Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-09-15
John spellmaH, Union Pacific LabOrsr,
Admits Striking First Blew.
CHARGE THAT HEAVY cLUBBING FOLLOWED
Striker Chadwick Accuses SpsllmAn'S
Father of WELDING the Club.
CHIEF OF POLICE REMOVES PICKET LINES
Fourteen Regular Police Omcers Are
Detailed to Special Duty Around
the Yards of the Union
Pacific shops.

Death was the result Of a hemorrhage
Of the brain, caused by the bursting Of a
| blood vessel"
This is the result of an autopsy over the
body of Earl Caldwell, the Union Pacific
machinist, killed near the shopyards Sun
| day night, as given out by DR.. w. r. Law
ender yesterday afternoon. 1t was also
| reported that decedent's skull was slightly
| fractured at the base and his right eye
was blackened, and above the eye was a
| straight cut. An inquest will be held this
| afternoon at 2 o'clock.
AS a result of the murder Of Caldwell,
which occurred at Twelfth and Cass streets
| between 1890 and / o'clock Sunday morn
ing, nine men are under arrest at the city
jail, two of whom are employees on Union
Pacific contract work and are regarded as
leaders In the fray which preceded Cald-
wells untimely death. other arrests are
expected to follow as a result of state
ments made to the police by the nine men
now in custody. Each has, upon brief ex-
animation, submitted what purports to be
his knowledge of the tragedy, and the police
believe that with exception, the state
ments are substantially correct. All wit
nesses agree that there were six men In
the party.
Some discriminating Testimony.
No self-confession or Implication Of as
sociates has as yet been made, though some
discriminating testimony is in hand as a
result OF the Investigations, John SPELL
man confe5ses that he walked up to Cald-
well, dealt him a blow which knocked him
into the gutter and then followed that
blow with two others, while his man was
lying in the gutter. According to the testi-
mony of Spellman and Ball, Caldwell's
companion, Caldwell was numerically and
| brutRlly beaten and stamped. Not con-
| tent with knocking him down Ball says
that several Of the crowd jumped on Cald-
we'll and kicked him all over his head and
body. Ball heard his companion groan and
cry, but was unable to reach him, as others
of the party stood in the way. Ball inn
| plicates Charles Pospisil one Of the
sailants OF Caldwell, saying he was posi-
| tive of his Identification of Pospisil. The
| police are of the opinion that Caldwelfs
slayer is in the group of prisoners and 1t is
he whose story is doubted. Further and
more conclusive evidence than has yet
been adduced will be required, however,
to prove this point.
Names of Prisoners.
The men under this ban of suspicion is
| Michael Spellman former boiler makers
helper in the Union Pacific shops, now a
striker. He lives at 1113 North Seventeenth
street. The other men who have been ar
rested are his son, John Spellman. a laborer
| on the Union Pacific shops and was formerly
a bartender at McKenna Bros saloon at
Seventeenth and Nicholas streets; Jack Nc
Kenna. also employed on the new Union
Pacific shops and brother of f. B. and
w. H. McKenna, proprietors of the saloon;
Charles Pospisil, 504 Poppleton avenue,
| former blacksmith in the Union Pacific
shops; John Kerrigan, 1928 Burt street
! blacksmith helper; George l.. Perkins, 1912
North Nineteenth street; Ray Chadwick,
Rudolph Lindberg, and John Gordon, 1925
South Thirteenth street.
Stenographic reports have been made of
the statement Of each man, including one
by NJ W. Ball. the injured companion OF
Caldwell, who, with Caldwell, had left the
shops for a brief visit to the city and was
assaulted on the scenes of Caldwell's death.
From these statements, which are remark
able for their uniformity as to the essential
| facts this story OF the fatal deed is gath
cred:
story of the Assault.
Caldwell and Ball had been over in town
on a leave OF absence from the shops
where they had been at work but short
time. AS they arrived at Twelfth and Cass
streets on their return they were accosted
by a crowd of men who inquired their
identity and their business. The non
unionists replied they were working In the
Union Pacific shops, but that they hnd
only been there about four days and were
then on their way to get their clothing and
luggage In order to leave the company's
employ They told the men who stopped
them that they wanted no trouble. Jack
McKenna, stepping out from the group OF
men, invited Caldwell and Ball to go with
him to his room, assuring them II was
pleasant and comfortable one, and not re-
turn to the shops. But as their clothes
and other effects were in the shops the
pair insisted they must return. At this
juneture the tragedy was precipitated by
John Spellman. who, according to his own
statement dealt Caldwell a blow on the
Jaw which knocked him to the ground.
One report Gays that Caldwell was never
again on his feet until placed there by Ball
} and a guard from the Union Pacific yards.
but young Spellman says he got up and
ran toward the yards. At any rate, when
the encounter was over Caldwell was COW
cred with blood and was insensible.
ChadwIeIl's Sensational Charge.
Ray Chadwick is the author Of the SEN
sational charge that following the initial
blow dealt by his son John, Michael Spell
man finished Caldwell by the aid Of a
! club. which he is said to have welded with
both hands The elder spellman denies
this and informs the police that about the
time Caldwell was first struck someone hit
! him (spellman) and that he never come
to- but laid In the gutter until the battle
was over. He processes to be ignorant
OF everything that occurred after the hght
p | was started. None OF the other nine Of
, fered any testimony TO substantiate that
! of Spellman's and they say they did not
! see him knocked or lying down.
! AS TO the club the police we're unable
to find any on the scene Of conflict. but
say that Mike spellmsn had a broom han
' die in his possession when arrested There
were no firearms brought into service, but
pair Of brass knuckles is said TO have
been found upon one OF the men.
- re "A ayIf