MEN KILLED IN A SALOON.

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume XV, Issue 884, 14 February 1907, Page 21

MEN KILLED IN A SALOON.

As showing how rampant crime is in San Francisco, papers report the “ sticking-up” of a saloon at Sixth and Brannan Streets in that city by two armed and masked men shortly before nine o’clock on the evening of November 15. The report says:— A desperate duel to the death was fought during the attempted hold-up of a saloon at Sixth and Brannan Streets shortly before nine o’clock last night between an ex-policeman and one of the robbers. After sixteen shots had been fired the body of Frank Burke, an ex-convict, one of the men who tried to hold the place up, was stretched lifeless on the opposite side of the street. An hour later George O’Connell, the ex-police-man, died at the Central Emergency Hospital from bullet wounds inflicted by Burke. Steven Lynch and Louis Delatour, who were also in the saloon, lay at death’s door at the hospital. Michael Kennedy, another customer of the place, was slightly wounded. Burke and a companion, wearing masks, entered the saloon, which is owned by John O’Connell, and demanded that everybody throw up their hands. For answer George O’Connell started shooting, and the revolvers of two desperate thugs rang out simultaneously in reply. Burke, who had entered the saloon from the Sixth-street door, staggered across the street after exchanging shots with brave O’Connell, and fell dead in his tracks. His companion kept up the fusilade, shooting at the other men in the place till his revolver was emptied. Then he disappeared in the darkness, leaving behind him his three victims. When the shooting occurred there were about a dozen men in the saloon. John O’Connell, a nephew of the proprietor, was behind the bar, the owner of the place having retired to his room above. Everybody was lined up at the bar, preparing to take a drink, when both doors of the place, one on Sixth and the other on Brannan-street, opened simultaneously, and a masked 'man, with drawn revolver, appeared at each.

“ One, two, three. Throw up your hands, everybody!” yelled the man who entered by the Brannan-street door, each thug advancing toward the bar as this command was given in a cool and commanding tone. Everybody obeyed save George O’Connell. Instead of becoming terrorised like the rest, he whipped out his revolver and began shooting at the man who entered from Sixth-street. When the thugs saw him reach for his revolver both opened fire, the man at the Sixthstreet 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

firing three shots O’Connell fell to the floor, mortally wounded. At almost the same moment the man with whom he had engaged in 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 the other in the abdomen. Stephen Lynch and Louis Delatour, who were in the saloon, were wounded, the former being shot in the abdomen, while Delatour was in a critical condition, his lower jaw being shot away.