New-York tribune., 1922-01-11
NegroWhoShot
GuardCaptplred
In Fierce Fight
Hell's Kitchens big Bear"
Rips Clothes Off 5 Dctcc-
lives Before He's Beaten
Down in Dark Areawav
Gun Misses Fire 3 Times
BootlcggcrConfcsscsScndins
Bullet Into Customs Man
Guarding Alcohol on Pier

A powerfully built negro known in
the llcll's Kitchen district as the
, Big Bear who escaped after shoot
lng Customs Inspector Kennedy in a
revolver battle on Wcchawken pier
Monday night, gavc five detectives n
fierce battle last night in the dark
hallway Of the tenement at 3il West
Thirty sixth Street.
Ho was overcome only after the do
tcctives Rounded him on tho head with
their blackjacks and battered him into
'nscnsibility
detectives, much Of their c]othjno
ripped from their bodies and showjnlr
every evidence OF having participatcd
IN a desperate struggle, dragged tho
negro to the West Thirticth Street
station
Admits Shooting Guard
Upon recovering consciousness there
he admitted that he was tho "Ri,,
Bear. that he had long terrorizad tbN b
llcll's Kitchen district and that he had
shot Kennedy. He gave his name as
toward Mcdonald and his address the
mousse III which the battle with his
captors was fought. lie said with a
grin that the fight would have ended
dlfierently had not damp cartridges in
his big army revolver prevented its
dlscharging as the detectives leaned
down upon him from the scuttlc in tho
roof N''0
the negro, suffering from the beat
ing was removed to Police Headuuar-
fcrs .rom the West Thrticth Street
staten; Iherc he was locked up on
tour charges attempted murder, fell
onous assault, being fueitjve from
justice and violation of the Sullivan
law. tie SAID he guessed he was guilty
OF all OF them. He signed statement
saying that he had shot Kennedy.
Louis Balor. head Of a private dc
tcctivc agency and one Of his opera
tivcs. Fred Mcnninger learned yester-
day that Mcdonald had sent word 10
a woman at the West Thrty-sixth
Street house that he would hc there
some time after dark Baker know
that Mcdonald had shot Kennedy. The
convinced of that. Detectives Max
Lcef. Sullivan and Quinn. Of the West
Ihlrtlcth Street station, were assigned
to be in West Thirty-sixth Street
some time after dark
Hide in Arcaway
Mcnningcr, who knew the Big Bear
we'll, WAS assigned TO patrol tho front
OF the house. The four other men Law
IN hiding in an arcaway
The blast of police whistle in tho
hands OF Menninger would bring them
out. They had been in hiding but a
short time when this blast came. and
a long, hard blast it was Its sgnif-
cance was not lost upon Mcdonald He
raced into No. 339 an* started up the
stairs, and behind him came Detectives
Leef. Sullivan and Quinn.
Mcdonald reached the roof disap-
pcared through the scuttle, and started
toward the roof of No. 34l The detec-
t'ves had come up the stairs at ton
speed and caught I; glimpse of him Just
before he disappeared through the
scu.tlc of 34l. Three shots were tired.
but they went wild.
After reaching the bottom of the
ladder that led from the scuttlc to a
top-story hallway the Big Bear decided
to go 10 further. He drew his army
rcvolvcr-a revolver he is said to have
carried in France-~and waited for his
pursuers. He heard them as thcv
reached the scuttle and crouched
against the wall in the darkness
Yels Threat to Shoot
Stay out Of there or III shoot.n he
yelled.
Detectives Lccf, Sullivan and Quinn
heard that command. but were deter