The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-12-17

the negro refused. Arguments proved of no avail, until at length he de- cided that he would be willing to talk with his lawyer, Henry Greenstein, concerning the advisa bility of giving up. Greenstein was se nt for, and en- tering the building alone, engaged Thomas in halfhour's S conversation.
 The resort keeper refused to give up, saying that he did not trust the police, because Superintendent Reu- gate had no power over them." He was afraid that if he ventured out he would be set upon and killed or badly beaten.
 He said he had no faith in Red gates promise of protection from the mob, and at last insisted that William E. Seeley, treasurer of the Republican town committee, be sent for. He wa1 sure that if Seeley would guarantee him protection he would be safe in giving up.
 His demand was made known to to consider it. He gave instructions that the assault upon the barricaded i doors continue.
 ! Strategy and strength were resorte6 ! to, and when a squad of police went around to Gilbert street, and proceed ed along an alley-way to the rear of 1 the clubhouse, they succeeded in ef- | fecting entry into a sort of garage which adjoins Thomas building. Once inside, they forced a back-door lead ing into the gambling rooms of the Clubhouse" The frequenters were rounded up and bundled into patrol wagons and automo obiles, after which they were removed to police head quarters.
 Meanwhile Patrolmen A. Fitzgerald, s Kelly and D. Ryan started in search 1 of Baby Doll" who was not to be found in the club rooms.
 Their search led them into an ad- joining building, the wholesale house of Davey Brothers. There they found him perched in the beams at the top ! of an elevator shaft. He offered no resistance when they seized him. He had escaped from his own place by running out into rear alleyway, re- moving the screen from one of the windows of the wholesale establish ment, breaking the glass, and thus gaining admission.
 When the police burst into Baby Dolls" rooms, they found a chaotic state of affairs. Colored men and women, and white men and women, many of whom were well dressed, were huddled together and seemed to be on terms of closest intimacy.
 Furniture and fixtures were upset
 
 ance of having been visited by a cy- clone. Walls, doors, furniture, etc., were riddled with bullet holes, and it seemed a miracle that only six of the crowd inside had been wounded.
 In one place, gilded crown was found, with the name "Baby Doll" imprinted on it's front. This, it is said, was used by Thomas when he presided over the orgies which are reputed to have taken place in his resort every night. The crown was seized by the police to be held in evil dence.
 The police also conf1scated the club license certificate, permitting the sale of liquor to members. They failed to remove the state charter, incorporat- ing the Keystone Club" under which name the negro conducted his place. Later in the morning, after the ex- citement had subsided, Sergeant Coughlin, liquor agent, visited the es- tablishment and took charge of the entire stock of whiskeys, hquors etc., which he brought to headquarters fol safe-keeping.
 | Of the six who were seriously in- jured, the two in greatest danger now are Thomas Harris, of Hartford, who :. was shot i1A. the head, directly over the right eye, and Michael Pannilli of Golden Hill street, who was shot through the groin. the bullet penetrat- ing the bladder. Neither iS expected to recover.
 Thomas Mack and Edward Garry, whose addresses are not. given. have wounds through the thigh and shoul- der. respectively, while Thomas Eorin land William John have flesh wounds in the arms.
 All of the 123 arrested with Thomas are charged technically with breach of the peace, but it is likely that these charges may be changed after investigation has been concluded. It Is certain that the charge against Thomas will be changed for one, or ! perhaps several, more serious.