The morning journal-courier., 1908-04-24
James A. Quinn Fires to Halt Seventeen Year Old Tres passer and Bullet En-
 ters Vital Or
 gans.
SLIM HOPE HELD FOR VICTIM
Officer Held for Assault Under Bonds of $2,000-Lad Had Jumped Out of Oar After Being Ordered Not
 to Move.

shooting with the apparent intent to halt man who was escaping from him. Railroad Detective James A.. Quinn of this city shot James o'Con- nor, one-armed. seventeen-year-old lad of 45s Blatchley avenue in the back near Cedar Hill about o'clock yester- day afternoon and the victim now lies at the New Haven hospital with just fighting chance for his life. The bullet struck him near the small of the back and passed through the in- testines causing dangerous wound In a very delicate part of the young mans aDatomy. Quinn was arrested at once and early this morning was held In the | lock-up at the Grand avenue station awaiting bonds of 5000 whcih had not been furnished at that time. The charge against him is assault but In case of the death of the young man that will probably be changed to . more serious one.
 O'Connor with six other young men was found stealing rides on one of the freight trains of the railroad com- pany in the Cedar Hill yards by Spe- clal Quinn. In obedience to instruc- tions to arrest all trespassers, Quinn attempted to place the entire group un- der arrest and to aid him he called for help from Special Sposa and Forbes who were also on the train looking for trespassers. To hold the men un- til aid arrived Quinn drew hie revolver and told the seven men whom he had found in one car not to move or he would shoot.
 o'Connor disobeyed the command and leaped over Quinn's head out of the car. Quinn still trying to keep track of the other six men partly turned and fired with the intention. 1t Is stated in his defense simply of shooting into tho ground and halting the man. The bull let caught OConnor in the back and he dropped to the ground. Help was sum- moned at once and as the case was seen to be a very serious one the New Haven ambulance was called. The wounded man was taken in haste to the hospital. In the meantime the oth- CT six trespassers were taken to tho Grand avenue station where they were locked up on charges of trespass on railroad cars while Quinn was held on the assault charge.
 Upon arrival at the hospital 1t was thought that OConnor was in almost hopeless condition and Coroner Mix was at once notified of the case. He hastened to the hospital and secured an ante-mortem statement. The phy- sicians attempted during the night to locate the bullet but at an early hour this morning had still failed to find 1t. It. is located some where in the intes- tines.
 At last reports the young mans con- dition was very critical and the hos- pital authorities held out but slim hope for his recovery. At one time during the evening he seemed to rally some- what but the change proved to be a very slight one. It was thought that he might not live out the night.
 Chief McMahon of the railroads po- lice department was notified in New York and he came up from that city
 last night. He held conference with Quinn at the Grand avenue station and it was understood that bonds will be furnished for him. They had not been given early this morning, however
 The car in which the railroad man shot was about in the middle of the train. The six companions of OCon- ! nor held at the Grand avenue station are Edward Mahoney aged 23, of 475 Chapel street. Andrew Craig of Bos- ton, aged 21; John Creig age 19, of Chi- cago. John R. Sullivan aged 23, of Boston, William Dippel aged 21 of Brooklyn and Charles LeGrand, aged IS of 1881 State street.