New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-04-02
CHILD VICTIM
OF GANG BATTLE
ON WEST SIDE
Shot Down in Fusillade
When Four Men Open
Fire in Crowded Street.
TWO ARRESTED,
OTHERS ESCAPE
Spectators Attempt to Mob Pris-
Oner as Little Girl, Probably
Dying, Is Borne Away.

Dying, Is Borne Away.
/ One victim, the usual innocent by
stander, this time a girl Of ten. fel
after n fusillade of revolver shots in
gang fight at Columbus avenue ant
Ninety-eighth street early last evening
One arrest was made on the scene
Three men escaped, but one of them
was later arrested, the police say.
Esther Charmetz, ten years old, with
her sister, was on the way home TO
! 765 Columbus avenue from her
fathers store. at Ninety-sixth street
when a bullet entered the side of her
head and she fell to the pavement
After the smoke Of battle had lifted
the reserves of the West Tooth stree,
station had hard fight to protect the
lone prisoner from the vengeance of a
crowd Of 1000 who swarmed about the
PROSTATE girl after the shooting
stopped. Wild threats Of lynching
were made, but Captain Boyle and his
men never lost control Of the situa-
ton.
Esther was taken to the Knicker-
booker Hospital. Examination showed
the bullet imbedded in her skull An
immediate operation was decided on
but the doctors entered upon their task
with little hope Of success. The girl
was unconscious from the time she was
hit.
Detective Sees Shooting.
Detective Dalton was having his
shoes polished at the southeast corner
of Columbus avenue and Ninety-eighth
street, when three men came along. He
recognized two of them. They stopped
as if undecided which way to 60 and
then Naked back little way and turned
and stood as if expecting some one
Three revolvers spoke together as a
man suddenly turned into the avenue
from Ninety-eighth street.
The newcomer returned their fire
Dozens Of children stopped their play
in the street and scurried for shelter
Their elders did the same. People in
surface cars ducked for safety The
elevated platform at Einety-ninth
street became a point Of vantage.
A dozen bullets were exchanged in
less than a minute. Dalton jumped
from his seat as Esther Charmetz and
her sister Sophie, a year her elder
approached. Esther fell and Dalton
made dash for the man who had been
attacked by three. 1t was his bullet
the detective was sure, which struck
the girl. At the first lunge the re-
volver went Gathering into the gutter
where it was picked up by one Of the
other gunighters. Dalton saw two OF
them speed by him and run into Nine
ty-eighth Street. His prisoner showed
fight, but blow from the butt of his
weapon ended that, and the detective
fired shot into the air to intimldate
the fugitives.
Fugitives Escape.
Patrolman Quinn, at Ninety-nintf
Street. took up the chase. The last he
saw of the fleeing men was a quick
dash into a doorway and escape.
Meanwhile the news had been tele
phoned to Police Headquarters, anC
Captain Bowie and all the reserves ii
the W.5t Tooth Street station house
were on their way to the scene Of the
battle. Their arrival was none too
soon, for Dalton found himself bese'
on all sides by angry men and women
who wanted to avenge the shooting ol
/ Esther.
Some one started the cry, Lynch
/ him!" and the rest Of the crowd tool
I'D the chorus. Into the mass the re-
serve reinforcements pushed and beat
/ their way. Dalton and his prisoner
were escorted to the station house
where the latter said he was Edward
Laury.
That was all the information he
would give about himself, but he veri'
! fed Daltons identification of two oi
| his assailants. He denied he had fired
the bullet that felled the girl. For 6
year, he said, he had been out of New
York; that is, since an encounter with
/ members Of the Rats" local gang
in which he bested their leader, known
as "Peewee." Since his return he had
learned the "Rats" had not forgotten
him, so he went prepared. Furst i:
said 20 be the name Of one OF Pee
/ wees" companions.
Laury is held for felonious assault
Later detectives arrested Nicholas
Spranza, Of 1919 West 142d Street, who
is accused of acting in concert.
Child Tells Story.
Sophie Charmetz knows the rest o!
the story better than any one else
"We were at papa's store" she said
"and mamma told US to go home and
she would come soon and get supper
Esther and were looking in the win
dow at baby dresses we wanted to buy
for our dolls, when turned and saw
some men running.
81 heard a noise that sounded like
the explosion of an automobile tire
and Esther fell at my side. ! thought
she was scared until saw blood stains
Then | knelt and asked her. What's
the matter" but she didn't answer
Then called into the store for some
water, and when it was brought took
nv handkerchief and tried to wipe
away the blood.
81 wish had big gun to kill the
man who shot Esther"