him that he
would take him before the superintendent Of the
building before taking him To the station house.
Il told him plainly" said Parise later. that he
was prisoner and would be locked up, charged
with robbery"
Johnson according to the detective. did not
try to deny his guilt and had no excuse for his
presence in the fiat.
Still keeping the rays from the electric flash
lamp focused on Johnson, Parse started with
him from the apartments. Johnson made no
resistance Parise says that his prisoner
SO calm and took his arrest so quietly that he
slipped his revolver back into his pocket when
they reached the hall.
Mr. Wright the superintendent told the police
that he had never Parise in the building
and did not know that anybody had been as
signed to duty there. From the Pinkerton
agency it learned that Mr.. Kemp had di-
rected that secrecy be preserved even in the
case Of the superintendent. When Johnson was
searched a bunch Of keys was found on him,
Of which fitted the apartment occupied by
Mr. Kemp. There were marks on the door
or anything show that Johnson used vio-
lence TO effect entrance
Johnson had been employed about year and
had always been considered faithful to his
duties He was about thirty years old. and
lived at No. 444 Third avenue. Coroner Har-
burger viewed the body and ordered IT removed
to the police station. He then went to the hos
ptal and had long talk with Parise, who told
him the story he had told to the police