The New York herald., 1920-01-20
POLICE SHOOT IN
ROOF CHASE FOR
DINNER HOUR THIEF
Stranger Seized Gets Free, but
Finally Is Arrested by
Detectives.

. A man who said he was Charles Foster
thirty years old and living in Mills hotel
was arrested on the roof of an apartment
house in East Seventy-ninth street. neal
Madison avenue early last evening and
eventually lodged in Police Headquarters
on suspicion Of being burglar.
| A burglar had beer, at work in the
neighborhood in which he was arrested
during the dinner hour. He was not ar
rested until he had led score OF police
men and detectives thrilling chase over
house tops and up and down fire escapes
Also he had indulged in considerable
| kidding"
/ The police believe they have the man
who has caused considerable commotion in
East Seventy-ninth street by his frequent
visitations during the dinner hour to
apartment houses. Most Of the thefts
were small, including money and odd bits
of jewelry taken from dresser drawers
The thief has been at work for the last
! four weeks.
Last evening Detectives Dieschley
and Mcclure went to No. 156 East
Seventy ninth street. where several
thefts have occurred. They concealed
themselves in the servants quarters
on the top floor of the building when
one Of the maids encountered them
She ran screaming to the apartment of
J. p. Nichols and told him two burglars
were ransackIng the servants quar-
ters. He ran upstairs and confronted
the detectives. who displayed their shields
Found by Chance.
Believing the alarm had frightened off
the thief If be was in the house. the de-
tectives went to the roof on a chance that
they might discover something. A man
was on the roof of No. 140 East Seventy
eighth street. They began to work their
way around the block over the roofs, and
had gone but few houses when they
encountered Foster. He doubled in his
tracks with the detectives after him. They
caught him on the roof
He went along with the detectives quietly
until they reached Lexington avenue and
Seventy eighth =. aet. Then he pulled his
arms out of his overcoat and throwing
both detectives, wrapped the coat about
their heads and ran. He was half way tc
Third avenue w:en the detectives olsen
tangled themselves and began shooting
Ten shots were fired at the running man.
but the only effect they had was to in
Icrease his speed. Reaching Third avenue
he turned north and ran into one of the
buildings.
Sergeant Van Twister. of the East Sixty
seventh street station, got a neetine
Il glimpse of the man and ran after him. He
4 went directly through to the yard and
finding no one, CHANGED to look up. He saw
a man standing on the first landing of the
fire escape.
who are you?' he asked.
II am Mr.. Adams, the jantor." was the
reply.
Calls 1t "ShOveIling snow
The janitor's helper had followed the
sergeant. THAT is not Adams" he said
Adams is shovelling snow around the
corner"
80 am l." shouted Foster and ran ur
the ladder to the roof
I Van Twister followed him and in the
/ meantime the two detectives arrived. They
were reinforced by several patrolmen
While policemen covered all four sides OF
the block others went up fire escapes and
onto the roofs. Foster had been unable
to get away. but was still a long way
from captured. He ran around skylights
and up and down fire escapes.
When shouts of IT have him. were
heard at one end of the block and the
police ran in that direction taunting
Not YETI would be heard and the chase
would begin again.
Cornered finally on the roof at the
southeast corner of Sixty-ninth street
and Third avenue. he lifted the scuttle and
dashed through the house. At the front
entrance he rushed into the arms of two
policemen.
In the station it was found he had s90S so
/ in cash.