The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-04-22
Imported Conductor Is
 Wounded. A. HOFFMAN MAY DIE
 OF INJURIES BY PISTOL Troops Rushed to Scene. But Mob
 Disappears. offieials of street Railway Company Refuse Fiatly to Arbitrate or to Give Employment Again to
 Men On strike.

Pensacola, Fla, Apra 21--(SpeciaD- - The first open attack to be made upon the street cars of the Stone and Web ster syndicate since they were started in charge of imported strike breakers occurred this afternoon, when a car on the Park line was attacked, the conductor, A. Hoffman of Brooklyn per haps mortally wounded. and the car riddled with bullets. The motorman escaped without injury. 4
 A stiIl more serious occurrence of the afternoon was an hour later. when W. L. W1ttich, Jr.. a stenographer in ship brokers office. was fired upon as he. was going from his home in the northeastern section of the city to the car line to board car.
 It is presumed that wittich had made enemies by reason of the fact that ne was among the first to ride on the cars when they were started
 The attack on the Park line car had evidently been well planned. The notorman and conductor had noticed on previous trip several men walk ing towards the Park which is three miles distant from the city. The car made its trip to the city and returned. The end of the line had been reached, the trolley turned and the car started hack. on its trip to the city. It had just reached the top of steep grace. when a man stepped out from a heavy growth of shrubs and small trees and siwnaaed the motorman to stop. The motorman partly stopped the car as he approached the man. but becoming suspicious turned on ell power.s As the ear shot by the man. the latter made q leap and caught the trolley rope throw ing the trolley. He partly fell when nc did this. but arose and drawing re- volver began firing. iIinmediately he did this, fuily wen ty-five men appeared from the under brush and opened fire on the car. Three of the bullets struck the con ductor. two taking effect in the neeK and the third in the right arm.
 The care was going down the steep incline, and although the trolley was off 1t went at a fast rate, running partly up another incline, followed by shots There it was stopped, the motorman replaced the trolley ana continued to the city
 Immediately the car reached the barns message was sent to armory hall. where a company of provisional troops are held in readiness. Within two minutes about twenty mounted troopers were in the saddle, and with out hats or coats went on run for the scene of the attack. They reached there within five minutes, but the at- tacking persons had fled, though empty shells, footprints and broken bougns marked the place where they were secreted.
 For the remainder of the afternoon and tonight the troops remained in the saddle, with the machine gun detach- ment in their seats on the gun, and the horses ready to start at an in- stant's notice.
 It is believed that the attack on the car is due to letter received in the forenoon by committee of business men from the Pensacola Electric Com pany, which company had arbitration under consideration. This letter stated that the company declined to arbitrate or treat in any manner with its old employees.
 The car barns and other property of the company is heavily guarded to- who have been sworn in, large mum bers having either volunteered or been compelled to so into service.
 All cars stopped operating at ' o'clock tonight.
 To Settle Strike.
 Chester. Pa. April 21.-A proposi- ton that portends an early settlement of the street car strike in this city was mode tonight to a committee of the board of trade by President Riggs of the Traction Company, who agreed to take the striking motormen and conductors back on the same basis as though they had never worked for the company, at the. scale of wages they were cut to at the time of the strike, namely sixteen and two-third cents, an hour.
 He promised to pay them seventeen cents in July, and in the fall. follow ing election, to raise the wages to eighteen and two-third cents an hour. MT. Riggs said that the improving business conditions indicated he could do this, and 1t is believed the matter will be settlede with the strikers.
 Carrying no passengers. cars man yad hV nnn-uui0n man ran m all lines