Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1918-02-01
OFFICERS AND GUNMEN
WOUNDED in BATTLE FEW
HOURS AFTER BOLD RAID
Frank Rooney Dies in Hospital After Making Statement;
Thomas Mckay, One Of Cornered Men, Gets
Bullet in Back; Two Others Wounded;
One Man Is Still At Large

, Charges of murder were filed
yesterday afternoon against all
FIVE of the diamond bandits
captured Wednesday night
after a bloody battle in 4
Dodge street house.
Detective Frank Rooney died
at St. Joseph's hospital at z
o'clock on the afternoon and
police Immediately changed
the charge against the des-
peradoes to murder.
BANDIT NEAR DEATH.
B. c. Kirkc, Sam Stone, Frank
Martin, Harry Williams and Thomas
Mckay are the FIVE bandits charged
with murder.
Mckay lies at St. Joseph's hospital
at the point OF death.
Stone was shot through the head.
Martin was also injured, as was VIII.
lian1s, svhns lsaped frnn ne fodf. s.''y.
a sixth gun man escaped in his
underwear.
HUNT SIXTH MAN.
Police late yesterday left for East
Omaha In automobiles following
report the bandit was hiding in .
house, but found no one.
The officers were armed with
sawed-off shotguns and rifles. They
said they would take no chances with
the desperate, who was reported to
be heavily armed.
Rooney, detective, who ganncly
fought the robbers until two bullets
penetrated his abdomen, made
dea'hbed statement.
The detective, one OF the most pop
ular men on the police force, was
surrounded by his relatives when he
died.
"One of the best-hearted and
gamest men who ever wore star
on the Omaha police force" was the
unanimous tribute to the murdered
detective, when his fellow officers at
central police station received word
that he had died.
ROONEY SHOT TWICE.
Police Detective Frank Rooney and
Thomas Mckay, alleged diamond rob-
Der, were shot In a pitched battle
between officers and bandits in q
house at 1907 North Fourteenth ave.
nue. "Wednesday night.
Rooney, shot twice through the
abdomen, gamely attempted to con-
tinue the fight, Mckay, most serious
" Injured of the gun men, fell with
a bullet which penetrated his abb
domen.
Another of the bandits escaped to
the roof. Searchlights were played up
on him and he was made the target
for battery of police revolvers.
Caught like a rat in trap, the des-
perado attempted to slide down wire
and fell to the ground. He suffered
broken back.
Frank Stone, bandit, was shot by
detectives as he attempted to escape
through window. The bullet entered
his head. He will 1--we.
ESCAPE WITH LOOT.
The battle occurred about FIVE hours
after six unmasked bandits swooped
down upon a jewelry store in Dodge
street, cowed the proprietor and
clerks with threats of death and es-
capped with $4,000 worth OF diamonds
and jewellery.
The daring daylight robbery. and
the gun fight which followed when de-
tectives surrounded the rendezvous OF
the bandits were the most sensational
N the history Of Omaha crime.
Five Gun Men Captured.
Hundreds. Of shots were exchanged
by detectives and bandits.
Detective Rooney fell rnortaliy
wounded early in the fight. The bat.
tie came to close. when five Of the
gun men were captureL.
Two women were arrested in the
same house with the bandits
Two other robbers besides Mckay
were, injured The sixth glinrnan
escaped from the bulIet-riddled, house. y
Early thursday morning detectives
found about $1,000 worth OF the MISS
ing siiamonds in creyice of the roof
of the bandits retreat. Between $1,000
and $4,000 worth OF gems and jew
Try still are missing.
Recover Missing Diamonds.
Investigation by Detective Doian
ed to th. discovery OF the fugitives
II the fotsc owned by Mrs, Pessie
Daisy. formerly Mrs. E. r. Tarry, a,
i207 Nortl. Fourteenth avenue. After
two-hcur watch the detectives
Continued on Page Seven. Column One.l