New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-04-20
McCarren, Captor of Hold
Up Man Who Shot Him,
Gets Highest Award.
DID NOT APPLY
FOR RECOGNITION
Commissioner Praises Bashful
observation-disclosures Winners of
Other Department Awards.

Although he made no application for
department recognition after forcing a
hold-up man. VINO had shot him twice,
20 surrender in a dark tenement hall
way, Patrolman John A. McCarren. Of
the Fifth Street station, was named by
Commissioner Woods Yesterday winner
Of the Police Department medal of
honor. the highest award attainable Tor
heroic police work.
McCarren is six feet tall and ad-
mirably proportional. He has boy
ish face, which. at the slightest embar-
rassment. becomes blood red. He al
ways speaks in low tone. and when
not in uniform would be one Of the last
men to be identified as a policeman.
Yet in the ten years he has been in the
department he has earned the reputa-
tion Of being "a good cop" sobriquet
dear to every policeman.
He was standing on the Bowery on
the night OF October 2s when he saw
another patrolman chasing a man with
a gun in his hand McCarren attempted
TO intercept the fugitive, who darted
into the hallway Of a tenement. Nc
Carren learned that the man had at
tempted 20 hold-up United Cigar
Store clerk.
lie darted up the stairs OF the tene-
ment. As he passed the fourth floor
there was a fash from the pitch dark
corner A bullet whizzed past his
cheek Two more flashes. and one bull
let entered his abdomen. the other his
shoulder.
"McCarren was standing in place
that was lighted. Kruger, the hold-up
man. was firing from the dark. lie
could not be seen" the Commissioner
said yesterday. Guided by the fash
Of Kruger's gun the officer shot three
times. The situation called for the
highest kind Of bravery. Either one
must be killed, or the other lose his
nerve. The hold-up man came out OF
the darkness. his hands above his head.
lie had been shot in the leg and was
armed with two revolvers, one an auto
matte containing ten undischarged
cartridges.
And" slowly commented the Com
missioner. although the rules OF the
department provide for recognition OF
a deed OF this kind. McCarren made no
application for such recognition. Head
quarters learned Of the feat through
the regular routine report made by the
officer 70 his precinct"
Commissioner Woods also awarded
Yesterday FIVE other medals for bravery
and valor. The Rhnelander medal went
TO Patrolman John {. Caspers. who
while with Inspector Morris in the Ten
derloin district. WAS shot while trying
to arrest a drug fiend; the Isaac Ben
medal 10 Sergeant Alexander {. Ander-
son. Of the Old Slip station. for a res
cue from drowning; the Peter +. Meyer
medal 10 Patrolman Frank ;. Iraver'
of the West 123d Street station, for
rescuing a sailor from drowning; the
Automobile Club Of America medal 10
Patrolman Edward +. Doyle, OF the
Charles Street station, for resculng a
man from an ammonia-hlled room. and
"The Brooklyn Citizens media TO
Patrolman George +. iagerty, OF the
Fiftb Avenue station, Brooklyn. for the
arrest Of ii man who had shot another
and was hiding i'm an apartment. nag
ertv was compelled to break down ths
door and disarm the assailant
The men Will receive their AWARDS
a. the conclusion Of the annual Police
parade. on May 8. The
presentations viii be made by Mayor
Mitchell