The Coeur d'Alene press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1892-1907, 1903-03-14
POLICEMAN KILLEDBY THUGS
STREET CAR STRIKE At WATER.
BURY CAUSED THE TROUBLE.
The Feeling Between the Union and
Nonunion Partisans 10 Intensely
sItter-vIoIenee Of Worst Kind oe-
eUrs-TroiIey Car Attacked at Night
BY Masked Men-voIIey Of Shots.

Waterbury, Conn, March 9.-Vio-
lence in its worst form has broken out
anew in Waterbury as a result of the
nigh feeling in connection with the
strike OF the motOrmen and conductors
OF the Connecticut Railroad & Light.
ing company. Policeman Paul Mendel-
sohn was killed; John w. Chambers. n
nonunion mOtorman, was dubbed and
pursued by thugs, and his conductor,
George Webernodorfer, was pounded
into insensibiIity.
The scene Of the crime was at For
est Park, the terminus Of the North
Main street line. The spot is isolated
and the car reached the end of the line
and the crew made preparations for
the return trip.
Immediately after the conductor
turned the trolley ana Lne motorman
reversed his levers eight masked men
sprang from the bushes by the road
side, entered the car and DISCHARGED
their reYolyers, every man being arm
ed. oficer MendeIsohn fell at the first
report and as a later examination
showed, the first shot was fatal, hav-
ing pierced his heart The motorman
was dubbed and leaped from his car
with a cry Of pain.
Conductor Was Beaten.
Some Of the men followed him, while
the remainder turned their attention
to the conductor. He was thrown 10
the floor of the car and pounded and
clicked until he was unconscious. The
men then left him and Joined their
companions outside. From this point
in the attack their actions are wrapped
in mystery and are causing much ap-
prehension- Webernordorfer saw his
motorman leap from the car when he
was shot and he also saw him followed
by the murderers.
Policeman Killed.
The conductor regained his senses
with difficulty and wer.t 70 the side Of
the policeman, whom he found was
dead. The conductor, hardly able 20
stand, went to the controller and start
cd the car back toward the city. On
the way he met another car, the crew
OF which relieved the injured man and
nurried to the city for assistance.
The body OF the dead policeman
was carried into police Headquarters
and Webernordorfer was also taken
there. An alarm was sent around the
city by the police and in few minutes
the entire detective department, &C
companied by Is policemen, went 10
the scene Of the muruer
voIley Of Shots Fired.
The car when it reached the city
showed that volley of shots had beaa
AIRED while the trolley pole was on.
e three men were in perfect darkness
and were caught like rats in a trap.
At the time Of the shooting the
cause Of the heavy downpour Of rain
streets were practically deserted be-
which had been falling all evening. but
the news spread about the city like
wildfre and half an nour after the car
carrying its victim reached the center
Of the city there were at least 5000
persons in the vicinity Of police head
quarters. where the body had been
taken, and public feeling is running
high.
Shortly after midnight the search
ing officers came upon Motormap
Chambers. His head was covered with
blood, but it was found that he had
not been struck with a bullet, but had
been pounded upon the head with the
butt Of revolver. He told a startling
story OF his experiences. He said that
as soon as he leaped from the car four
men followed him. firing their reVol-
yers. He ran for the switch nearby,
and when he discovered that his pur-
suers gained on him he lay down. The
murderers rushed by without discover.
ing him. He fell in with a policeman
afterwards, who conducted him to the
car barns. where Chambers had his
injuries attended to.