THIEF SHOT BY DOCTOR

Taranaki Daily News, 21 September 1931, Page 13

THIEF SHOT BY DOCTOR

SEQUEL TO BURGLARIES. HOSPITAL JANITOR’S FATE. A series of burglaries occurred at the-' Mission Hospital, Tediow, Shantung, says a Shanghai journal, over a period of three months, the value of the loot totalling nearly 2500 dollars. Since the thief was likely an inside man, or men, Dr. F. F. Tucker, who is the treasurer of bis hospital, was advised to sleep in the office. In the early hours on July 11 the thief came again, entering the office with a skeleton key, and as he turned toward the safe he was confronted by Dr. Tucker, who ordered him to stand still. The two grappled with each other, however, but the thief was young and strong and broke away, spraining the hand of the doctor. He ran out of the hospital and continued running for a distance of about one li. Dr. Tucker was armed, but he did not use his revolver until the thief ran along the hospital corridor, when he shot wide in order to bring the thief to a stop. Twice afterwards shots were fired by him in the attempt to scare and stop the robber, who continued to gain and eventually dropped over the high wall of the compound, where he was followed by other pursuers and some mounted soldiers. It was then found that he was one of the janitors, and on his being taken to the hospital it was found that an artery in the lower part of his back had been severed by a bullet. The excessive physical exertion of running and getting over the wall had caused such considerable internal hemorrhage that he shbrt-

ly afterwards died. Evidence of his thefts was found in his room in the form of a considerable sum of money as well as numerous hospital articles. He refused to state who his accomplices were if any, and where the rest of the moneymight be. It was later discovered that the man’s father had arrived on the evening before the shooting. He feels that his death was preferable under the circumstances, the evidence being so conclusive.