Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-02-06
IN sELF-DEFENsE.
A New York Officer Shoots a Rioter to
Death,

Death.
NEW YORK, Feb. IA striker shot and
killed by an officer" This WAS the start
ling news which was flashed through the
city this afternoon. Startling because it
was not expected, nearly every one believ-
ing that the life of the great strike had to
all intents and purposes ended. 1t was
Just at 1:30 o'clock when the tragedy oc
CURED All morning strikers had pa
trolled the route over which the Tenth
avenue belt line operates, but they were
not permitted to congregate, owing to the
sharp lookout which Inspector Byfnes
men maintained.
Just after O'Clock as though by pre-
concerted movement. the strikers quickly
assembled at the corner Of SlXty-second
street and the boulevard. There were
women and children, too, in the
all there were the unmistakable
signs of suppressed excitement. Opposite
Central Park as a car of the Boulevard
line came bowling southwark and reached
the corner it was stopped by mob of
strikers, the numbers being variously
stated. Policeman Thomas h. Schuyler
was the only officer aboard the car. The
conductor was Charles Walker and the
drivers name Is Frederick Kin
derf. Inside the car an aged
lady was a passenger The strikers,
VINO seemed we'll organized under the
leadership of one man, stopped the car at
Sixty-frsu street. Suddenly stone was
hurled. 1t was like a signal, for imme-
diately fresh shower of stones was hurled
at the policeman. The volley of missiles
smashed every window in the car and
the aged lady made her way out
with some injuries and fed with
surprising rapidity. Officer Schuyler
jumped off the car and attempted to drive
back the rioters. Details differ from this
point, but in the absence OF the officers
careful statement, which has not been
made public, these facts seem authentic.
A man came up behind the officer and
smashed his helmet over his eyes. Another
man struck him in the mouth with
rock, knocking his teeth down his throat
Then the officer drew his revolver AS the
mob rushed up he fired two shots in the
air, but the strikers did not run, but made
F. a raid on him. The officer now fired point
blank at the crowd. All the strikers ran
but Pat McGowan, who was left in the
throes of death. The bullet entered in the
back of McGowan's head causing almost
instant death. Two other men were hit,
one in the neck and another in the leg,
but they were carried off TO their homes
by their friends.
MCGOWAN, the striker who was killed, is
a single man % years of age. He had
been in America from Ireland five years
aud was a striking stableman OF the Belt
line road. Officer Schuyler reported to
police headquarters and afterwards under
arrest TO the Essex market police court.
Thomas Doolittle. who lives in a row of
brown stone houses opposite the scene,
was an eve witness: Il was sitting
in nv front room on the second story over
loo1ing the scene of trouble" said Mr.
Doolittle 1.-THE first thing that attracted
IF
dozen men, who looked like strikers, on
the corner of the boulevard and SiXty-sec-
ond street. They were being Joined rapidly
by others who came along IN groups of
twos and threes rs if they did not wish to
attract attention. In a short time the
crowd had incrt ased TO about s00 in all.
They seemed to be under the leadership of
one man. They waited on the corner I'M
til two gravel trucks drew upon
Second street These they stopped and
as many as could get on board The rest
stood in streets About / o'clock a green
ear came down the boulevard. The po-
liceman and driver were standing on the
front platform. just before the carreached
Sixty-second street the leader of the mob
gave Ia signal and the two trucks
with their occupants drove on
the track directly in front of
the car. The moment the car stopped the
same leader gave the signal ana the
luSllaQe OF stones DeEth. W Rttl the OilcSf
alighted to drive them away the crowd
directed the assault at him. / saw one
stone strike him in the mouth. The
officer pulled his revolver and
fired twice in the air and
then at the crowd. 1t was the
bravest and neryiest act | ever saw and
the officer deserves the highest praise for
his courageous action"
Assistance came 10 the officer, the crowd
was dispersed and an hour later only a
pool of blood remained in the street to
tell the story.
at police headquarters Schuyler stated
that mob of 1,Ne persons
attacked the car He shot at the foremost
and driver also employed their reyolvers.
In other respects, SO far as made public,
his story is but repetition of that told
above. Schuyler did not know
whether il was his shot which
killed MCGOWAN. In police court
where he was later arraigued, however
Lewis Brennan. brother to one of the com
missioHers of charities, WAS an eve witness
and said that the conductor OF the car shot
the striker and that Schuyler did not fire
the fatal shot.
1T was the hottest battle /
ever saw" Mr. Brennan added.
1.-THE car was attacked by several hun
bred persons, The policeman did not
fire toward MCGOWAN; it WAS the conduc-
tor. His life was In danger. He was
down and the crowd was on top of him.
He drew a revolver and struggled to get
away from his assailants." The justice
thereupon discharged the officer and Issued
warrant for the arrest of the conductor
who, with the driver was later arraigned
the latter as witness