New Britain herald., 1914-11-24
OFFICER O'MARAsHOT
 WITH OWN REVOLVER
Was ATresting SCuifIDg Coal Thief
 When Gun AcCIQenlaNy Went 0ff. BULLET BOaES THROUGH BOTH LEGS

l
 Rings Up Pa,rol-Tal1en to St.
 Francis Hospital.
 Suffering from painful, though not at this time particularly dangerous, wound inflicted by a bullet from his own Colts automatic revolver, Officer avenue, is undergoing treatment at St. Francis hospital in Hartford, The surgeon in charge of Officer O'Mara' s case states that unless unexpected com mplications arise the patient will not be long in recovering, as the bullet inflicted only bad flesh wound. Surprises Coal Thieves. It was while attempting to arrest Dominic Frascko. an alleged coal thief, at 2:15 o'clock this morning that the officer was shot, He, with Officer Theodore Johnson, surprised F'rascko and Alexander Karvig as they were in the act of stealing coal from J. r. Sullivan's coal yard. The two culprits fled with the policemen in hot pursuit Officer Johnson went after Karvig and Officer O'Mara un- dertook to run down Frascko. When at the corner of Myrtle and Grove streets his man seemed to be holding his own Officer OMara drew his Colts automatic and fired two shots They had the desired effect and the man dropped in his tracks, although he was not wounded.
 Shot Through Both Legs.
 When the policeman ran up to him he transferred his gun to his left hand and with his right hand took firm grasp on his prisoner, whereupon the latter put up a violent struggle. In holding Frascko with one hand and trying to shove his revolver into his ulster pocket with the other in order to use both hands in subduing the prisoner the weapon was accidentally discharged. The shot ripped through the patrolman's heavy ulster, his inside coat and heavy sweater and then tore through the feshy portion of his leg. two inches below the groin. So great was the force of the bullet that after ploughing through the leg it came out and entered the other leg where it was imbedded in the flesh and muscle
 Officer Shows Great Pluck.
 Although suffering intense pain Officer O'Mara pluckily held onto his man and telephoned in a call for the patrol. Sergeant Kelly hurried to the relief of his brother officer and Off, cer Theodore Johnson dropped the chase of his man to assist his com panion. After Frascko had been placed behind the bars Police Sur geon Dr. Joseph Walsh was called to dress the wounds and the injured man was taken to his home. He was subsequently removed to St. Francis hospital in Hartford where he is at present resting comfortab bly.
 In explaining how the accident took place Officer O'Mara states that when he essayed to put the revolver into his pocket he thought the safety lock was on but it was not and in the scuffle his finger must have come into contact with the trigger, dis charging the weapon. From the na- ture of his wounds it is considered very fortunate by the physicians that the shot took the course it did, other wise the patient might have been dangerously and possibly fatally in jured.
 Other Culpfit Arrested.
 About half hour after the shoot ing affray Officer Theodore Johnson went back to the scene and found karvig, placing him under arrest. Frascko was released under bonds of $1OO but Karvig had to remain in jail all night and consequently was in the pen this morning. Not so with his companion in crime for once out of the police station Frascko seemed to forget the necessity of returning and when his name was called he was not present. Accordingly after the customary calling of the bond by Clerk Andrew. Judge James T. Mes- kill ordered the bond. given by John Malejecko, declared forfeited. A half hour later Frascko came sneaking into the station house but it was too late to have his friends $100.
 Karvig Fined $5.
 karvig denied all knowledge of the offense for which he was arrest ed. He declares that he was taking q short cut through the coal yard when the police flashed their search lights on him. This scared him and he took refuge in flight. His story was quite improbable, however, as he gave three different addresses to diff ferent officials and then told the judge that he did not know what | street he lived on. The way he , found his way home, he explained, l was by the fact that he resided across 1 the street from Nick Glover's sa- l
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