The San Francisco call., 1909-11-09

tragic drama eddied the usual late
afternoon crowd bound across to the
Marin shore, and at the time the deed
was committed several hundred people
were within a few feet of the trio,
never thinking, until the sharp shots
rang above the hum of voices and
scufHe Of feet, that 3 moment later
three units in the crowd were TO lie
limp on the pavement, breathing their
last.
Murderer Awaits Victims
Novikow. a carpenter by trade. who
conducts q small grocery store at 6Se
Missouri street. was waiting within the
glass wall that bounds the outer limits
= Of the entrance room for the two
women 70 come. the mother to start for
her husband and home al Vineburg, So
mona county, and the daughter TO see
the aged woman away and return TO
her room in = lodging house at 5ssH
Hsight street between Fillmore and
Steiner
Novikow watched through the glass
partition, eyeing the people that
streamed in. strolled over TO buy tick
cts. or took seats along the wall He
stood between the two doors and his
gaze fastened Itself upon each woman
as she came and passed before him. The
ferry was 10 leave at 4:45 and # was
not yet z.20. The crowd moved in
slowly and but a small portion went in
past the ticket takers.
Then Mrs. scholz. white haired and
broken with her hard life in Russia be-
fore she emigrated TO this country
three years ago, came walking slowly
with Betty. % years old. handsome. a
talented violinist and a member of the
local union OF musicians, with her. The
two passed in through the door. turned
toward Novikow. whose hand was steal
ing inside his vest as they neared him,
and faced directly toward him. Though
separated by fully Is feet their glance
had not picked him from the shifting
crowd.
Bullets Stay Women
Without word Novikow raised his
revolver. small 30 caIiber weapon.
and the first bullet tore into Miss
Scholz' heart She staggered back.
swung around and fell through the
door. dead. Mrs. scholz took a haIf
step toward Novikow. as If to protect
her daughter and stopped as the re-
volver swung around 10 her. The sec
krrT1
also piercing the heart. and she fell
back beside her daughter. Novikow.
calm, teeth clenched, watched them fall.
and then he aroused himself. looked
hurriedly around at the terrified crowd
and, placing the muzzle OF the pistol
behind his right ear. sent bullet into
his brain. He dropped Imply on the
floor and died an hour later at the
central emergency hospital without re-
gaining consciousness. The two women
were dead when the first bystanders
reached them.
While the tragedy was being enacted.
and when the bodies lay on the cement
floor, an increasing pool Of blood run
ming about each corpse. women were
screaming and fainting about the
scene. and men. unnerved, were strix-
ing 10 aid them.
Miss Catherine Clark Of Park street
Miss valley. was seated within five
feet Of where Novikow took up his
position. and stood when he turned
and fired the three shots. Miss Clark
feA from her seat in a faint. and I
Joseph, station master for the North
western Pacific and for the Santa Fe
had her attended TO while he rushed
10 summon the police. The crowd that
had fought away from the shooting
now packed back in curious mob.
Traces of Tragedy Removed
Policemen W. F. Pengely. John ]
Casey and r. L. Morton. stationed at
the ferry. were at the scene in a mo-
naent. They rang for the ambulance
and few minutes later the bodies
were borne out through the peering
crowd A janitor cleaned the pave
ment. the ferry carried the crowd to
their homes. and the throng assembling
for the next boat did not guess that