The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-12-02
'UNARMEO MAN DIES
IN FIGHT OF GANGS.
Woman Witness of Battle Saw
Him Shot Down as He
Knelt on Sidewalk.
VICTIM A C0P-FIGHTER
His Death Third 10 Result From,
Feud Between Unsavory
New York Bands.

New York, December In a battle
yesterday at Myrtle Avenue and Bridge
street. Brooklyn. william Russell.
twenty-five years old, of Brooklyn.
VINO the police say. was a notorious
yeggman and gangster and was
wanted for assaulting a policeman re-
Gently. was killed. A bullet was fred
into his head over the left eye by
rival gangster, whose identity the po-
lice declare they know. The fight was
witnessed by Ellen Malone. twenty
three years OLD. who has given the
police a good description of the man
who shot Russell
This is the third of a series of fiSt Is
between the White Hand and Sands
street gangs. the police say, and Rus
sells death is the third that has re-
suited from the feud.
Miss Malone tod Detectives Fay ana
Biosnan, who arrived at the scene Oh
the night before tne smoke from the
revolvers hid cleared away, that she
was walking from her home on Brldse
Street TO a drug store on Myrtle Ave-
nue.. when she saw six men emerge
from a saloon anead Of her and cross
the street to the southeast corner OF
the intersecting thoroughfares Just be-
meath the Bridge street elevated rail-
road station.
Three Men on Each Side.
There they stopped and began 20
argue. There were. apparently, three
men on each side OF the dispute. Sud
denly several of the men drew revolv-
ers and began shooting. Russell had
no pistol, said the witness OF the fight.
and he dropped on his knees on the
pavement and crossed his HANDS before
his face, as if to protect himself
Then | saw a swarthy, heavily
built young man, of medium height
and about twenty-five years old, sald
Mss Malone. who seemed 10 be the
leader of one of the gangs, step right
up to the man on his knees and shoot
him in the head. Then the 1--WE others
ran in all directions"
The neighborhood where the shoot
ing took place is populous one. There
are second hand stores, saloons and
drug stores on the ground floors Of
the building. the upper stories of which
are occupied by the storekeepers and
their families. 1t was just before 5
o'clock when the gangsters opened fire,
and. although there were several pedes-
trians moving along Fulton Street, two
DlOchS away, MISS MGiOHe Was the
only person beside the gangmen in
sight on Myrtle Avenue. Windows went
up all over the block as the shooting
subsidized, however. and the whole
neighborhood was humming with ex-
element when the two detectives ar
rived.
slayer Recently Acquitted
In all there must have been fully
fifteen shots exchanged, between the
rival bands, according to the estimate
of the detectives. who heard the noise
Of the fight as they were coming along
Adams Street
According TO the police, the man
who they believe shot Russell, eight
months ago shot and killed a youth
named Chris Mahoney before No. So
Sands Street. He was arrested for
this shooting, but was acquitted.
This same man and Russell are be-
lieved TO have taken part in the fsht
on Thanksgiving morning before the
house at No. 1874 Adams Street, in
which q man named John Lasanti was
shot and killed. Russell was known
as a cop fighter" and not long ago
assaulted Policeman Avon. OF the
Adams Street Station.
The neia hborhood frequented by the
White Hand. Sands Street and allied
gangs is the gloomy. dark region un-
der the Brooklyn Bridge. This local
ity has been the scene OF much law
lessness and has given the police
much trouble.