Los Angeles herald., 1909-11-13
THUGS MURDER
ROBBERY VICTIM
AFTER ASSAULT
BROADWAY STORE MANAGER
ALSO TARGET FOR BULLETS
UNIVERSITY NEIeHBoRHoo0 IS
THIEVES RENDEZVOUS
Brutal Murderers Fire Bullets Into
the Body of the Fallen Man
and Then Rifle His
Pockets
NHE numerous attempts at holdups

III HE numerous attempts at holdups
in the University district came to
- a climax last night when p. A.
Widell, 80 years old, a coachman living
at 1929 Quincy street, was shot dead,
and w. b. Elms, a department man
ager of the Broadway store, was shot
at four times but escaped without in
jury.
The attempt to hold up Elms occurred
at 11:20 o'clock. and ten minutes later
Widell was fatally shot. That both
attempts were made by the same per-
sons seemed certain from the fact that
they happened within a territory of
two blocks, the first holdup happening
at Washington and Toberman streets
and the second in front of livery sta
BILE at $50 West Twenty-third street.
Widell was on his way to his home
when approached by three young men,
and when he did not comply with their
request to stop one of the men drew a
revolver and snot him. Widell fell, but
staggered to his feet and was shot "a
second time, and as he lay PROSTATE on
the sidewalk third bullet was fired.
All the shots entered Widells head,
two underneath the right eye and one
underneath the left. Mrs. Barbara
Becher was one of the witnesses to
the shooting. She stated she was at
tracted by a revolver report and look
ing out of her window saw Widell lying
on the street and saw young man
fire two more shots. Clifford Rewman,
who lives at 925 West Twenty-third
street, was also attracted by the sounds
and corroborated Mrs. Becher's story.
Pockets Rlfled
At first II was thought that a delib
crate attempt at murder had been
made, but investigation showed that
Widelrs pockets had been opened and
it is the belief of the police that the
only object of the attack was robbery.
The body of Widell was sent to Pierce
Brothers undertaking parlors.
when the report of the murder was
received at the University station a
score Of patrolmen were put to work
on the case, and all available detectives
from police headquarters were sent for.
It was then learned that Elms had
been held up in the same vicinity,
about ten minutes before Widell was
killed.
In speaking of the affair, Elms said:
'I was walking to my home, 944 West
Twentieth street, and noticed young
man on one side of the street and two
following behind. One of the men
called to me to stop, and I realized that
l was about to be held up, and as I
had considerable money with me, 1
started to run. AS l did a bullet
whizzed by my head, but l did not
stop, and three more shots were fired
as | ran, neither Of which took eff
feet.
Were Young Men
The desperadoes were apparently
young men about 23 or "a years old
and well dressed.
Elms was surprised when told of the
killing of Widell, but agreed that 1t
was doubtless the same persons who
attempted to shoot him that shot
Widell
During the last two months numer-
Gus reports of holdups and bold rob-
berries have been received at the Uni
versity station, and 1t is thought that
an organized gang of young "gorillas"
are responsible.
Widell died without regaining con-
sciousness, so that no statement from
him was obtained.