Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-08
MAY CONNECT GUNOIEN
WITH DOUBLE MURDER
Wilmington Desperadoes Sus-
pected of Killing Priest and
Housekeeper.

WILMINGTON Del. March S.-Peter
Krakus, alias John Melba, who killed
Patrolman Francis X Tierney on satur.
day and injured several Others two per-
haps fatally, and Charles Morris, alias
Moras who accompanied him previous to
| the shooting, are desperadoes with rec
ords" behind them in the opinion Of the
local police.
From circumstantlal evidence obtained
| by the police the prisoners may be con-
| nected up with the murder of a priest
and his housekeeper in New Britain,
| Conn.
In the State Court this morning, At
| torney General Josiah O. Wolcott asked
for a precept calling the Grand Jury
back to court next Monday, and calling
special session of the Court of oyer
and Terminer on the same day to con-
slider the cases
The cases of Rralius and Morris were
called in City Court today, but Krakus
was unable to appear and the court fixed
Ihursday for preliminary hearing. The
prisoners were on the court docket as
Peter krakus, alias John Melba. and
Bernard Montvld, alias Charles Morris
Assistant City Solicitor John F. Lynn
said kralSus would be charged with mur-
DER and Morris with conspiracy to COM
init assault and accessory before the fact
Patrolman Tierney as soon as the Grand
Jury finds an indictment against him
Ihat krakus and ATontvd committed
double murder in New Britain. Conn,
on February s. is the clue on which the
police are now working. According 10
the Information a Lithuanian priest and
ms housekeeper were murdered in New
Britain on February by two men who
afterward looted the priests house and
escaped.
The police examined the drawbacks
found on the prisoners The drawbacks
are said to be of the same date and
snow that the two men went from New
Britain to Waterbury on that date and
paid their fare on the train. They had
never cashed the drawbacks, which are
worth 10 cents each.
The police have communicated with the
New Britain authorities and have also
gotten Lithuanian priest here to assist
In the investigation by endeavorine to
get some information from clergy of his
own nationality there. The police also
regard this as confirmation of their be-
lief that the men are professional rob-
bers and murderers They are inclined to
believe that this is the reason why Kra-
kus took the chance of killing so many
people rather than submit to arrest
The police in Waterbury and Stamford |
Conn, where the men appear to have been, !
were asked to investigate their records
lneTe'- AS soon as the pictures or the two |
men can be printed they will be sent
broadcast over the country in hope that |
the police of other cities may recognize !
them.
There is no change In the condition of |
the two men who We're injured in the |
shooting on Saturday. Patrolman Willard
S. Sharpless and Motorcycle Policeman
Horace MCDANIEL. who are at the Del
aware Hospital, are said to be doing as
well as could be expected. Their con-
dition IS still critical. however, and there
is little hope for their recovery Nc
Dannell was shot through the lung and
Sharpless was shot in the stomach and
groin Patrolman James T. Scott, who is
At the Homeopathic Hospital, was found
20 have been struck by two bullets in
stead of one. one entered his breast
and went out through his back. inlict-
ng n serious flesh wound, while the
other struck the spectacle case in his
pocket.