FIGHT FOR LIFE IN A DARK ROOM.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXI, Issue 477, 7 September 1909, Page 3

FIGHT FOR LIFE IN A DARK ROOM.

- GIANT BURGLAR SHOOTS TWO DETECTIVES, Paris, July 18. Mi Blot, the second in command of the Paris detective force, and an inspector named Mugat, were shot dead yesterday by a burglar, who afterwards committed suicide. M. Blot was the right-hand man of M. Hamard, chief of the force, and in due course would have succeeded him. For months past M. Blot and his colleagues have been searching for a baud of burglars who, since the end of May, 1908, have robbed churches and museums all over France, of valuables and works ot art of all kinds. On Thursday night several arrests were made, and one of the band —a “fence,” or receiver of stolen property—told M. Blot that the leader and organiser of the burglaries was a man named Delaunay, living in a tenement house in the Rue de la Folie Mericourt, in the workingclass quarter of Paris, “He is a dangerous man,” said the “fence,” and you will have to be careful.”

“I will arrest him myself,” said M. Blot, smiling. FIRED POINT-BLANK.

At about six o’clock last night, M. Blot, with his secretary and three police inspectors, went to the tenement house where Delaunay lived. They knocked at the door of the little flat, and it was opened by a charwoman. Delaunay, a giant of 6ft sm, was standing in the middle of his dining-room.

“ Your name is Emile Delaunay, is it not?” said M. Blot. Before the words were out of his mouth Delaunay drew a revolver from his trousers pocket and fired at M, Blot point-blank. Inspector Mugat, who was just behind, and who was also a man of great strength, sprang at Delaunay and caught him round the waist. The two men struggled, and as it was dark in the room, the other policemen were afraid to use their revolvers.

Suddenly Delaunay iorced Mugat backwards into the bedroom which opens out of the dining-room, and, holding his head down with his left hand, put his revolver between his shoulderblades and fired. Mugat fell dead and Delaunay slammed the door of his bedroom, pushed the bed against it, and shouted from inside that he would kill any man who broke in. DYING MAN'S REQUEST. The two inspectors remained on guard outside the bedroom door, while the neighbours and M. Blot’s secretary took the dying man to a chemist’s shop. He had recovered consciousness, but ten minutes afterwards he said, ‘ ‘ Break the news gently to my wife,” and died. Police reinforcements had come up and forced their way through an immense crowd and upstairs to Delaunay’s flat. As they entered

it and were forcing the bedro m dour, another shot was heard. They broke the door down, and found Delaunay, with his skull smashed, lying dead across the body of Inspector Mugat. M, Lepiue, the chief of police, who had been called by telephone, arrived soon afterward, and for the first time in his career was seen to shed tears.