The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, June 22, 1905, Page 3

MANIAC FIRES INTO CROWD FROM HOTEL WINDOW ’ THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL. THURSDAY, 'JU\"E 22, 1905 WITH SHOTGUN, THEN BLOWS OWN HEAD OFF. —_— Thomas Lobb, an insane carpenter, opened fire from his room in the United States Hotel yesterday on a crowd collected below it, wounding ten people. reat bravery in a daring attempt to take the maniac alive. o t=] p];aycd bariné Policeman Climbs Out on Fire Escape and Faces Madman at Close Quqrters. Frenzied Man Holds Squad at Bay for an Hour, Mattress Barricade. Firing From Behind VICTIMS OF THE LUNATIC. THOMAS LOBB C. T. CHEVALIER VINCENT ROUMANTE JAMES LARIBE b PATRICK KISSANE.... W. D. COFFMAN W. JONES EMIL ROBERTS WONG QUNG WO B GEORGE H. DE LANGTON DAVID FARRELL the 126 Thomas fifth-story the United esterd arpenter, discharged shotgun into a crowd colle on the street below by ing furziture from the window and nded seven people. As the throng b fired another charge of No. 4 unding another. He fired t stopped umder the pme of the win- - passenzers were ¢ Chinaman that cross the street tol and wounded eman was shot efforts were being Lobb’s room, and barricaded Into ihis mattress bullets the officers bad a Ten people One police- nusual act of brav- a fire escape to The maniac ¥ evexnt by blow- top of his own head when the officer at the window. It d by the crowd that assembied maniac’s death that he had shot s well as leaden r he had used ing the shells used in States Hotel, window a front of Eddy street morning, bolted . n thre or. ere wounded 1p the thrillt £ the > are some of the most import- urcs of ome of the most excit- t has ever racked the police or startled the That the manine en Recerz On F owing C. T. Chev e Wounds, e Losing an Eye a list of the injured: ier, 123 street, shot through the right eyeball and will lose the sight In ome eye; Vimcent Rou- wte, 717 Larkim street, shot in the e, shoulders and head; James Lari- ¢ Howard street, shot im the eve in, cheek, arm, shoulder and bip; Policeman Patrick Kissane, 28 Oak Grove avenue, shot im cheek; W. D. Coffman, 914 Howard street, shot in cheek, ncse and forehead; W. Jones, 1 Clay street, shot in face and head; il Roberts, 1517 Broderick street, in hand; rge H. de Langt McAllister street, shot in the cheel and arm; David Farrell, shot in Wong Quung Wo, 116 Eddy street, t in the hand. emen Patrick but the bul- mattress. K the door a at the maniac. ead showed =d. A charge through Kis- to pieces, and his cheek. ‘aptain Duke, Po- p to shot ed to fire a he had reached a c's window. Hold- nd, the fearl ent. He ee him at any shotgun upon him. Hurchings Braves 1 the | | shots, and rushing up to Lobb’s room de- 10 descend the | Maniac’s Weapon he was t outside the m from the window air and the behind the ot ir began to bat- the report of A piece of flew through 25, knowing well , leaped into the room. the door hearing the t Hutchings had -been 4 began to fire through the door. is is Hutchings,” shouted nd opened the door. »'s maddest freaks was s wads. In all he shot nearly $400 in currency at * the crowd bout $260 of this ac- counted for the police and Coroner’s deputies by Shortly after the insane man | might. ended his life crowds gathered in fromt | honine to hreak the lock. when a voice and overpowered or shot him. I crawled | and fire into the air,” he ordered. ibay a | rushed at the door, believing that their San Diego ..123 Eddy Street ....717 Larkin Street .92312 Howard Street 23 Oak Grove Avenue 914 Howard Street ..1621 Clay Street 1517 Broderick Street ..116 Eddy Street 0 McAllister Street | and collected shreds of green- the street. ent to the hotel Tuesday night | the room, it is thought, for | of doing wholesale murder. | with him a twelve-bore shot- ty cartridges and a 32-caliber pistol. Begins Shooting at g Crowd From Window Carpenter, the bellboy who m to the room, noticed that he | rather que When asked with the room he looked the bed and inspected | the place carefully. Then he laid a pack- | t strawberry tarts he had brought | En showed ¥ was acti whether after 7 o'clock in the morning | to the window and hurled a | to the street. A wash basin ble-tépped table crashed after | r chair caught in a skein of wires. congregated in front of the watéh the antics of the madman. stepped aside .rom the window. n he reappeared he held a shotgun into the frightened crowd. W. n, James Laribee, C. T. Chev- Emil Roberts, a boy, were the first shot. Before the ctators could move, Lobb cond barrel. Vincent Rou- Jones and David Farrell were the scattering charge. Lobb loaded and fired again at the wd. George H. de Longton rowd Lobb W mante, W, struck by quickly r fieeing crc was struck. When Wong Qung Wo, a Chinese, em- ployed in a store across the street, stepped out to “look see,” Lobb fired at him with a pistol. His aim was accu- rate, for the Chinaman was wounded in hand s fortunate