Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-06-11
SHOT FROM AMBUSH.
A Murderous Assault is Made
in Milwaukee.
Motorman and Conductor, New En-
ployes, Seriously Wounded.

ate attempt was made last night to MUIR
der conductor and motorman on one
of the street cars running between the
city and Cudahy. A volley of shots was
fired in the darkness from clump OF
woods along the roadway and both men
were seriously injured and one probably
fatally. They are:
John E. Breen motorman. aged p years,
unmarried, came from Manistee, Mich;
shot through the kidneys: will probably
die.
Adoph Schwarz, conductor. aged q
years, married; shot through the right leg
above the knee; condition not serious.
The car had reached point about two
miles south of Kinnickinnic avenue and
about half mile south of the city linn
its, when the motorman saw an obstruc-
ton on the track He stopped the car
aud the conductor stepped off to clear
the track, when the firing began. The
conductor was shot in the first .volley
and ran back into the car. While the
motorlnan was trying to push the OBJ
struction off the track by running the
car ahead he also was shot and fell on
the. platform.
Conductor Schwarz had remained in
the car during the time nursing his
wounded knee but when he saw Breen
fall he crawled out on the platform
and took charge of the motor. just
then he saw a man emerge from the
woods. For Gods sake, help u.s..
Schwarz shouted: "we're both shot,!
The prayer for assistance was answered
with several shots from the mans re-
volver. Seeing that delay was danger
Gus, Schwarz took the lever of the mo-
tor and turned on the full current The
car struck the tree again and the track
was clear of obstruction. Though the
darkness was intense and there was no
telling what was on the track a few
feet ahead of him, Schwarz lost no time
in getting back to the city. lie ran
the car at the top of its speed until he
reached the Kinnickinnic avenue ter
minutes after he cleared the track of the
obstruction. He arrived in the city
none too soon, for hardly had he set the
brake and called for assistance than ne
also became dazed from the intense pain
of his wound.
The wounded men were taken to
hospital. Schwarz's injury is not serl-
Gus, but the doctors say there is little
hope for Breen's life.
A force of detectives was sent out at
once and are now trying to ind the
attacking party. The chances of sue
cess are poor, as, besides the time that
must have elapsed, the night was very
foggy, assisting the party to escape.
Two arrests ON suspicion were made.
Besides this affair there were several
outbreaks of lawlessness in the city and
outside, on National avenue, near Sill
yer City. where the hoodlums had an
nounced that no cars would be allowed
to run at night. An attempt was made
to run. and, true to their promise, the
hoodlums gathered to interfere. The re-
suit was a severe fight, or series of
fights. in which heads were broken on
both sides.
On Holton street the hoodlums strung
Il barbed wire across the street at just
the height to catch the motormen in the
face or neck, hoping in the fog to dis
able them for life. Fortunately the trap
was discovered before anyone was hurt.
There We're several cases of stone throw
ing on the south side.
Another Car Fired On.
Milwaukee, Wis, June 6.-Another
street car has been fired upon and this
time Il shot aimed at the motorman
struck a passenger.
Shortly before midnight while a Wau-
watosa car was passing the corner OF
Eighteenth and Walnut streets, volley Of
revolver shots rang out from the shad-
ows at the rear of the Holland church
standing at the corner. The shots We're
aimed at the mOtOrlnan standing on the
front platform, but Hugh l.. Thomas
of Philadelphia, a passenger on the car,
was hit by one of the bullets in the left
knee. After five Or six shots had been
fired, the men who did the firing ran
south on Eighteenth street and disap-
identity has yet been obtained
A number of cars were stoned in the
city last night. At Fond du Lac avenue
and Nineteenth street, Chestnut and Fiji
teenth street and Vliet and Twenty-sev-
enth streets crowds formed and several
car windows were broken. The police
were notified but no arrests were made.
The detectives who are trying to find
the perpetrators of the murderous assault
that was committed on Thursday night
on Motorman John e. Breen and Con-
ductor Adolph SchWarZ, who were shot
on their car on the Howell avenue line,
have made enough Roadway to convince
them that the guilty parties will be ar
rested before many days are past. After
working on the case all Thursday night
and yesterday, detectives learned that
there We're from ten to twelve in the
gang which fired the shots. Yesterday
morning two men were found who had
met the sen who did the shooting.
From what detectives have been able
to learn from other sources. the story OF
the men is fully verified. Every inch of
ing has been examined by the police and
enough evidence was found to show that
the shooting was clearly planned.
Company Demands Protection.
The Milwaukee Electric Railway and
Light company yesterday served notice
OH Sheriff Stanley that it was unable to
operate it's cars on the National avenue
extension in the town of Wauwatosa,
and asked him to either suppress the
riotous demonstrations in what is known
as Silver City or call on the governor for
the militia. AT 3 O'Clock Attorney s.
X. Miller. Jr.. of the firm of Miller,
Moves. Miller & VAIL sent the following
letter to the sheriff:
Milwaukee. June 5. 1s96.-W. S. Stanley,
ESD Sheriff of Milwaukee County Mil
waukee. Wis.-Dear Sir: AS you are fully
aware, it is now and for month past it
has been impossible for the Milwaukee
Electric Railway and Light company to
fulfill its obligations to the public by OPP
Grating its railway lines on the extension
of National avenue west of the car barn,
except ct great risk to its employees and
property. Breaches of the peace occur
constantly: disorder and assaults are COM
mon: riotous mobs interfere nightly with
street railway service. The company is
unable to suppress these disorders and is
powerless in the premises. AS attorneys
for the company. we demand protection for