A FIGHT ON THE ROOM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13286, 19 September 1906, Page 10

A FIGHT ON THE ROOM.

THE "BLACK. CROW" AT ODESSA. l'tiii " Black Crow"' of Odessa, so called from the black musk lie wears, has long been suspected by the Odessa police to be Cie leader of the anarchists and the organiser of tin; numerous outrages. The object of the seciel service agents' continuous attentions, lie had never been Hacked down till recently, whin his attempted arrest tesulted in a most extraordinary fight, a description of which was given to an livening Standard and St. James' Gazette representative by an Odessa lefugce, who had just arrived in London:— Our leader,' he said,

"was at last discovered by the police entering Uie house of a Jew, together with his sister, both of them wearing their black iiifisks. 'the police knocked at the door, but no reply uas forthcoming, though a great noise could be heard inmae. Suddeniv the door opened, and the " Black Grow,' his sister, anu another revolutionist emptied their revolvers into the police. At the sound of the shots the doorkeeper's daughter rushed by, but was held back by the desperate revolutionists, who threatened to shoot her.it she .should give them away. In the meantime the revolutionists raced up to the top of the house, their retreat being covered by tile intrepid ' Black Crow,' with his two followers, who then joined the rest ol their party, clot-ely followed by a number of police, who had ueeu called by a telephonic message. Shots were excnajiged continually in the darkness, and a running tight ensued from roof to roof lor over an hour. Now and again, the police lost sight of the fugitives, until their whereabouts were again betrayed by the tiro of their revolvers and the glimmer of a cigarette ' Black Crow' was smoking all the lime. Alter a time the police got close up to ' Black Crow.' He threw down fiis revolver, and, supposing him to be unarmed; they were just making a dash for him, when two bombs exploded under their feet. Bulling out another revolver. - Black Crow' cried "Try to catch a revolution' ist !" This decided the police to stop the pursuit, and instead to surround the fugitives and effect their capture at daybreak. Bui when the tiring stopped the'revolutionists disappeared through the houses beloie they had surrounded them, and thus escaped safely without a 6tratch."