Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-01
SLAYER Of THREE
DIES UNDER TRAIN
Rum -Crazed Veteran Kills
Two Chicago Policemen and
Civilian and Wounds 3.
Ry the Associated Press.

by the Associated PreSS,
CHICAGO, June 1. - Ferdinaif.
Preuss, the maniac who shot three men
dead and wounded three others, none
of whom is expected to recover,
while In a drunken fury yesterday, was
decapitated today by Chicago land
Northwestern Railroad train. A body
found on the right of way was identified
positively by fishing license issued to
Preuss, and police believe the man,
sobered overnight, realized the tragedy
of yesterday and committed suicide.
Conditions of Preuss' body indicated
he had lain on the track and waited for
the train to run over him. police said.
Police got a call that a man was
quarreling with his wife and threaten
ing to kill her. Policeman John Lee
Conley's detective squad went to the
North Side fiat where lived Preuss and
his wife. Conley and Herbert Hag-
berg, a member of his squad, walked
leisurely around to the rear door-and
to their death.
Two Policemen Slain.
The house echoed with the roar of a
pump gun as a charge of shot crashed
through a window and tore into Con-
ley'S chest. A second roar and Hag
berg, his face nearly shot away, whirled,
screamed, took a dozen steps and fell
dead.
Policeman Joseph J. Murphy, Con-
ley's chauffeur, who had remained in
the car, seized shotgun and started
to the help Of the other policemen. He
had taken less than dozen steps when
Preuss' pump gun blazed through a
front window and Murphy fell, badly
wounded.
A second later Gus Karos, who lived
three doors away from the Preuss home,
and John Chorazak, another neighbor,
attracted by the shooting, met where
Murphy had fallen. Karos had rushed
out 10 meet his blind brother -in-law,
Rudolph KruSche, who had been to a
nearby store and was expected home.
Another shot and Chorazak, who was
standing not 10 feet from the window,
fell dead. Karos jumped to shield with
his body his brother-in-law who was
just passing the house. AS he did SO
the fifth shell in PreuSS' gun was dis
charged and struck him in the back.
Empty Gun Saves Blind Man.
Preuss, in fury, pressed the trigger
again and the hammer fell on an empty
chamber. Police believed that is the
only reason Krusche, the blind man,
was not numbered among the victims.
The slayer second later rushed out
of the rear door of his home, stood ours
ing the bodies of Conley and Hagberg,
and then fled into an alley after taking
the policeman's shotgun and. 1t is be-
lieved, his revolver.
In the alley PreuSs met Frank Vo-
dicka, who was running toward the
scene of the shooting. Vodicka turned
and ran into a narrow passageway when
he saw Preuss. foaming at the mouth
and aiming the shotgun pointblank at
him. PreuSs fired one shell, then threw
the weapon at Vodicka as the latter fled.
The drink-crazed man was seen to take
pistol from his belt, wave 1t wildly.
and run down the alley. That was the
last seen of him until his body was
found this morning.
The shootingS we're witnessed by many
persons. One woman, only few yards
from Conley and Hagberg when they
fell, tainted.
Wife Escaped Two Shots.
Mrs. Rose Preuss, the slayer's wife,
was found in the home of a neighbor,
where she had taken refuge when her
husband fired two shots at her before
the police arrived.
Mrs. Preuss said her husband had
served In France during the war and
had won honorable mention for his
craftsmanship. He was hunting fan,
she related, and had retained his Marks
manship in that sport.
The day before Memorial day. Mrs
Preuss said, the experiences of the
World War. in which Preuss was gassed
and wounded, seemed to come back to
him and he was seized with desire to
kill