The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-03-09
KILLED ON HIS CAR
MURDER AT WATERBURY IN THE
RAILROAD STRIKE.
POLICEMAN WAS THE VICTIM
of AN ATTACK MADE BY EIGHT
MASKED MEN.

Car Had Reached the End of Its
Run-Crew Were Preparing to
Return When the Attack Was
Made-Omcer Was Killed and the
Conductor and MOtorman Were
Injured-Attacking Party Fired
Many shOts-MOtorman Had
Thrilling Escape.
Waterbury. Conn, March 8.-Vio-
lence in it's worst form has broken out
anew in Waterbury as a result of the
high feeling in connection with the
strike of the n1otornen and conduc-
tors of the Connecticut Street Railway
and Lighting Company.
This time it is murder. and Police
man Mendlesohn is the victim. John
w. Chambers, a non-union motorman,
is wounded and his conductor, George
Weberndorfer, was pounded almost
into insensibility.
The scene of the crime was at For
est Park, the terminus of the North
Main street line. The spot is an iso-
lated one. and when the car reached
me END OF LTG line the crew llldQS PACP
;lrations for the return trip.
Immediately after the conductor
turned the trolley and the motorman
reversed his levers, eight masked men
sprang from the bushes by the road
side, entered the car and discharged
their revolvers every man being arm
ed.
Fell at the First Fire.
Officer Mendelsohn fell at the first
report, and, as a later examination
showed, the first shot was fatal, hav-
ms pierced his heart. The motorman
leaped from his car. Some of the men
followed him. while the remainder
turned their attention to the conduc-
tor. He was thrown to the floor of the
ear and pounded and kicked until he
was almost 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 considerable apprehension.
Weberndorfer saw his motorman leap
from the car when he was shot, and
he also saw him followed by the muir
derers. Whether he escaped or wheth-
er he was carried off by the attacking.
party cannot be learned.
The conductor regained his feet
with difficulty and went to the side of
the officer, but he said that the officer
was dead. Weberndorfer hardly able
to stand went to the controller and
started the car back toward the city
with the dead officer. On the way
he met another car, the crew of which
relieved the injured man and returned
to the city for assistance.
The body of the dead officer was car
ried into police headquarters and
Weberndorfer was also taken there.
An alarm was Immediately sent around
the city by the police, and in few
minutes the entire detective depart
ment, accompanied by thirteen police
men, went to the scene of the murder.
Despite the diligent search of the po-
Icemen and detectives, not clew
could be found as to the perpetrators
of the murder.
Found the MOtOrman.
Shortly after midnight the search
ing officers came upon Motorman
Chambers, who is a young man not
over 20 years of age. 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 a revolver.
The young man told a startling story
of his experience. He said that as
soon as he leaped from the car four
men followed him, firing their revolv-
ers. He ran at top speed for the
swamps near by and when he dis
covered that his pursuers gained on
him he laid down. The murderers
rushed by, but did not go near the
highway. They soon gave UP the
search, whereupon Chambers hurried
from his hiding place and started for
the city to give the alarm. He fell
in with a policeman, who conducted
him to the car barns, where Cham
bers had his injuries attended to.
The car, when it reached the city,
showed that there had been a perfect
volley of shots fired at the three de-
fenseless men. The shots having been
fired while the trolley pole was off
the three men were in perfect dark
ness, and were caught like rats in
trap
Public feeling is running high. May
or Kilduff and Chief of Police Egan
said that they felt positive that the
,,o,rdar xuas the work of Waterbury