CRIME IN SAN FRANCISCO

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVIII, Issue 81918, 18 February 1907, Page 4

CRIME IN SAN FRANCISCO

MEN KILLED IN' A SALOON. | As showing how rampant crime is ! iu San Francipco) papers rHpoiJt tins "sticking up" of a saloon at Sixth and ISraimau Streets in that city by two armed and masked men shortly before nine o'clock on the evening of November loth. The report A desperate dual to the death was fought during the attempted holdup of a saloon at Sixth and liranuan Streets shortly before nine o'clock later George O'Connell, the ex-police-and one of the robbers, After -six teen shots had been> fucll tiie body of Frank Burke, an ex convict, one ot the men who tried to hold the place up, was stretched lifeless 011 the opposite side of the street. An hour later George O'Connell, the ex-po.ise man, died at the Central Emergency Hospital from bullet wounds intl eted .by liurke. Steven Lynch and Loins Delatour, who were also in t<ie sa:oon, lay at death's door at the hospital. Michael K|ime|ly, another custoineiof the place, was slightly wounded. a conipauuoirwea.riiijjfinasksi, entered tiie saloon, which is owned uy Ji>hn O'Conue.l, and demanded that everybody throw up the r hands. For answer George O'Connell started shooting, and tiie revolvers of two desperate thugs rang out simultanuousiy in reply. liurke, who had en tered the saloon from the Sixth-streei door, staggered acros,s the street after exchanging shots with brave O'Con. Nell, and fe.l dead in his tracks. 11.s companion kept up the iusilade, shooting ut the other men in the place uutil his revolver was emptied. Xlien he disappeared in the darkness, leaving befiiad his three victims. When the shooting secured there were about a dozei men in the saloon. John O'CouneU , a nephew of the proprietor, wjij behind the bar, the owner of the »la«e having retired to his room above. Everybody was lined up at tiie bar, preparing to take a drink, when botli doors of the place, one on Sixth and •tue other on Brannan street opened simultaneously,, and a masked nuuu, with drawn revolver, appeared at each.

"One, two, three. Itirow up your hands everybody," yelled the man who entered by the Brannau street door, each thug advancing toward the bar as this command was given in a cooi and commanding tone. Everybody obeyed instantly except George O'Connell. 'lnstead of becoming terror stricken like the rest, he whipped out his revolver and began shooting at tnc man, who entered from Sixth street. When the thugs saw him reach for his revolver both opened fire, the man at the Sixth street door aiming at O'Connell and the other taking a pot shot at the rest of the crowd, all of whom were attempting to run for cover. After tiring three shots O'Connell fell to the floor, mortally wounded. At almost the same moment the man with whom he had been engaged m the deadly duel staggered out, of the door. He managed to proceed across Sixth street, where he fell dead, two of O'Connell's bullets having taken effect, one in the mouth and tue other in the abdomen. Steven Lynch and Louis Delatour, who were in the sal oon, were wounded, the former being shot in the abdomen, while Delatour was in a critical condition, his lower jaw being shot away.