Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-09
POLICEMAN TRIED
SU|C|DE;;ACCUSED
MAN Of Shooting
Kendall Identified Prisoner as
AssassiI1-Later Admitted
He Lied.

William L. Kendall, d policeman
attached to the Seventh precinct, in
the vailsburg section, is a patient
at the City Hospital today suffering
from bullet wound inflicted with
suicidal intent. The policeman shot
himself early yesterday. lie then ac-
cused John Newcomb, said to have no
home, of trying to kill him. 1t was
not until some hours later that Ken
dali admitted he had fired the shot
himself and that his accusation,
which had jeopardized Newcomb,
was entirely false.
Kendall has been member of the
local department about year. Dur
ing that time he has been before the
police board several times. He has
been accused of overoff1ciousness in
q number of incidents involving his
police duties. He is man OF power
full build and has figured as an ath-
lete in department contests. So TAR
he has given no satisfactory explana-
tfon to his superiors regarding ms
effort to end his life.
The injury to Kendall is believed to
be not serious. His wound is in the
l6Il II 10 tAPCAtSo Nate~A Nv
will be able to leave the hospital soon
and he will then be put under arrest
on a charge of attempting suicide.
NeWcomb, the man accused by
Kendall, has been released from GUS
tody. He was greatly wrought up by
the accusation of the policeman,
which in the event of the latter's
death might have sent the prisoner
to the electric chair, because the ma
ture of the case was such that New
comb would have had difficult time
proving his innocence.
Identified the Prisoner.
Newcomb, who was arrested soon
after Kendall had told a story of the
alleged attack, was taken to the hos
pital and brought before the patients
cot. Kendall raised himself on one
arm and looking squarely at New
comb said:
"That's the man. He shot me.
wish / could get at him.
Newcomb was then taken to police
headquarters, where Police Chief
Long, personally, took charge of the
case and worked with Captain Cor
bally, commander of the Seventh pre-
cinct, on It, After questioning New
comb. the chief said he was not salts
lieu lIldl was tOIiih5 tlC
truth This started further investiga-
tion, which resulted in the release of
Newcomb, but not until Kendall had
admitted that he had lied and that
Newcomb was in no way responsible
for the shooting.
Kendall reported off duty yesterday
morning at o'clock. On his way to
his precinct in trolley car short
time before, he had met Newcomb,
who was slightly under the Influence
of liquor. The policeman, 1t is said,
Joined in with other passengers in
'joshing" Newcomb, as a result of
which Newcomb became enraged and
threatened to whip Kendall. Kendall,
it seems, told Newcomb to wait until
he could get out of his uniform; that
in a few minutes he would attend to
Newcomb.
After reporting off duty Kendall
walked to the corner of South Orange
and Sandford avenues. about two
blocks from the station-house, where
he placed his pistol to his breast and
fired. Some persons living nearby
heard the shot, but believing it to be
caused by the bursting of an auto
mobile tire paid no attention to it,
Kendall walked to his home and
raped at his door. His wife opened
IL Although she cannot explain what
caused her to ask the question, Mrs
Kendall, Immediately upon opening
the door for her husband, asked him:
Are you shot?'
Kendall replied that he was, and
told the story of Newcomb attacking
him while he was on his way home.
(coniinued on Page Q. Column -