Evening star., 1936-12-15
G-MEN'S GUNF|RE
TRAPS DESPERATE
IN NEW YORK FLAT
Harry Brunette Surrenders
After Emptying Pistols
in 45.Minute Battle.
KIDNAPPING SUSPECTS .
WIFE is SHOT IN RAID
Area Off Riverside Drive Thrown
Into Panic by Shooting.
Hoover Leads Attack.
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, December 15.-Fed-
eral agents blasted an upper West
Side apartment with 45-minute siege
of gunfire early today, capturing
Harry Brunette, 25-year-old despe-
RADIO, and wounding. his wife.
J. Edgar Hoover, chief of the Fed
eral Bureau of Investigation, who led
the attack, said Brunette was wanted
for the kidnapping of a New Jersey
State trooper and for a number OF
bank robberies in the Middle West.
Brunette's wife, to whom he was
married November q under the name
of Lake" was wounded in the thigh.
She was taken to Bellevue Hospital
where the bullet was removed. Her
condition today was reported as not
serious. She was held in the prison
ward Of the hospital.
An area just off Riverside drive was
thrown into panic by the gun battle
as Brunette fought back against the
surprise raid with two pistols, one OF
which was engraved George T..
Smith, Sheriff, Macomb County,
1888"
Army Pistol Also Used.
Hoover said he believed the weapon
was one of those removed from three
members of the sheriff's Office at
Mount Clemens, Mich, in a roadside
hold-up last July 80. The other pistol
was a United States Army automatic.
The rattling gunflre aroused hum
dreds of sleeping residents of brown
stone houses which border the West
102d street apartment house where
brunette and his wife had taken resi-
dence several weeks ago.
As the first shot was fired only
handful of Federal agents were pres
ent, but before the battle was over sew
eral score policemen and company
of fireman had packed into the area
swarming with spectators.
Despite the fusillade that riddled
the apartment and pierced building
across the street, no one was wounded
except Brunette's wife.
"Another Alvin Karpis."
''This man is a desperate character" {"
Hoover said after the capture. "Al.
though we never rate criminals, he
certainly is one Of the worst in the
. country. The capture of Brunette was
more difficult than that of John Dill
linger, for Brunette fought back until
his guns were empty.
Brunette was on his way toward
being another Alvin Karpis."
Hoover came from Washington Sat-
urday after Federal agents under Rhea
Whitley, in charge of the New York
Office, had spotted Brunette's hide out.
Hoover posted his men at the front
and rear of the two-room apartment
on the first floor of the house. Then
he went to the entrance, banged on the
door and called to Brunette:
Federal agents! Come out or we'll
come in after you"
Tear Gas Grenades Tossed.
There was no answer. Then one
of the agents in front tossed a tear
gas hand grenade through the window.
The gas was answered with shots
from the front window.
A second grenade was hurled into
the apartment and as it exploded it
ignited a window curtain. More shots
came from within.
The agents retaliated with machine
gun and pistol fire. The whole front
room was lighted from the blazing
curtain.
The agents shot from the sidewalk,
back yard and the hall, riddling doors
and smashing every window.
Mrs. Brunette screamed:
I'm shot. I'm going out"
Then for the first time the Federal
(see BRUNETTE, Page A-3.)