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 tbefts. conducted by the
master hand OF Tom simmons, q negro
came to an end in the police court to-
day. after a gun battle in the streets
when the negro confessed TO having
stolen 142 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 spells and the To-
cation of the victim in each case.
Simmons was arrested early this
morning when alarm was given by w
F. Frazer, 4S0 North Jackson street, the
chicken house of whose mother, Mrs.
F. M Frazer, the negro entered. -Four
policemen. responding to 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 a 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,
Served Six Years For Thefts.
The vocation of Tom simmons is the
theft of chickens He only recently
completed two terms OF three years
each for the same oftenso.
His first false move in his last Sc
ries of raids came when at / o'clock
this morning he entered the hen house
of Mrs. Frazer and was so indiscreet
as 70 make a noise. w. +. Frazer
heard him, and threw open the win
dow.
Get out Of that hen house" ne shout
ed. 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-
Owls 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. still
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 /: 80 untl 4 o'clock.
Williams and Watson saw him
stealthily enter a 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
in his face inundated him, and he ran
The policemen fired at him several
times, one bullet striking him in the
heel. Thus wounded, he was caught.
Simmons home at 346 billiard street
was searched. and six large sacks OF
feathers. evidence of his successful
raids, were found hidden under his
house A sack of nine chickens, each
with its 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. hay
ing q 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
lions within the last week: is Prospect
place. IA chickens; Ii Prospect place,
Is; 346 North Boulevard. s; 246 For
rest avenue. 20; 291 Lit Jones street.
IS; % Boulevard place, 81; $40 North
Jackson street 16; $50 North Boule-
ward. H. 36 Highland avenue. 6; $50
North Jackson street, g.
Simmons was bound over under the
sum of $1,000 in the recorders court
this morning.