The Detroit times., 1911-01-03
seven BANDITS D|E|
|NOEsPERATEDUEL|
WITH POLICE
Anarchists Kill Two Firemen Befor6
They Perish in Burning Fort
ress-Three Others of At 4
lacking Party Hurt.
Winston Churchill Directs Attack On
Men Wanted For Murder of
- Cops, Dec. Is. "a

LONDON, Jan. 3.-The greatest
light in the history OF London be-
tween the police and a gang OF
anarchists took place today in Sid
ney-st, Stepney, in the middle east
stun section of the metropolis.
On one side were the anarchists.
two at the first and seven at the last,
who were wanted by the police for
their participation In the Houndsditch
night on Dec 16, when three policemen
were shot TO death. All of these were
killed In todays battle
The full list of casualties includes
the seven dead anarchists, two fire.
men shot dead as they entered the
anarchists retreat, seven firemen and
two police sergeants injured. enc
Scots Guard sergeant injured, one
policeman and two bystanders shot.
OF the injured. at least three are be-
lieved to be fatally hurt.
Attacking the anarchists in their
Sidney-st retreat were first 300 POI
licemen, then 700, then 1000 and fin
ally l,500, led by Home Secretary
Winston Churchill and reinforced by
three companies of Scots Guards
from the Tower garrison, machine
guns. one battery of field artillery.
Including three 1875 Founders and
company of mounted infantry.
The apparently unequal struggle
began early in the day and was only
ended, when six hours later, the
anarchists were burned to death in
their retreat, the house having
| caught fire from the operation Of the
machine guns.
| There were three hundred police
men present when the lighting began
and there were unarmeG, as is usual
with London police. They surrounds
cd an entire block in the middle east
London slum district and began q
house to house search for Peter the
Fainter" and Fritz" who were be-
iieved to- be in hiding i'm the block.
Suddenly the two men opened fire
witt automatic pistols from an attic
window OF house overlooking Sid
| ney street. A rain Of bullets fell
among the police, who temporarily re-
tired. When the desperate nature OF
the hunt became apparent, the police
men armed themselves and renewed
| the attack. their number being rein
forced at this time to 700.
brought up machine guns and were
soon trained on the fortress.
While the lighting was 1t Is heights
Home Secretary Winston Churchill
who is the head of the police depart-
ment, arrived OH the scene and as
sumed control Of the situation. The
secretary dashed here and there in
his automobile end was cheered by
the crowd. =
The end of the battle drew near
shortly after the arrival OF the Third
company OF the Scots Guards and
their machine guns. BY this time, too.
there were nearly 100 policemen en-.
gagged in the attack. A frontal and
! rear rushed upon the beseiged house
was begun and the machine guns
Opened such terrific fire That the
/ house was soon in flames.
The defenders, however. did not let
M in their fight. They wer eseen Tor
The fraction OF second at one OF the
windows. as though gasping for air.
Even this fieeting glimpse showed
them streaming with blood. But stu
they pumped their automatic pistols.
Finally the flames became SO hot
that the anarchists were driven 10 the
roof of the house. Every window now
| n etching flames and smoke, the
smoke tending TO conceal the desper-
ADDE'S as they crouched on the roof
Ct their trap and continued their tu'
/ silade 1T.
The fire soon spread to the adjoin-
! ing ramshackle buildings. threatening
q new disaster. Hundreds OF police
men and firemen were forced to turn
! their attention to prevent spread or
he flames. but the rattle OF SHOTS
still continued.
The collapse OF the burning house
and the end OF the struggle was only
question OF time.