The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-17
THREE DESPERATE Men.
The Shooting Of the Policeman
Only One Of a Series Of
Outrages.
John swendaon Fatally Beaten
and Robbed Earlier In the
Night.

The Country being sooured for tho Men
Who Committed the Acts-An Kx-
oltlnE Chase.
Tho shooting OF Policeman Heharren-
broich early yesterday morning seems TO
have been the culmination Of I night OF
desperate crime ON ths part of the men in
terested. About half past ain O'Clock Oh
Sunday night John 6wsndson, who had
been employed on the works At the Wiokss
tunnel, came into the Montana Central
depot. From thore II il not known exactly
whore he went. but about 10 O'Clock he
found himself In the vicinity Of the gar
works. There three men met him. One of
them asked him for = match, and at the
same time grabbed him by the throat.
The other two men than took Z hand in tho
assault, and throwing swendson on his
back, went through his pockets, taking
what money he had. $17 in all. They left
their victim senselsss in the lot
and he lay there fully six hours
When he did 30 be half crawled and half
dragged himself across the bridge to the
side Of thu gas house, whore he was found
about daybreak by the ooInpany's men,
who wero going to work. At first they
thought it was q drunken man who had
laid down there to sleep off the effects OF a
debauoh. But as coon as they realized
that Swendaon was badly hurt they tele-
phoned to police headquarters for help.
Sergeant Callahan went down with I hack.
but Swendson suffered such pain sitting up
that II was thought better to get d wagon.
The sergeant drove back up town, ssnt DR..
Barbour to The gaa house to attend the in
jured man, and followed with a wagon and
4 mattress. The doctor decided to send
6wendson TO st. Pster's hospital, where be
There k'v wsre e No external Ros..pl signs s'e q vio.
lenos except slight scar on the
facc, though Swendson suffered terribly
about the body. He became SO much worse
during the day that County Attorney Nolan
was summoned to take bis dying Statements.
Swendson told all he knew. which was about
Us related above, but would furnish no de-
scription Of his assailants. Drs. Barbour
and Ireacy examined him and thought his
condition such TINT he was not likely to
live through tho night. Swendson himself
seemed TO realize that he was dying. but
the county attorney decided, after hearing
his story, that a last statement of the o.
ourrence from him would not be of much
use in any possible trial, and therefore
thought it best not cause the sufferer the
pain that would be entailed by an ante
mortem declaration. The injuries to the
body were undoubtedly caused BY the az
~Bailants jumping on their victim after they
had him down Swendson died at 1916
this morning. @+
Before tbs news Of the affair at the gas
house reached the police there was a repo Il
that three men had robbed another Of SIS
IN q saloon uptown. Descriptions Of the
men believed to have done the JOB were
furnished 70 all the officers on duty, and
they were ordered to look ont tor the sus-
pected people. When the orders reached
Policeman ~Sharrenbroich, about three
o'clock in the morning. he was told
that three men answering the descriptions
furnished had gons toward the Atlantic
beer hall on North Main street, Just below
Sixth avenue. His beat il on Main street
from Broadway to Sixth avenue. He called
Policeman Carlson. on whose beat this
saloon ia, and together they went into the
place. Three young men were seated at
the eating bar. apparently waiting Tor an
order to be filled. They were placed undo
arrest, and officers and p%riaone,s started
up Main. street toward the city Jail. shar-
renbroioh walked ahead With two of the
men, and Carlson followed with the other.
One Of the mon in the front low
Sha,renbroich told him they would
find out at police headquarters,
and if they were not the men wanted they
would be let 20. While crossing Broadway
Policeman S~charrenbroich happened to
glance around and saw the man behind
fumblinR about his pocket. Thinking tha
fellow might have q revolver and use it, he
halted a moment, took hold OF the man
behind and pushed him forward with his
companions. just as the men had Cotton
on to the sidewalk at Parchen's drug store,
the man who had been 50 anxious about
the cause Of the arrest, and who was on the
side nearest the gutter, half TUNED, and
nth his right hand pushed a revolver under
his left arm and fired back. The bullet
struck Sch%arrenbroioh in the right shout
der. and the policeman, who had his right
hand on his revolver in his overcoat pocket.
found himself helpless, and he could not
raise his arm. As he staggered baok his
Rssnllant jumped out into Main street and
fired two moe shots, neithor Of which took
effect. All three prisoners then started on
Carlson had been taken by
surprise and did not seem to know just
what to do. Instead of firing at the men
as soon as Scharrenb,oich was shot, az his
superiors think he should, he backed off
and allowed the mon to get a good start be-
fore he attempted to follow. Then, when
shots at them. One of tho shots, he thinks,
hit.
When the prisoners scattered, one. of
them ran up Broadway and turned into
Jaskson street. 1Ahe two others kept down
Main street. Near Grand street Policeman
Martin, who has charge of the night squad
during Marshal Galvin's absence, was
walking along on the west side of Main
street. The noise of tho shots and the sight
of the fleeing men told him Mt once that
something WIS wrong, and he started for
them. Tho men. to avoid him, turned into
Grand street. The officer pursued. firing
his revolver at them on the run. Curlson
had now Joined in the chase, as had
Policeman Tracy whose beat is
on upper Main street. Arriving at
Jackson street the men turned the corner
catching mp with their companion, who
Rad run up Broadway. All three now made
trucks down Jnckaon street toward
Sixth avenue. Policeman Martin followed,
and AZ he turned the corner, one
Of the men caught at a telegraph pole,
swung around ii and took a shot at the
officers. The bullet struck Martins over
coat and fell into his pocket. At sixth
avenue the fugitives turned toward War.
rem. one of them running toward the Jockey
block and the others keeping on up the
hill. Some of those who saw the pur-
suer and the p sued say that one of the
former divea into the basement OF the
Jockey building. Others think he made
across the open lots there. The others.
tur,,aI Snt, W,rrc@ rtraoA -.