NEWS: Police Blotter, Altoona Tribune, August 26, 1918, Blair County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja and Donna Thomas Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/blair/ _______________________________________________ MEN USE STONES AND HATCHET IN IMBROGLIO Great Crowd Assembles to Witness Combat at First Avenue and Kettle Street Stones and a hatchet were used, but not effectively, in a fight staged by H. E. Orner and Corbin Condo, at First avenue and Kettle street, Saturday evening, and a great crowd gathered to witness the fray halted later by police. Orner paid an unfriendly cal upon Condo, it is claimed, and proceeded to stone him and his house. The later hastily armed himself with a hatchet and matters grew interesting until a riot call was turned into city hall. Sergeant Haverty and three other officers responded. Both men were charged with being drunk and disorderly and were released after letting $20.80 security each, in the municipal safe. Alex Dobkolsky, 1711 Seventeen-and-a-Half street, was busy entertaining a few guests at his home yesterday morning at 2:30 o'clock and neighbors objected to their shouts of joy and threats of making music, vocal and otherwise. Police interrupted the party, claiming the host as the keeper of an alleged disorderly house, and E. Zaroskey, John Stodowak and Marie Moss, as inmates. All but the woman left $25.80 security. A basket of bottled beer and whiskey was confiscated. Altoona Tribune, August 26, 1918, page 10 FIFTH WARDER FOOLS POLICE, BUT NOT LONG Twelfth Avenue Man Tries to Break Up Housekeeping and Also Victrola When police were called to the home of John U. Chilcoate, 1930 Twelfth avenue, at 9 o'clock Saturday night after the man started to break up housekeeping by wrecking the furnishings, they found the prisoner-to-be had left but another visit a half hour later proved successful. Chilcoate was locked up on a drunk and disorderly charge and afterward furnished $25.80 security. It is claimed that he demolished much of the household equipment on the first floor and his family fled outdoors. The playing of a Victrola failed to put the man in a good humor and he attempted to damage it irreparably. "Butch" Norton, apprehended twice within the previous fortnight, was arrested again at 2:45 yesterday morning at Fifth avenue and Fifteenth street, for vagrancy, by a home defense policeman. Frank Ward, who says he is from Mehaffey, was taken in for being dangerous and suspicious at 4:35 a.m. yesterday for wandering aimlessly about the Sixth ward. He told several varied stories of his whereabouts and was released after producing $10.80 security. One arrest was made Saturday night for disorderly conduct at Eleventh avenue, between Thirteenth and Fourteenth streets, and the men affected left $10.80 security. George Davis, arrested Friday evening for fighting, forfeited $10.80 at police court Saturday and Thomas McQuire, his opponent, was discharged. The fighting case of D. E. Rogers and W. R. Bath, was continued until today. One drunk forfeited $3.80. Altoona Tribune, August 26, 1918, page 10 GESTURE SAVES LIFE OF HOLLIDAYSBURGER Englebert Gromiller Gets Shot in Wrist Meant for His Head WILLIAM GOODMAN UNDER ARREST Instinctively throwing up his hand and receiving the heavy bullet through the wrist, was all that saved Englebert Gromiller, brother of James W. Gromiller of the United States hotel, from being shot in the head and killed, when William Goodman, of Juniata street, according to Gromiller's statement, fired his revolver directly at Gromiller's head at the corner of Allegheny and Juniata streets at 11:15 o'clock on Saturday night, the shooting being done without any provocation. Three shots were fired by the man, who it is said, was under the influence of liquor; the first one not taking effect, but the third struck Gromiller in the upper part of the chest, passing out at the back. He was taken to the Altoona hospital, where his wounds, fortunately were found not be to of a serious nature, and he returned to town yesterday morning. The injured man states that he was sitting on the steps of the John H. Law building at the corner, when Goodman came along and without a word came within a few feet of him, and flourished a revolver, discharging it at Gromiller's feet. Knowing the man well, he supposed he was only in fun, but warned him against such dangerous action, telling him to put his gun in his pocket before he injured somebody, seeing that he was under the influence of liquor. Instead of doing so, Goodman, retreated a few feet and deliberately leveled the arm at the other man's head, and pulled the trigger. On the instant, Gromiller threw up his left arm and received the 32-caliber bullet through his wrist. Goodman then ran a short distance and turning fired again, the leaden missle this time striking Gromiller under the collar bone near the breast bone, thence taking a downward course, probably deflected by a bone, and passed out of his body at the lower part of the back, luckily not striking any vital organs. Gromiller is a man of large frame and an iron constitution, and suffered little or nothing from the shock, being able to walk and boarded the next street car for Altoona to go to the hospital. After firing the third shot, Goodman disappeared and his not been seen since. Those who knew of the shooting were greatly surprised to see the injured man walking about the streets yesterday morning, believing him to be lying in a precarious condition at the hospital. The man who did the shooting was formerly employed on the farm of William Smith in Frankstown township, and is at present working in the ganister quarries of Jesse L. Hartman. He and Gromiller were friends, and the latter believes he, in his condition, took him for some person at whom he had a grudge, when he shot at him. He was known to be of a docile disposition, and his action on Saturday night is a great surprise to all those who know him. Gromiller says he bears no animosity toward the man, and will be satisfied if he pays the doctor bill. It is said Goodman had spent the evening at Altoona, and after returning, went to his home and procured his revolver. Some of his friends think he got some liquor that temporarily crazed him. Goodman was arrested yesterday afternoon at the home of a relative in Frankstown township by Constable Samuel Lynch and Railroad Officer Brubaker, of Hollidaysburg. Information was entered against him by Constable Lynch by direction of District Attorney M. D. Patterson and Sheriff W. H. Orr, in which he is charged with felonious shooting, and he will also be charged with carrying concealed weapons and discharging firearms in the borough. Upon being taken into custody, the prisoner positively denied doing the shooting, stating that he had been with Gromiller earlier in the evening, but was at home and in bed when the shooting occurred. When being searched for a gun before being placed in jail he said that he does not own such a weapon. Altoona Tribune, August 26, 1918, page 10