The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-04-22
WAS COMPOSED OF
TWENTY-FIVE MEN
First Move Was to Stop the
Car and This Failing the
Trolley Was Jerked From
Wire-A Volley of Shots
Fired at Car-W. L. Wit
itch, Jr., Fired Upon.

Il UIoI UltH dlAdSh upon Cal
of the Pensacola Electric Co. since
their operation by imported men, Oc-
Cured yesterday at 1905 p. m, when
a crowd of men, estimated at twenty
five, fired upon a Park line car, Sc
riously wounding Conductor G.. HOff-
man, who is now in st. Anthony's hos
pital, suffering from two wounds in
the neck and one in the arm. Many
shots were fred and the car shows
that the aim of the attacking party
was fairly good for bullet holes ap-
pear in many places, while the glass
windows were shattered. A few
hours later w. l.. Witch, Jr., stenOg-
rapher for .Jno. A. Merritt & Co., was
fired upon as he was ON his way to
the office from home. The young
man, however. does not know whether
the shot was fired by accident or was
aimed at him.
The Attack.
The Park line car. which left the
city shortly before 12 O'Clock had pro-
ceeded to the lend of the line and
there the trolley was turned and the
Gar started hsekraR the return trip.
81 seefiig man IN nat Vicinity on the
previous trip the motorman and con-
duetor had become suspicious, and a
few minutes afterwards when a man
stepped out from the growth of
trees about one hundred yards from
the park and signaled for the car to
stop, the suspicicrs of the motorman
caused him to put on all power
The car passed the man, and the
latter made a leap, for the trolley
rope. This he grasped and jerked
1.-The trolley from the wires, but the
momentum OF the car carried it to
the top of the hill, and il began its
downward flight.
Firing Began.
Then the firing began. The man
who had attempted to stop the car
and who had jerked the trolley from
the wire, was the first to FIRE. He
recovered himself from the spring
and Immediately drew his revolver
and opened fire. This was evidently
the signal for others to join in the
firing, for Immediately a crowd esti-
mated at from twenty to fifty men
appeared from the pine trees and
shrubbery and began shooting. The car
was speeding down the first incline
from the park at the time, but the aim
OF the attacking party was fairly good,
land before ii had gone twenty-five
yards three bullets had struck the
conductor. One entered the arm.
which was the first TO be fired. while
two others struck the throat. infiict-
ing what may prove to be fatal
wounds. The conductor, however.
did not fail, but secreted himself on
the car
The Car Stops.
When the car came TO a stand
still, which it did when it had as
cended the second incline a portion
OF the way, the motorman put on the
brakes, and getting out replaced the
trolley, and continued on his wav 10
the car sheds. The attacking party
mad ceased to fire by this time. and
the men composing it were evidently
fleeing
As soon as the car reached the
barn the motorman related what had
occurred, and telephone message was
sent 10 the armOry hall where the
provisional company is on guard
Within two minutes after the mes
sage was received a dozen of the
men, all of whom were at dinner al
the time, leaped into their saddles
and were away on a dead run for the
scene OF the attack. but when they
arrived no trace of the attacking
party could be found. Marshal san
ders. with a number of policemen
was also on the scene within a few
minutes, but was likewise unsuc
cessful in obtaining a clue
Story of Conductor.
The story Hoffman told after the
ARRAY waS,in effect, as follows:
The motorman, whose name could
not be learned at the car barns. and
HOFFMAN, had noticed on their down
town trip prior to the shooting, sew
eral couples of men walking our
toward the park. They suspected some
harm was meant, but when they lefl
kupfrian's park after starting on the
return trip at the time of the shoot
ing, saw no indication of an intended
attack
The car had reached the first cross
ing south of the park. when mar
stepped out and signalled the car Il
CONTINUED on PAGE Two)