New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-07-22
CHURCH ROBBERS TRAP
AND KILL POLICEMAN
Thieves Breaking In to Steal
Sacred Vessels Stay Blue
coat Who Fights Them.
TWO MEN ARE ARRESTED
Locked Up After a Struggle
One Had Blood on Hat
Police Sure They Are
the Slavers.


In an effort TO save the gold and silver
sacred vessels and the poor box collection
Of st. Matthews Roman Catholic Church,
at Utica avenue and Lincoln Place.
Brooklyn, from robbers early Yesterday
morning Policeman John Cahin. of the
Atlantic avenue police station, was
stabbed and shot TO death at the door Of
the vestry. where he surprised the thieves
at their work.
An all day search by sixty detectives
under the personal command OF George
: Dougherty. Second Deputy Police
Commissioner. resulted early this morn
ing i'm the arrest Of two men. who We're
captured after a struggle and locked up
at Brooklyn Police Headquarters. where
they were examined by the Commissioner
personally.
James Salero. twenty-five years old.
night Waterman. was arrested in his
shanty on the city refuse dump. at Kings
ton avenue in the "Bigtown' district of
Flatbush A revolver and a blood stained
soft hat were taken over by the police as
evidence
The second man. Angelo Louise, was
captured at his home at No. 400 Mid
wood street Flatbush. The police believe
that Louise. although under a different
name. has served two and half years in
Sing Sing.
Two weeks ago st. Matthew's was
broken into by thieves, who made off with
three silver candlesticks. AS a result Of
this the policeman on the post had been
instructed to keep an especially close
watch on the place.
Although no one was found yesterday
who could give the police any Information
as to what took place Immediately before
or after the murder, it was the theory Of
the police that Cahin saw the robbers
enter the grounds of the church and fol-
lowed them in. surprising them at their
work on the vestry door. They already
had broken open the outer door of the
small wooden vestibule outside the en-
trance and were at work apparently on
the inner door when Cahill came upon
them.
From the fact that he had not drawn
either his club or revolver IL appeared
that he met the robbers UNEXPECTEDLY in
side this small veStibue and that they
attacked him there There were indica-
lions of d hard fight, in which the police
man was stabbed several times and a
bullet finally fred into his brain. Then
the robbers dropped their weapons and
fled
Owing to the secluded spot where the
night took place. I'm an angle between two
rear walls Of the church. further shut i'm
by the wooden fences of the yard no one
heard the sounds Of the struggle or the
pistol shot as far as could be learned by
the police.
Cahnls body was first seen living outside
the door by Mrs V. l.. Schudham. Of No
1909 Lincoln avenue. from one Of her win
dows overlooking the churchyard, about
$50 o'clock in the morning. Mrs. Schuld-
ham gave birth to baby girl five hours
after she made the discovery. Her hus-
band informed the police of the murder
Cabin won a reputation as a fighter
among the hard characters in the Allan
tic avenue precinct His brother officers
last night said that il was his very fear
lessness that led him TO allow himself to
be surprised in the trap where he met his
death. The police said they were con-
WINGED that there were at least two rob-
bers, as they did not believe one man
could have got the better Of CahIll II was
thought the murder took place about 3
O'Clock.
Cahill was appointed to the force in 1902.
and not a single mark was made against
his record up to the time Of his death.
He was married and left four small chill
dren. His home was at No. 30 Chestnut
street. East New York. His family were
spending vacation at Hampstead, Long
Island, and were TO come home yesterday.
The funeral of Cahin will be held at
his home to-morroR, the Rev. Arthur
Brunn, OF ST. Peterc German Lutheran
Church. in Hale avenue, East New York.
officiating. The burial will be in Lutheran
Cemetery.