New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-21
.FELLED BY SHOE, He
cL|NCS TO PRISONERS
PIuCky Policeman Battles on
the bridge of Signs"
with CaptiveS.
FOILS ATTEMPT TO ESCAPE
Patrolman Miller Seizes Both
by Legs as He Drops Half
Stunned from Impact of
Iron -Shod Heel.

Felled with the iron-shod heel Of a
shoe with which a husky ''panhandler"
had tried to brain him. Patrolman Wal
ter ]. Miller grabbed the legs Of both
his assailant and second prisoner he
was escorting from the Tombs police
court yesterday. and all three rolled
and bumped down the stairs OF the
Bridge OF Sghs" Court attendants
heard the crash, and, rushing out,
found Millers arms locked about the
two prisoners, enectually preventing
the attempt 10 escape.
The prisoners. one Of whom was sew
cnty-five years old. apparently had a
desperate plan TO hide In the Criminal
Courts Building after disa bling the po-
liceman. When the corridors were de-
serted they expected to steal out, it is
believed. The older prisoner denied,
however. he intended 10 escape.
David Blum. thirty-eight years old.
anu NbhA toiNiis bpAil VI .'ps ~ JoA
son street, were the prisoners. Blum is
a longshoreman. They had been ar
rested at Monroe and Jefferson streets
where they had attacked man who
refused them aims. Magistrate Barlow
sentenced them TO thirty days in the
workhouse. Patrolman Miller led them
away toward the stairway leading up
to the Bridge Of Sighs,' supporting
Cohen, who seemed feeble.
The old mans feet dragged as the as
cent of the stairs began, and Miller or
dered Blum on ahead. Then Cohen
stopped and hung on the patrolman's
arm, dead weight
Brace UP. now; Aats the matter
with your" demanded Miller, as he
turned TO see why his charge held back.
Quick as flash Blum drew off one OF
the heavy shoes which were bound to
his feet with twine. With tremendous
force he brought it down upon the head
of Miller, and the policeman dropped.
As he fell, however, he seized the legs
Of both prisoners. Blum. who had
leaned forward to deliver another blow.
was taken off his guard and top
pied forward. The policeman's arms
clinched tightly about both captives
and all three rolled helter- skelter down
the stairs.
The crash and successive bumps on
hA att 1ln 70 In.
the police court that something was
wrong. Captain w. j. Mccarthy and
Lieutenant w. j. Butler. OF the court
squad, who were in the pen" near the
door leading to the stairs, were at the
foot of the staircase in jiffy. There
lay Miller and his two prisoners. Mil
ler's arms were locked about their legs
and, half dazed from their fall, the
prisoners were making futile efforts to
break his hold. The patrolman's face
and shoulders were drenched with blood
from the cut on his head.
Until he spoke the court attendants
feared Miller was dead.
An ambulance was called from the
Hudson Street Hospital and DR.. Shields
took seven stitches in Miller's scalp
wound. The heel OF the shoe had cut
through his heavy winter cap and made
a ragged cash several inches long.
Pale and shaky, Miller arraigned his
prisoners again before Magistrate Bar
low. The old man denied he had held
back, and Magistrate Barlow sent him
10 the island to start his workhouse
sentence. He withheld Blum's sentence
so that an additional charge Of assault
ing an officer In the discharge Of his
duty might be preferred against him.
WASHINGTON TOUR-sf2.00.