The San Francisco call., 1910-09-14
ROBBER IS CAUGHT
AFTER PISTOL duel
Detectives Take Bold Holdup
Man Only After Exciting
Battle in Streets

= During a pistol duel at the corner
of San Pablo avenue and FIFTEENTH
street just after 10 o'clock last night.
Detectives Callahan and Tobin of the
Mission street station wounded and
then overpowered and arrested George
Robinson, teamster. who was one of
the men who successfully held up and
robbed Peter Palagelos and Mike Sper-
opulos, proprietors of fruit store at
$50 Utah street, as we'll as Frank Ray.
a customer who happened to be in the
store at the time the robbers entered
That Robinson did not wound or kill
one or both officers was due entirely
to the resourcefulness of Callahan and
Tobin. who lost no time in graphing
with the robber after he had fred ono
shot directly at Callahan and been
wounded by the officer in a return fire.
As Tohin bore Robinson to the ground
after he had been shot by Callahan,
the desperate man fought 'viciously to
shoot again and discharged his gun
twice in the air before it could be
taken from him.
Robinson. who stubbornly refused 20
disclose the name of his two COM
panions after he had been placed in
the city prison, entered the fruit store
at the head of the trio, with gun in
hand and a white handkerchief over his
face for mask. The other two men
were similarly disguised. but only one
of them had a gun in sight.
While Robinson and his armed COM
panion covered the three men in the
store. the third robber went through
the victims pockets and then took
nearly s1OO in money from the cash
register. Robinson told his accom-
plices to leave the store and he would
cover their retreat. When the two men
had been gone for minute or so Rob
inson backed out of the store. after
warning his victims to make no outcry.
No sooner had Robinson turned his
back, than Palagelos blew a police
whistle.
Fortunately, Detectives Callahan and
Tobin were on a streetcar a block away
and they answered the alarm on the
run. AS they approached the store
they saw Robinson running away. pre-
ceded by his two companions. Rob-
inson was pursued down Fifteenth
street from Utah and turned into San
Bruno avenue so yards in advance of
the officers. AS Callahan and Tobin
turned into San Bruno Robinson was
waiting for them and Immediately
opened fire from a kneeling position
in true frontiersman style. Callahan
jumped behind telephone post. and
with the first shot put Robinson to the
ground. Tobin was on his man in
second and the capture was effected.
While Tobin guarded the prisoner.
Callahan made search of the neigh
borhood for the two other robbers who
had the stolen money, but no trace of
them could be found. Robinson was
taken to the central emergency hos
pital, where his wound-a superficial
cut in the breast from the glanclng
bullet-was dressed by DR.. C. Jacobs.
When asked later at the prison if he
had ever been in trouble before. Robin
son glared at his questioner and said:
DO I look like I'm crazy? You can't
get anything out of me. No one will
ever know my pals unless they tell on
themselves.
Robinson. who lives at so Converse
street, is about 40 years old and is
roustabout teamster. having worked
for various grain concerns in this
city. At one time he was with McNab
& Smith. The police knew nothing of
his record He stated he went into the
scheme because he was cut az work and
needed money.