The New York herald., 1922-08-07
POLICEMAN, DRUNK,
SHOOTS TWO BEFORE
BULLET DROPS Him
Man Who Tries to Quiet
Gun Rampager Is
Likely to Die.
THREE SHOTS GO WILD
PatrOlman Is Struck When
He Attempts to Capture
Colleague.
TWO NEGROES ESCAPE
Little Girl Also Said to Have
Been Object Of Uncer-
tain Aim. s.
TWO NEGROES ESCAPE


at Eighth avenue and Fifty-fifth street
last night and before he was brought
down with bullet in his abdomen he
had mortally wounded an innocent
civilian and shot fellow member Of
the department.
The triple shooting created intense
excitement in the neighborhood and
was witnessed by large crowd. The
policeman was in civilian clothes, and
not until he was taken to Roosevelt
Hospital was it established that he
was Patrolman David A. Owens. at
tached to the Marine Division and
living at 33 East 124th street.
Owens soon after seven o'clock
emerged from restaurant in West
Fiftw6fth street. near Eighth avenue
He first picked on a group Of small boys
and girls. directing his remarks partic-
ularly to a slender child with yellow
hair, whom he addressed as "Blondy."
Get out of here. 'Blondy.'" he yelled,
and with kick sent the group scamper-
ing.
And you get out OF here. too.". he
continued. whipping around and ad-
dressing his remarks to Alexander Burn
ham,. West Indian hallboy standing
d, tside the Stanwood Apartments. at
321 West Fifty-ffth street.
witness Tells His story.
with the exception OF few minutes
while he hid in the lobby OF the apart
ment house. after Owens had whipped
out his revolver. Burnhan Witnessed the
entire affair and told the foi!owins
story:
when he tried to push me into the
lobby stood firm and then he hauled
OF and hit me on the ear. hit back
at him and then caught him around the
waist and threw him to the ground. He
was sort OF limp and easy to handle and
I didn't think much about him. Eric
Roch the superintendent OF the apart
ment, was looking out Of the window,
and as / twisted the man around Rocn
caught sight of the mans holster under
his belt and called to me but / didn't
hear him."
Marcus Calender, the other hall boy,
came out and saw the man lying on the
sidewalk and told him to move on"
Owens picked himself up and drew his
revolver, and as Burnham said: When
saw that blue steel I lit out for the
lobby. with Marcus right behind me-.
Fires Twice at Negroes.
Owens fired two shots after the fleeing
a~1 Aa CT
flourshing the gun. Swerving Bit he
continued toward Ninth avenue
Standing on the steps OF his home. 334
West Fifty fifth street. was William J.
Luce. a waiter, who decided he would
try pacify the man.
Luce walked UP to Owens. patted him
on the back, and the two were seen
walking arm and arm down the street
Then suddenly Owens turned quickly.
struck the elderly Luce In the face, and
drawing his revolver, fired at close
range The bullet went into Luce's
breast just above the heart. II was said
at the Roosevelt Hospital last night
that he was In a critical condition.
Frank ]. Brady. chauffeur. was
driving his taxicab west along Fifty
fifth street when he heard the shots.
He turned and went back TO Fifty
fourth street and Eighth avenue ana
hailed Patrolman Bernard J. Greene OF
the West For.y-scventh street station.
Greene jumped to the running board and
arrived in time to see Luce lying
stretched on the sidewalk and Owens
stalking aggressively down the street.
Greene alighted from the cab and
walked toward Owens swinging his club.
When the intoxicated patrolman caught
sight OF the uniform he opened fire
again. the bullet striking Greene In the
right forearm. Greene's right arm hung
limp at his side. but circling his waist
with his left hand he was able TO grasp
the handle OF his revolver and draw II
before Owens could fire again. He fired
point blank at Owens and the bullet
caught him in the abdomen.
A lad OF the neighborhood picked up
...e club dropped by Greene at he i'm
pact OF the bullet and struck Owens over
the head,
Three wounded Go to Hospital.
The three men were then bundled into
Brady's taxicab and taken to the Roose-
welt Hospital, leaving behind them a
wildly excited crowd of people attracted
by the outcries and the shots. IL was
more than an hour before the reserves
from the West Forty-seventh street sta
ton could quiet the neighborhood.
At the hospital II was found that
owens and Luce were IN critical con-
dition. Greenes wound was slight and
he returned to the precinct and reported
on sick leave. Owens had fred Ave
shots In all, three OF them going Wild.
One shot, witnesses said, was sent at
the little girl that ne called "Blondy.'
Owens had been on patrol duty along
the waterfront In plain clothes during
the day, going Off duty at o'clock
Two bullet holes In the jamb OK the
door OF the Dearborn Apartment. around
which Burnham and Calender disap-
reared when the shooting began, tcs-
tify TO the unsteady aim of the patrol
man laboring under the handicap OF
too many drinks.