that the maniac did not | a rifle instead of a shotgun. Had | ed but three shots with a rifie he | id perhaps have wounded & t three pecple. | The gun was a 12-bore shotgun, | we the shells were loaded with No. 4 the kind usuaily used in duck | ooting. Policeman Percy Smith heard the first his surrender. s a shot The maniac's through the transom. itral Police Station was immedi- y notified, and Policemen Kissane, J. “onnor, J. O’Connor, J. J. Till- man, Prowse and Wratton were rushed to the scene, in command of Captain Duke and Lieutenant Green. Three rifies were brought along. It was at first Captain Duke's intention to'| station marksmen on the roofs opposite | to pick off the maniac, but this was found impracticable, as the other build- ings were lower than the room occupied by Lobb. I ne and J. C. O'Connor rushed at| the door of the maniac’s room, but it| held fast, and a shot through the tran-| m warned them that the man inside on the alert “I'm going to get him,” said Kissane. He mounted a sofa and tried to peer over | the transom. A deafening report rang out, and he staggered back. His face | was bleeding profusely where a pellet from the shotgun had struck him, and O'Connor, thinking he had been badly wounded, tried to drag him away from the door. But Kissane leaped to his feet with a laugh, and the two officers emptied their revolvers through the door, hoping to hit the maniac with a chance shot. An- other roar of the shotgun convincew them that Lobb had not been hit. Hutchings Performs A Feat of Bravery | It was at this juncture that Policeman Hutchings showed himself a hero. maniac and The was yelling triumphantly inside, it seemed as though there was no v of getting at him. Captain Duke, who had been looking through the window of an adjoining room, saw that Lobb’s room could be | casily reached by way of the fire escape, | if any one would dare attempt it. “Hutchings, climb down that ladder “The | rest will rush the door.” “All right, captain,” said Hutchings, quietly. “I'll take a chance.” He went up to the room over Lobb’s and began the perilous descent. Outside the door of the room where the maniac waited at squad of policemen watched eagerly for the signal. A pistol shot rang out. An instant later was the crashing report of the| shotgun. Frantically the policemen comrade had been shot and that his bat- tered body lay on the pavement, five stories below. The door would not give, though five policemen shoved at it with all their -| time, Merritt declares, i BISWHNEC = SRR L AR P R called out, “Stop shooting. It's Hutch- ings.” The brave policeman shoved aside the bed and mattress that had been used as a barricade and opened the door. Bare- foot and almost headless, the body of Lobb lay upon the flgor. A look at the walls and ceiling turned most of those who entered faint and sick. The place was like a shambles. The dead man was taken to charge by Public Administrator Hynes. Lobb was an Englishman, 34 years of age, and a carpenter by trade. He was last employed in San Diego. He was a member of the carpenters’ union of that city, in good standing. in his tool chest show that he had a sister, two brothers and parents in Eng- land. It is thought that Lobb’s murderous fit of insanity was brought on through brooding over a similar tragedy in San Diego. About two months ago W. J. Stewart of that city, also a carpenter and a member of Lobb’'s union, ran amuck in the same manner. Stewart killed five and wounded two before he killed himself., The similarity of the cases convinces the police that Lobb was influenced by Stewart's insane deed. Lobb had been visiting at Ben- son, Arizona, shortly before he came here..* The wounded were rushed to the Cen- tral Emergency Hospital, where Dr. Glover and Chief Steward Bucher dress- ed their wounds. Chevaller was the worst hurt. The sight of one eye had been totally destroyed. ‘While the wounds of the others wers painful, Dr. Glever declared that none of them were dangerous. The China- man was the only one hit by a pistol bullet. All the others were wounded by shot. While the maniac was firing into the street a car stopped almost @irectly un- der the window. Lobb fired upon it, shattering several panes of glass, but the passengers, warned by the cries of people huddled in doorways, kept out of sight. The car moved on at full speed. George W. Merritt of 2901 Filimore street said that he had been introduced to Lobb on Tuesday afternoon. At the Lobb seemed sane and sober, Peeps at Policeman From Behind Curtain Like all true heroes, Policeman Hutchings, who made a possible target of himself in the effort to take the ma- niac alive, {s modest. He said: “I did not feel that I was dolng any- thing particularly brave. I always have endeavored to do my duty in danger or otherwise ever since T have been on the force. I thought I might get on the fire escape and attract the maniac’'s atten- The men began firing into it, | tion while the others broke in the