Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-02-24
NEGRO HEN THIEF.
BATTLES POLICE
Shot Down After TerrOrizing
NeighborhOOd for Week.
and COnfeSSeS.

An extensive and studied campaign
of chicken thefts. conducted by the
master hand OF Tom simmons, "a negro
came TO an end i'm the police oour. to-
day, after gun battle in the streets.
when the negro confessed 10 having
stolen ZAP chickens within the last
week In his pocket was an inventory
OF his depredations on the hen roosts
Of north Atlanta residents and he de
tailed the amount of spois and the To-
cation Of the victim in each case.
Simmons was arrested early this
morning when alarm was given by w.
F. Frazer $50 North Jackson street the
chicken house OF whose mother, Mrs.
f, Nj. Frazer, the negro entered. -Four
policemen, responding 10 the alarm,
hemmed the negro n the block formed
by the four streets. North Boulevard
Angler avenue, Jackson and Rice
streets Finally flushed. the negro at
tempted to give battle. He was armed
with section Of iron pipe. He fed at
the sight of the policemen's guns how
ever, and was shot in the heel before
he was overtaken and captured.
+ The vocation OF Tom Simmons is the
theft of chickens He only recently
completed two terms Of three wears
each for the same offense.
His first false move in his last So
ries OF raids came when at l o'clock
this morning he entered the hen house
of Mrs Frazer ana was SO indiscreet
las to make a noise. w. +. Frazer
heard him, and threw open the win
dow.
Get out Of that hen house" he shout
cd. not quite certain that anybody was
inside
His alarm was needed. A negro with
q large sack over his shoulder ran from
the chicken house, and hid in the shad-
ows OF the yard. Mr. Frazer telephoned
the police.
Negro Shows Fight.
Captain Poole and Policemen Mat
williams, Watson and Anderson re-
sponded They flushed the negro, stin
in the back yard of one Of the houses
OF the block He ran into Angler ave-
nue., and into an alley, and the police
men surrounded the block, and waited
for him. from 1870 until 4 o'clock,
Williams and Watson saw him
stealthily enter chicken house of one
of the back yards. apparently intend
ing to continue his robberies under the
noses Of the policemen. They called
him out.
Drawing his iron pipe. Simmons
showed fight. but the revolvers flashed
d., l. 20 fvt ~ ~,
The policemen fired at him several
times, one bullet striking him in the
heel. Thus wounded, he was caught.
Simmons home at $40 Hilliard street
was searched, and six large sacks OF
feathers. evidence Of his successful
raids, were found hidden under hts
house A sack OF nine chickens, each
with It's neck wrung, was taken from
him when he was caught. Mrs Frazer
this morning identified the chickens as
hers, one OF them, a pet chicken, hav-
ing bandage about Its leg where she
had carefully nursed an injury.
The negro confessed to wholesale
thefts, He voluntarily gave the police
men the following list of his depreda-
tons within the last week: IL Prospect
place. IA chickens; Il Prospect place.
IS; 346 North Boulevard. s; 246 For
rest avenue, 20; 291 Lift Jones street
is; % Boulevard place. 81; $40 North
Jackson street, l6. $50 North BouIe-
verd IL Sc Highland avenue, t; 4S0
North Jackson street. 9
Simmons was bound over under the
sum OF $1,000 in the recorders court
this morning,