Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-10-23
G. w. Brandt, Post Foreman,
Is Attacked While Sit
ting at Desk.
J. A. KENNEDY, ASSAILANT,
SuBDUED AND ARRESTED
Charges Victim Disseminated
Against Him for World War
Service-Lost Nerve Twice.

Angry because of his recent discharge
as an employe of the Washington Post,
John A Kennedy "a, a printer early
today shot and seriously wounded
George William Brandt, 48, foreman OF
the Post composing room.
The shooting occurred about l 80
am. in the proof room, on the second
floor of the Post Building, where Brandt,
the father of a grown son and daugh-
ter, sat at his desk.
With five bullet holes in his body,
Brandt was taken to Emergency Hos
pital, where he still was said to be in a
critical condition hours later. Kennedy,
overpowered and disarmed by another
cmploye of the paper. was locked up at
the tenth precinct police station pend
ing the outcome of his former employ
er's condition.
Charges Discrimination.
Questioned by Detective Sergt Henry
NJ. Jett Immediately after the shooting,
Kennedy, whose home is at 32l7 Con-
necticut avenue, accused Brandt of hay-
ing Disseminated against him because
he, Kennedy, had served in the Ameri
can Army during the World War
Kennedy told the following story Of
the shooting and the events leading up
to IT.
A few weeks ago Brandt charged him
with laying down on the job and a
fist fight followed, with the result that
he was discharged a short time later
If had been armed the night we
had the fight" he asserted, I'D have
shot him then. Last Tuesday bought
gun and some cartridges in a D street
store.
Figuring quitting time was the best
time to do the shooting, I went down
to the Office late that night, but 1 lost
my nerve. went back again the next
night, but the same thing happened"
Fires Point Blank.
Kennedy did not lose his nerve tcday.
however. He walked over to Brandt's
desk, he said, and ordered him to
stick EN- up" Then, without another
word, witnesses declared, he opened fire
Howard B. Wyche, 1909 Penn street
northeast another composing room
worker, said he knew what the shoot
ing was about" the moment he heard
the first report, followed in an instant
by the second.
Brandt fell to the floor, screaming with
pain, Wyche related, and another COM
posing room employe. A. c. Nelson, 624
D street northeast, grappled with Ken
nedy.
With Nelson Juggling at him, Kennedy
according TO Wyche, fired three more
bullets into Brandts writhing body.
With that" Wyche said, Il jumped
him, twisted his arm and took the gun
away from him. Once he was disarmed
he had no more fight in him. The gun
was empty then, however,
Scout Car Dispatched.
After oisarming Kennedy. Wyche tele-
phoned police headquarters and Sergt
Jet, in equipped car cruising
hn White ArlA 20
the scene. Jet, with Policeman r. j.
Tomkinson driving and Policeman G.
r. Browning on observation duty. re-
ceived the message at 1888 and was in
the Post Building at "a.
Questioned at the hospital after re-
ceiving treatment, Brandt, according to
Detective Sergt. H. l.. HodkinSon, de-
scribed the shooting and the events
preceding it in much the same manner
as Kennedy.
Brandt lives with his wife at 1913
Connecticut avenue. His daughter, Mrs
Eunice Anderegg, resides at 1880 Eighth
street, while his son, George w. Brandt
jr., is student at the University of
North Carolina, where he is an athletic
star. According to fellow employees,
Brandt was informed at Chattanooga
as a pro-German during the World
War.
Kennedy first worked for the Post
about four years ago. After leaving
the paper he worked on dailies in New
York, Florida and other parts of the
country. His more recent connections,
fellow employees said, were with the
Alexandria Gazette, the National Cap
ital Press, the Government Printing
once and the United States Daily He
was discharged from the last named
publication. officials of the company
said.
He returned to the Post about six
weeks ago. Other employees of the paper
termed him good workman"
According to hospital physicians,
Brandt was wounded in the body, arms
and head.