door POLICEMIN B H T SOATE »~~o 7o the | { Morgue and his effects were taken in Letters found | After holding the police at bay for an hour he blew out his brains. Policeman Hiram Hutchings Policeman Patrick Kissane by a miracle escaped being killed i i M| 'M', | | l v [ il @pl S = THE MANIAC WHO SHOT TEN PEOPLE, THE POLICEMAN WHO WAS WOUNDED AND THE POLICEMAN WHO DESCENDED THE FIRE ESCAPE IN A DARING ATTEMPT TO CAPTURE THE MURDEROUS MADMAN. - & down the fire escape and edged toward | the window for the:purpose of discharg- ing my revolver and making him turn his back to the others. “I fired a shot and he came to the win- dow and took a look at me from behind the lace curtain. I was prepared to send a bullet through him if he attempted to raise his gun, but he did not do so. After a moment’s inspection he retired behind the curtain again and a second later I heard a shot in the room. I saw a plece of human flesh fly through the window and I knew Just what had happened. I then sprang through the window and opened the door for the other officers. The room looked like a shambles when F entered. I think he must have pulled the trigger of his shotgun with his toe. “I do not see any use in making all this fuss over what I did. It was simply what 1 thought I ought to do as my duty.” Captain Duke has the following to say concerning the affair: “As soon as I knew that a crazy man was making trouble here I hurried down, after issuing orders that he be taken alive, if possible. It is a matter of pride for the people of the city that the police handled this case so well. Not a man of all those gathered here showed the white feather when it came to facing the crazy man’s gun. I think we were fortunate to corner the fellow before he had a chance to shoot the remaining shells. He knew enough to be afraid of the police, and when he saw his barricade at the door would not keep us out, he blew his head off rather than be killed or forced to sur- render. I am particularly gratified at the exhibition of unusual bravery on the part of two or three of the men.” Exhibits Wariness When Shown to Room Lieutenant Green of the Central Sta- tion was among the first to arrive. He “Patrolman Percy Smith telephoned me | early in the morning that there was — crazy man at the United States Hotel and that he had barricaded himself in his room. I ordered him to arrest the man and see that he hurt no one. Later Smith telephoned that he had looked over the transom-and had seen the ma- niac with a gun and a revolver ip his hand. He said the fellow was thréaten- ing and might act bad. I then said I would bring assistance, but meanwhile directed that the maniac be kept where he couldn't hurt any one if possible. “Later Smith reported to me that three or four persons had been shot and, tak- ing along a detachment with rifles, I hurried to the scene. Captain Duke was immediately notified and he ordered that the man be taken by strategy if possible, but to kill him if necessary to save the lives of innocent people. This was what I had myself previousiy ordered.. I re- mained in charge of operations until the arrival of Captain Duke.” Fred Morrisey, the night clerk who reg- istered Lobb and fortunately gave him a room high up, says: “The man came in about half-past 8 or 9 o'clock last nigh. and asked for a room. I noticed that he carried a gun case with a revolver stuck in the end ot it, but saw nothing peculiar in h.s be- havior. 1 asked what priced room he wanted and he said he guessed he would take a dollar one. He registered his name, but no address.” Emile Carpenter, the bellboy, the following statement: - “I took Lobb to his room and after looking under the bed and dresser ‘and | out of the window he sald he was satis- i | \ makes . fled with it. I thought there was some- thing strange about his actions, but we meet all kinds of cranks in a hotel and so I did not take particular notice. He | Here and there, like gopher mounds on stayed in his room, so far as I mv,' atter I left him, and no oné reported : hearing him -make any unusual sounds. He did not appear to be under the in- fluence of liquor. He had no baggage be- sides his guns and three strawberry tarts.” * CROWDS TAKE T0 COVER AT FIRST SHOT Maniac Fires Green- backs With the Duckshot. ———— In spite of the extensive bloodshed, there is a humorous side to the United States Hotel tragedy. Those who were not shot and who were not appalled by the narrowness of their escapes were get- ting much amusement out of the incident yesterday. The way the immense erowd struck out for forts and cyclone cellars when the maniac, harmless, unlimbered his artillery was a sight worth going long miles to witness. The widely felt sorrow over the destruc- tion of good American greenbacks was particularly pathetic. The fact that about all of those who were hit would not have suffered had they Jpursued their several ways instead of watching a crazy man throw furniture from the window is also a