Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1911-01-04
Number of Persons Wounded by Mel
Barricsded in House.
BUILDING FINALLY TAKES FIRE
Suspects Continue Rain of Bullets
Under Burning Roof
TROOPS AND F1REMEN AID POLICE
After the BlnSe IL ExtinEuished SIX
Charred Bodies Are Found on Up
per FiOOrs--TwO Partly
identified.


hours hundreds of policemen, troops and
guardsmen. a band of suspected anarchists
almost I'm the heart OF the city today main
tained their defense until the house had
collapsed and buried the criminals in the
ruins,
Six bodies were found in the wreckage.
Several OF the fremen were injured and
number OF persons were wounded by the
bullets OF the besieged.
The affair. one OF the most remarkable
criminal outbreaks London ever has
known, took on the dimensions of battle,
1t began early and continued until after
noon, when the civil authorities at last
became masters Of the situation. Vast
crowds gathered in the narrow streets
leading to the scene OF activities, while
word Of the desperate character Of the
fighting ran throughout London, causing
widespread excitement and alarm.
Call for Machine Guns.
At one time the besiegng force called
for machine guns, but these were not
brought into actual use.
A member of the ministry, Home Secre-
tary Winston Churchill, appeared when
the fighting was at it's highest.
Leaders Of the band are known as Peter
the Painter and Dutch Fritz.
The police say that while they were
satisfied that one OF the bodies recovered
was that Of Dutch Fritz they were not
positive that the other was that OF Peter
! the Painter.
At an interview Mr. Churchill expressed
the opinion that the anarchists had set
fire TO the building themselves
During the fight points OF vantage we're
at a premium and many persons from
the West End paid big prices for positions
on roofs commanding view Of the scene.
story "f the Fight.
The police, discovering their headquar-
ters, surrounded the place and were met
with volley Of shots. two detectives be-
ting wounded, one seriously.
One hundred shots had been fired when
the house caught fire and the fire brigade
was summoned
The police, after locating the men and
anticipating trouble. had ordered the
houses in the immediate neighborhood va
Gated before daylight and. throwing line
of officers around the square, allowed no
one to approach within a hundred yards
! of the scene OF the expected battle.
The police lines had been drawn so
/
the house had no chance to escape. The
police were satisfied that the place con-
tanned the two murderers wanted and they
had also satisfied themselves that the as
sassins had fortified their home and were
supported by a number Of friends
Piles Of straw were lighted near the
building and the flames soon communicated
to the house. The fire brigade was then
summoned and divided its energies between
putting out the blaze and trying to flood
out the outlaws by streams of water
thrown through the windows.
Home Secretary Winston Churchill ap-
peared early in the afternoon and surveyed
the scene crossing the firing zone al
some risk.
corps of nurses was brought to this
vicinity, and they treated the wounded
among whom were a few spectators who
had been struck by spent bullets.
In the face Of terrific odds, the trapped
men continued a desperate resistance and
every few minutes appeared at the win
dows and emptied their guns
Soon after o'clock the roof of the hous,
fell In, carrying the anarchists down amit
the flames Just before the supports CAV,
way. one of the desperadoes attempted Z
dash from the building, shooting In ever,
diers and staggered back into the house
which vas then a fiery furnace
Men Continue to shoot.
In the face OF terrific ODDS the trappet
men continued a desperate resistance ant
every few minutes appeared at the win
odws and emptied their guns at anyon,
in sight
As the afternoon progressed the BATH,
waged more nercely. Another compan,
Of Scots guards was ordered out ana tool
up position In front Of the house at 3
o'clock. At that hour so furious was tn,
battle and so determined the resistance o.
the criminals that machine guns wer,
called for
These we're hurried to Sidney chreet un
der orders to lombard the east end fort
ress, should other measures to dislodge tn
defenders fail.
The flames, unquenched, swept nj
through the building. driving the occupant
? TO the top story and bursting cut OF tn
windows. Hard pressed. the teTrorists ken
up the grim fight. At 2 o'clock the Who'll
2 building was in flames and the desperadoe
T had been driven from within to the rooi