Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-15
POLICEMAN PUSHED
IN RIVER GETS MAN
Alexandria Officer Hats
Fleeing Attacker With
Two Bullets.
Special Dispatch to The star,

Special Dispatch to The Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va. September Is
Climbing from the Potomac River,
where he had been pushed after being
shot, slugged over the head with an
automobile crank and had his ear
nearly bitten of, Patrolman John L.
Stewart, g. of the local police force,
.ast night halted his alleged assailant
with TWO bullets and. showing the
courage for which the local force has
won a name, mounted guard over his
prisoner for Is minutes until help
arrived
Robert G. Bradford. 81. formerly of
Concord, N. c., but recently living at
1871 Third street northeast Washing
ton, was the man shot by Policeman
Stewart and is at the Alexandria Hos
pital suffering from bullet wound in
the right shoulder and another wound
made by a bullet which went through
his left thigh According to police,
Bradford is employed by the Highway
Engineering & Construction Co. OF
Washington.
Was Making Arrest
Stewart sought to arrest Bradford
and a companion. who. escaped. about
1915 O'Clock last night when. he re-
ports he came upon them near Aitche-
drinking from pint bottle of whisky.
The men agreed to accompany him TO
police headquarters when Bradford got
out Of the car and said he had to
crank it, With the crank in his hand
he is said TO have suddenly turned on
the officer and struck him over the
head.
A tussle followed, during which
Stewart had his left ear partly bitten
n@,.H1 - III
right side, from his heavier aSSailant.
Then, according to the officer. Bradford
pushed him into the river and ran for
his car to make his getaway. Climb
Ing up the dock from which he had been
pushed. Stewart states, he fired three
times and saw his aSsailant slump
down, half in and half out of the car
Wounded in ne side and bleeding pro-
fusely from long scalp wound and a
badly lacerated ear, Stewart went up
and took a .38-caliber special. pearl
handle, Smith g. Weston revolver from
Bradford, then sat down on a nearby
sand pile TO mount guard over his
prisoner and call for help. The second
man. who, Stewart states, took no part
In the fight, got away by jumping into
q rowboat. He was not found by police.
Police headquarters was first notified
that something was wrong few min
utes later when Stewart started blow
ing on his police whistle and having
reloaded his gun, fired it into the air
until emptied. Four autos set out for
the scene, but due to some confusion
as to where the sound was coming from
1t was almost Is minutes later when
additional police arrived
Just before the men from headouar-
tiers came up, four men and boys
headed by K w Wicker Of 407 South
Lee street, arrived, attracted by the
whistle and shots. Stewart turned his
to guard the prisoner. and then was
taken to the Alexandria Hospital by
z. E. Lawler, jr., and Earl Robey, who
were the next to arrive. Mickey Cos
tello. who was with Lawler guarded
the prisoner until Sergt. George EVERY
and Patrolman Posey arrived in a
police car and took Bradford tc the
hospital.
The crank and Stewards nightstick
were later found in some nearby bushes
where they had been flung during the
scuffie. A partially filed pint bottle
of alleged whisky was found in Brat
ford's car. The officers clothing were
soaking wet when he was found, but
he never lost consciousness.
Both viii Recover.
At the hospital Bradford was con-
sidered the most seriously wounded,
except that Stewart will probably
always have a part Of his ear miss
ing. If the bullets had struck either
man more toward the center of the
body their chance of survival would
have been slight. it was said Both
men were reported doing well today.
A police guard was mounted over Brat
ford, who outweighs Policeman Stewart
considerably, as soon as he reached the
hospital and he is handcuffed to the
bed to prevent his escape.
The shooting attracted a large crowd
of persons who remained in front of
police headquarters for some time fol-
lowing the fight Capt. w. w Camp
bell and City Manager Wallace Law
renee took over the investigation Of
the affair as soon as notified and police
of duty were called in an effort to find
the second man.
Stewart is married and lives on the
1400 block Of Cameron street. He has
been on the force about one year. He
has brother, Charles Stewart. who
Is now a special officer Charles
Stewart was formerly on the regular
force until crippled as a result of a
motorcycle accident over three years
ago Previous to that accident Charles
Stewart had been shot through the