matter of touching interest. ‘When the maniac commenced to toss chairs and crockery playfully into the street a crowd quickly gathered. The pedestrians were for the most part those who go early to work, and the unusual spectacie seemed like a pleasant start for a hard day. The faces of the spec- tators were turned gaping skyward and each newcomer commenced looking for an airship until the matter was ex- plained. The hotel people seemed to ap- preciate the humor of the situation less than the outsiders, in view of the reduc- tion of their furniture to Kindling wood. Things were getting just 2 trifle monot- onous when the insane man enlivened the scene by letting go his shotgun. Some broke the doors down getting into the stores and saloons. Others dove into cellars. A part of the throng hastened down Eddy street to Mason and failed not to turn the cormer. A part swept up to Taylor street. Some tore up cobble- stones in their anxiety to break all known sprinting records. For a brief space of time it was a seene only of coattails, be- neath which was a confused blur. A bar- tender, who had been an interested watcher from a saloon doorway on the at first apparently’ dis- e LOBB DEENED TRIFLE “OFF” IN SAN DIEGO 1Strikes Friend and Leaves City to Evade Arrest. Special Dispateh to The Cail. SAN DIEGO, June 21.—Thomas Lobb came to San Diego about two years ago, but little is known here of his past. He was & member of the San Diego Car- penters’ Union and during most of the time he was in this city was employed at Fort Rosecrans by Solon Bryan. While there he was known as a sober, indus- trious workman and while not an ex- pert carpenter was consclentious in Rl work. He was also employed en the Granger block. J. C. O’Nelll, a stairbuilder, had Lobb detailed as his assistant and en- deavored to teach him the business. Their relations were pleasant until on eleciion night, April 4, O'Neill met Lobb on Fifth street. Lobb addressed & foul name to O'Neill and followed it up with a blow on O'Nelll's jaw. The next day O'Neill got out a warrant for Lobb's ar- rest and the latter, hearing of the ac- tion, left San Diego before the warrant could be served. ‘Workmen generally considered that Lobt was “slightly off” auring the time he was employed at the Granger build- ing. C. L. Schmucker was foreman and Lobb had told Schmucker that he had had trouble with O'Neill at Fort Rose- crans. On April 4 O'Neill came up to look over the work on the block and Lobb confided to Mr. Schmucker that he knew O’Neill was there to speil his work. The next day he complained that O'Neill had spoiled some window Jjoints, but Schmucker could not see that anything was wrong. That night the trouble oc- curred. Schmucker knew nothing of his Habits, but says that Lobb had not beem drinking when he acted so peculiarly on the occasion of O'Neill's visit. Frem remarks made by Lobb at dif- ferent times it is supposed his father was a gamekeeper on an English preserve. Lobb is thought to have been a former member of the Canadian Mounted Police in the Northwest Territory. —_— M w stilled their tempestuous hearts on the oderiferous strand known as North Beach, And then all day long the morbid vis- itors to the locality inspected in horror a plece of custard pie, which some one alleged was a section of the manlac's brain. One of the first audlence had dropped it from his lunch basket and had falled to retrace his steps and recover it after the shooting began. Clerk Morrissey was remembered in the | fervent prayers of more than one who had been present ‘at the battle of the United States Hotel, because he had given Lobb a fifth instead of a first story room. HIS ACTIONS cpposite side of the street, sought a small secluded spot bemeath the bar, from which he was dragged by his employer an hour after the trouble had been settled. Qung Wo heard what he thought was a big “filaclacker” and came out for a| “look-see.” Lobb gave him a bullet through the hand, and with his curiosity fully satisfied Qung retired within the doors of his shop in one long backward jump. As a master of retreat he de- serves a place on the Russian general| . ihes from the tailoring estabiish staff. In one second and a half after|en¢ of J. Smith at 777 Market street the ball had opened Eddy street looked | Tyegday evening. The proprietor of the as dead as a no-license town after dark.| geore and M. McCrosson, a salesman. Bigepee e positively identified the maniac '.m: a_prairie, of a head half | photographs. At the time, occupan $ of an eye could be seen protruding from r:enmwmnrouudnm“ doorway or window ledge. 5 actions of the stranger and remarked that Some who started suddenly down Tay-| he was trying to evade the police. were reported as| “That is the man that purchased a suit having passed the county line long before | — noon. Those who chose the northern trip Continued on Page 4 Columa & NOT RATIONAL Tries to Disguise Him- self in Tailor Shop. Thomas Lobb purchased a suit of