Los Angeles herald., 1910-04-09
POLICEMAN SHOT
To DEATH TRYING
TO TAKE HOLDUPS
PatroIman David Brooks Slain as
He Draws Gun on Men Who
Try to Rob Him
SHIELDS FLASH SPELLS DOOM
Bandits, Who Escaped, Did Not
Know He Was an Officer
Until They Saw Badge
SHIELDS FLASH SPELLS DOOM

Two messenger boys are believed TO have
killed PatroIman David Brooks. At early
hour this morning the police were question
ing a man who, it is said, admits that he
was waiting for the boys with an autOmo-
bile. He refuses to give their names.
A FTER holding up the saloon con-
n Quoted by Conrad Winters at 1925
IA Central avenue and robbing the
bartender, John Edwards, of $50, two
masked men shot and killed PATROL
man David Brooks at Thirtieth street
and Grand avenue late last night.
Because OF the numerous burglaries
in the University district, the patrol
men on the night watch have been
working in plain clothes for several
nights. Patrolman Brooks, who is
working out of the University station,
was walking north in Grand avenue.
Just as he neared Thirtieth street he
saw two men dressed in dark and
wearing black slouch hats. Before
he could draw his revolver one of the
men commanded him to raise his
hands. Brooks raised his left arm and
drew his revolver with his right. In
raising his left arm he exposed his
police badge and one of the bandits,
with an oath, exclaimed:
HE is a bull but we will stick him
up anyway"
Just then the pair saw the gleam
of a weapon in the hand of the officer
and without a word of warning fired.
| The bullet struck Brooks in the left
side, Just below the last rib, pene-
trated the body, end emerged at the
same spot on the right side.
Brooks gritted his teeth and, de-
AI,A Al wAafV cd a niF,e
a telephone post and fired the con-
| tents of his revolver at the two men.
Neither seemed to have been struck.
They returned the shots and fired more
than q half-dozen bullets.
| After he had enpted his revolver
and had stood the fire of the robbers,
Brooks sank to the ground just as
| the men turned and ran north in Grand
avenue.
The fusillade of shots attracted the
attention of many residents in the
neighborhood, and within a few mo-
ments more than twenty persons were
on the scene.
PHYSICIAN FINDS VICTIM
Among the first to go to the aid OF
the injured man was DR.. Thomas e.
Taggart of 1884 South Grand avenue.
DR.. Taggart made q superficial exam
ination and sent a man after an auto
mobile.
my wife was awakened by the
sounds of hurrying footsteps in front OF
our house." said DR.. Taggart. WITHIN
few moments she heard the reports
of twelve shots. She awoke me and
asked me to make an investigation. L
hurriedly slipped on my clothing, ran
down to Thirtieth street and Grand
avenue and found Brooks, whom had
known for a long time, lying on the
ground. While was making hurried
examination of the wound DR.. J. ID.
Van Week, who lives at Twenty eighth
street and Grand avenue, arrived. The
latter picked up the officers revolver
and took charge of his other effects"
William Evans, an employe of Doran,
Brouse & Price, contractors, was across
the street and witnessed the holdup.
"I was walking along the street near
the corner when 1 saw two men dart
around the corner toward Brooks, who
was walking in front of them" said
Evans. lone of the men said: Let's
stick him up. The other replied: All
right Then the first speaker cried
out: Throw up your hands The Of
ficer obeyed and put up his left hand-
In doing so he exposed his police badge.
One of the men then said: He is an
offlcer!' The other quickly replied:
That does not matter; we will hold
him up, anyway Almost Immediately
the shooting began. When I looked
again the men were running north IN
Grand avenue and the policeman was
lying on the ground"
A. c. Monter of 212 West Thirtieth
street, who also was across the street
from the scene of the robbery, told a
similar story.
DYING OFFICER TELLS STORY
The wounded officer was placed in an
automobile and carried to the recetv-
ing hospital on the way the auto
stopped at the University station ana
Captain Bradish entered the vehicle
and the trip to the hospital was re-
sumed. A record run was made, and 1T
was not until the wounded man was
placed on a stretcher at the hospital
was Captain Bradish aware of the iden-
tity Of the wounded man.
Brooks, with his life ebbing slowly,
was taken into the hospital.
'I was walking in Grand avenue,
near Thirtieth street, when two men
stepped in front of me and commanded
me to hold up my hands" he said; 1
threw up my left hand and grabbed my
revolver with my right. One of the
men fired and hit me in the side.
reeled to a telephone post, drew my gun
and emptied it. They continued firing,
| then turned and ran. Both We're young
men, about feet 6 inches in height
wore dark clothes and had on black
slouch hats. / did my best, but was
not quick enough" AS he said this
Brooks sank back and died. Mrs.
Brooks became hysterical when she saw
the body of her husband.
The men who killed Brooks evidently
are the men who robbed the saloon az
Thirty-eighth street and Central ave
nue.. They wore black silk handkor-
chiefs tied about the lower part of their
faces, and while one held a revolver at
| the head of the bartender the othfI
ran behind the bar and took $50 in 81
yer from the cash register, overlookins
5000 in gold.
The body Off Brooks was taken to tfs
undertaking establishment of Pierca
Bros, where an inquest will be he
He is survived by his widow and four
children. who live at 12S West Thirty
| second street.
9