Evening star., 1914-07-17
CLASH OF POLICE
CAUSE Of ADEATH
Detective in Chicago Killed
During a Raid on City's
Vice District.
THREE OTHERS SUFFER
FROM PAINFUL WOUNDS
Conflict Develops Jealousy, But
Shooting Said to Have Been
Precipitated by Gangsters.

CHICAGO. July 17.-With one detective
dead and three wounded as a result of
a revolver battle last night in Chicago's 9
vice district. officially reported closed.
police officials attempted today to un-
tangle the accounts of the fatal ARRAY,
which occurred between members of the
department. The dead detective, Stanley
]. Birns. was a member Of the regular
plain clothes force. John C. Sloop, Birns'
partner. was shot through the thigh.
Joseph Merrill and Fred Amart. detec-
tives of the morals squad. were wounded
less seriously. James c. Carroll. who
said he was an investigator and railway
fireman, also was wounded.
In the investigation by Chief OF Police
Gleason two facts appeared to stand out
that the killing and wounding Of the po-
icemen were precipitated by gang Of
levee characters and that many of the
volley of shots fired came from weapons
in the hands of the gangsters. 1t was
thought that several of the crowd of
vice district characters were wounded and
had been hidden by their friends
The affray was possible because the
morals squad men. Merrill and Amart,
and Carroll. who was not member of
the force. did not recognize Birns and
Sloop. Merrill and Amart had been po-
licemen but short time. They had
just raided disorderly resort and sent
a wagonload of prisoners to the station.
A gang of ievee hangers-on followed
and hooted Merrill and Amart as they
walked away from the place.
Jeer the Policemen.
Look at the stool pigeons they
shouted. Look out for the stool pig
eons,'
Stones and bottles were thrown and
the detectives drew their revolvers. Birns
and Sloop ran up to dsperse the mob.
Look out, They have guns!'' some
one cried. Then the shooting began.
Merrill declared the first shot was fired
by man in the crowd. who lodged be-
hind woman. Another woman had fall
en- he said. from having been hit by a
brick. Merrill said he emptied his re-
volver at the man.
Clash of police activities in the vice
district was disclosed in the shooting.
Morals Inspector w. c. Dannenberg's
squad. which he had unexpectedly sent
into the levee district to make raids. At
the same time Second Deputy Chief of
Police NJ. L. c. Funkhouser had a de-
tail in the district for the same purpose,
thinking that Dannenberg was outside
the city.
Birns and Sloop were attached to the
detective bureau, which is said to regard
with Jealousy the activities of the spe-
cial details. The situation was finally
dominated by the uniformed police, who
dispersed the mob and held Merrill and
Amart as witnesses.
Denies Friction Caused Shooting.
Capt. P. J. Ryan of the I'D street sta
tion. in whose precinct the shooting oc-
CURED. denied that friction between Off
GERS working out of the detective bureau
and his station and investigators of the
morals squad had anything to do with
the shooting. He asserted no shot would
have been fired If Amert and Merrill
who have been on the force for sixty
days. had used good judgment.
A few moments before the clash of de-
tectives occurred four men of the morals
squad had raided an alleged disorderly
house on 22d street. 1t was the first
move of Mai. Funkhouser following his
assertion that the old levee district had
reopened and he was going to close it.