Evening journal., 1903-03-09
Masked MEN KILL
POLICE OFFICER
Violence in Its Worst Form
Terrorizes the People of
Waterbury
RESULT OF THE BIG TROLLEYSTRIEE.

Waterbury. Conn, March Q. - Vic
lence in its worst form has broken out
anew in Waterbury as a result of the
high feeling in connection with the
strike of the motormen and conductors
of the Connecticut Railway and Light
ing Company. This time it is murder,
and Policeman Paul Mendelsohn is the
victim. John w. Chambers, a non
union motorman, was injured, and his
conductor, George Weberndorfer. was
pounded almost into insensibility.
The scene of the crime was at Forest
Park, the terminus of the North Main
street line The spot is an isolated
one, and when the car reached the
end of the line the crew made prep
arations for the return trip. Imme-
diately after the conductor turned the
trolley pole and the motorman re-
versed his levers, eight masked men
sprang from the bushes by the road
side, entered the car and discharged
their reyolyers, every man being
armed, officer Mendelsohn fell at the
first shot, and a later examination
showed that the first shot was fatal,
having pierced his heart The motor
man was also hit and leaped from the
car with a cry of pain. Some OF the
men followed him, while the remainder
turned their attention to the conduc-
tor. He was thrown to the floor OF
the car and pounded and kicked until
he was almost unconscious. The men
then left him and joined their COM
panions outside.
The conductor regained his feet with
difficulty and wont to the side of the
wounded officer, but he saw that the
officer was dead. Weberndorfer, hard
ly 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 hurried
to the city for assistance.
The body of the dead officer was
carried into police headquarters. and
Weberndorfer was also taken there.
An alarm was Immediately sent
around the city by the police, and in a
few moments the entire detective de-
partment, accompanied by 13 police
men. went to the scene OF the murder.
A thorough search was made for
Chambers, but he could not be found.
Chambers.
Shortly after midnight the searching
officers came upon Motorman Cham
bers. 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 end of a revolver. The young
man told a startling story of his ex-
perience. He said that as soon as he
leaped from the car four men followed
him, firing their revolvers. He ran
at top speed for the swamps nearby
and when he discovered that his pur
suers gained on him he laid down. The
murderers rushed by, but did not &C
near the highway. They soon gave
up the search, whereupon young
Chambers hurried from his hiding
place and started to the city to give
the alarm. He fell IN with a police
man, who conducted him to the cal
barns, where Chambers had his in
Juries attended to.
Despite the diligent search of the 20
lieemen and detectives, not a cluG
could be found as to the perpetrators
Of the murder.
The car when It reached the cit!
showed that there had been a per
feet volley of shots cred at the three
defenseless men. The shots having
been fired while the trolley pole wa
OF, the three men were in perfec
darkness and were caught like rats il
a trap.
At the time of the shooting tn
streets we're practically deserted be
cause Of the heavy downpour of rain
which had been falling all evening
but the news spread about the cit
like wildnre, and half an hour afte
the car carrying its victim had reacl
ed the center Of the city there were a
least 300 persons in the vicinity Of pC
lice headquarters, where the body ha
been taken, and public feeling is ruI
MING hfph