Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1910-01-06
ANARCHISTS AT
BAY DIE IN FIRE
Made Desperate Resistance
Against London Police.
BURNED IN THEIR FORTRESS.
Cornered Murderers Battle With Po.
lice and Soldiers to the End Amid
Showers of Bullets.


Showers of Bullets.
Fighting to the grim end against
desperate odds, Peter the Painter
and Dutch Fritz" reputed anarchists.
went to their deaths in London, Eng,
land, shouting defiance to the laws.
1t Is believed that four companions
perished with them in the flames that
consumed their den in Sidney street.
not far from the heart of London.
Only the charred bodies of the two
desperadoes wanted for the assassina
ton OF three policemen at Hounds.
ditch two weeks ago had been recov.
cred.
When their house had been riddled
with bullets from the guns of police
and soldiers and set on fire, the trap,
theer made their last stand, firing at
the crowds below and jeering their as
sailants until the upper supports OF
the building gave way and the out.
laws were swallowed up In the seeth
ing flames.
Such battle between officers OF the
law and criminals seldom has been
waged. Discovered In their hiding
place, the handful of terrorists stood
off two half companies of Scots Guards
from the Tower of London, several de.
tachments of armed police. battery
OF horse artillery with three machine
guns and a Gatlng gun and fire bri.
gade, until their home was fired.
The authorities sought to take TN
men alive. 1t took them seven hours
to get their incinerated bodies.
Throughout the fight the greatest
excitement prevailed, not only in the
neighborhood, btu throughout the city,
and it required 1900 policemen massed
about the scene to keep back the i'm
mense crowds.
Detective Sergeant Leeson was shot
and seriously wounded. two other offi.
GERS received bullet wounds and sew.
eral firemen were hurt by collapsing
walls Two soldiers and three civilians
we're shot. Leeson was the only one
seriously wounded
The scene of the battle was near
where the burglary was attempted
when three policemen were mortally
wounded. The police had found the
headquarters of the anarchists and,
surrounding the place, planned to cap
tuer them.
Detective Sergeant Leeson was re-
-connoitering in the yard at the rear,
when there was flash from one of
the windows, the report OF revolver
broke the silence and the sergeant fell
back in the arms of brother officers,
with bullet in the lungs.
Police reinforcements were rushed
to the place and a rain of lead was
poured into the windows of the house.
The anarchists responded and for
hours the fight continued. the police
being supported by the Scots Guards
and artillery. though the latter did not
bring their guns into play.
Soldiers were posted on the roofs of
ously at the anarchists, who appeared
repeatedly at the windows and return
ed hundreds of shots.
The outlaws were armed with maga.
zine revolvers and had a good supply
Of ammunition, as was shown by sew
eral explosions which marked the pro.
gress OF the flames.
Piles Of straw were lighted near the
house, with the idea of smoking out
It's defenders, and it is thought likely
that the flames communicated with the
building.
At any rate, soon after these fires
were started the house was ablaze
and the anarchists driven from the top
story to the roof, and finally went
down in the ruins.
Only when the building collapsed did
the flremen venture to enter Then
they flooded the lower floor and re.
covered two bodies. 1t is believed that
other bodies will be found.