Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-07-15
SPECIAL AGENT Pollen
SHOT BY B00TLECGER
Wounded in Foot by Negro WhiIe
on r., +. a. =. Rail.
road Train.
NEGRO JUMPS AND ESCAPES
County and City Police Arc Asked
to Keep on Iookout-Polcn's In
jurics Are Not Regarded as Sc
rious by His Physician.

Becoming more and more desperate
as the net thrown out by all agencies
of the law draws closer. Il negro boot
logger shot and painfully wounded
Joseph Polen, special agent in charge
of the local bureau of the United States
Department OF Justice, early yesterday
morning on the Richmond. FreIericks-
burg and Potomac Railroad train due
TO arrive in Richmond at 7:45 o'clock
just after the train had lief. Ashland
The negro made his escape by diving
from the rear door of the colorcd coach
The train at that time was making
about forty-Gvc miles an hour and
Special Agent Pollen believes that one
of the shots he fred in return struck
the negro.
The Richmond Police Department has
been furnished with Il detailed descrip-
ton OF the escaped bootlcggcr, and II
IS thought that it will not be difficult
To apprehcnd him. since the negro has
a long police record. The negro had
already been placed under arrest by
Agent Pollen, who had taken him to the
baggage car in order to put aside the
two suit cases Of whisky seized from
him.
AS he moved to put the suit cases in
a safer position. the negro ran toward
the colorcd coach. pulled out a pistol
and cried Don't YOU move or I'll
shoot" Needless of the threatening
revolver. Agent Pollen ran to grab the
negro The negro fired two shots. one
Of the shots going wild and the other
striking the wall, and. CHANGING or
lodged in MIR. Polcn's foot. Pollen fired
two shots in return, but as the negro
had already entered the colorcd coach
he did not dare to fire into crowded
coach.
BooTLEGGERS ca TRAIN
RECOGNIZED HIM AT ONCE
When questioned In regard to the mat
ter Mr. Pollen said that he did not care
TO make any statement for publication
However. he admitted that he was on
the train ami was without assistance
Asked how II came that he should
search a train without help. he said
tina. nc was not searching for whisky
Later on /; was learned that Mr.. Pollen
was returning from Washington. where
he had been on business. AS the train
was nearing Richmond he thought he
would take a look in the colorcd coach.
As he entered the coach "A number or
the occupants recognized him. Four
seized their suit cases and ran. The
first two made good their escape. One
Of tho las, two negroes was arrested
with two suit cases of liquor. In order
TO save himself this negro had locked
himself In tho lavatory, which was
opened by the colorcd porter. Mr..
Pollen declares that whca he arrested
the negro he searched him carefully.
and the only way that he could have
obtained the pistol was to have re-
ccivcd aid from an outside source.
Mr.. Polcn's wound was treated by a
physician, who declared il was not scri-
GUS However. he will be incon-
vcnienccd. as he will have TO h6bblc
around for some time. In tho meantime
a general search is being conducted for
the escaped bootleggcr. Tho bullet
which lodged in polcn's ftot was found
and kept by him as a souvenir. 1t is
Equalizer lead bullet. which had fat
tened TO the likeness of nickel by
FIRST striking the wall and then his foot.