Evening star., 1926-08-23
HUCKSTER IS SHOT
|NFUT|LE HOLD-UP
Youth, Captured After Run
ming Pistol Fight, Has
Police Record.

Having shadowed his intended vic
tunity to rob him of $400, a New
York youth, described as James Pat
rick Thomas, 21, self-styled
gambler, early this morning with
out warning shot down James Male
Wits, AZ. Greek huckster, as he was
loading his wares at the market space
at. Tenth and B streets, then engaged
in running pistol battle. In which
a dozen shots We're fired. with a po-
liceman and group of market men
who gave chase and eventually cap
tured the youth and lodged him in a
cell at the first precinct station.
While the pursuit was in progress.
the wounded man was removed to
Emergency Hospital by Howard Bell
Of 1884 T street southeast, where
physicians pronounced his condition
critical. a bullet had passed COM
pletely through his body near the
right shoulder. piercing the lung.
Pending the outcome of the wounds
of Malevitis, Thomas is being held on
three. charges of assault with a dan
gerous weapon.
HACcS AitcF SnOOtlng.
Malevitis was busily loading his
days produce onto his wagon at the
Tenth street stand about 2:3O am.
when man leaned over his shoulder
and mumbled something about money
AS the huckster Strengthened up and
faced the man, he was shot.
His assailant fed east along the
Center Market firing at Albert Nc
kunkey and his son Henry Nc
Kunkey. ,620 G. street.
officer Fisher Joined in the pursuit
and called on the youth to halt. In
stead, the fleeing gunman fired a fus-
silade of shots at the officer and
others trying to capture him.
For time the youth eluded his
pursuers as he ran through the
grounds of the Smithsonian Institu-
ton but was sighted on Sixth street
by James Sweeney, a night watch
man employed on Pennsylva MIA
avenue near Seventh street, who then
lost sight of him.
Found i'm Automobile.
After another search, Policeman
Fisher discovered Thomas huddled in
the rear seat of an automobile parked
on Pennsylvania avenue near Sixth
street. disarmed him and placed him
under arrest.
Questioned at the first precinct, the
prisoner is said to have readily ad-
mitted attempting the holdup.
''lf the poor simp had thrown up
his hands as others have DONE" he
is quoted saying. Il wouldn't have
shot him. Thomas added that he
suspected Malevitis of carrying about
$400 and had dogged his footsteps
for two days waiting for an oppor-
tunity to rob him. The youth gave
his occupation as gambling.
Thomas said his name was John
Henry but told police he had a
police record her and that infor-
nation concerning him could be
found at detective headquarters.
Identified by Records.
Detectives Kane, Kelly and Dubus-
ky, investigating the case, report that
the youth was identified through
records and finger prints as being
James Patrick Thomas. alias John
Henry. who had been involved in a
shooting affair here in 1924 and had
subsequently served a term at Oc-
coquan.
Thomas told police this morning
that he was but II years old. but
later is said to have admitted that
he was 81.
Witnesses in the shooting, in ad-
dition to the victim, Sweeney. Fisher,
the two McKunkeys and the pris-
oner. are Jerome Sullivan, r. r.
Purdy and b. F. Becraft, commission
men.
The huckster, Malevitis. is highly
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