The Waterbury Democrat., 1943-01-12

Avenue last night, a few feet from
the office Of the bitterly anti-Fascist
newspaper II Martello (The Ham
mer) which he published with a
friend, Giuseppe Callabi.
AS Tresca and Callahi turned into
Fifth Avenue from West 18th Street
an automobile was at the intersec-
ton, waiting. The avenue was in
semi-darkness, because Of the dim
out. There was almost no traffic and
very few pedestrians.
A man stepped from the .automo-
bile and fred four times. There
shots went wild, but fourth pierced
Treca's head. Tresca fell in the
gutter. The black sombreo he al
ways wore rolled of. He was dead
when Callabi bent over him. The
assassin leaped back into the auto
mobile, and 1t roared away.
Remembered Here
Carlo Tresca, one of the most
feared radical leaders ever to visit
Waterbury, fought losing fight
with the waterbury police. Veteran
patrolmen and newspapermen recall
incidents of his visits and attempts
to speak here. Notwithstanding the
fact that prominent lawyers were
engaged to defend him and the Civil
Liberties Union started court pro-
ceedings to uphold the principle of
free speech. former Superintendent
Of Police George M. Beach found
ways and means" to prevent him
for delivering one Of his famous,
fiery melting speeches. Tresca did
manage to make one or two short
addresses" in lower Bank street
hall, but following a near riot and
the mobilization of police extras, the
"unwelcome" sign was hung out on
future appearances Of Mr.. Tresca.
One Sunday afternoon the late
Joseph H. Mclean, who succeeded
Mr.. Beach as superintendent, was
placed In charge Of a detail Of pa
t-olmen to prevent Tresca from fill
ing a speakinug engagement here.
The husky "Joe" and two other stall
warts had no words with the famous
leader. They found a way to- stop
him from entering the hall crowded
with ''red hot sympathizers." Joe"
and his pals linked arms and stood
in the doorway. The audience flowed
in, but when Tresca with his ia
miliar black hat and his smiling,
confident lawyer appeared, the three
cops became as rigid as a stonewall
Tresca was too much Of "a gentle
man" to push for cops have the
habit of pushing back. The lawyer
cited several books Of law in an eff
fort to open q way, but the "stone-
wall" didn't yield. The lawyer was
told to enter If he desired, but Mr.
Tresca was not going to speak there
that afternoon. And he didn't.
AS ten crowd ragged in the hall and
scores of Tresca's friends ranted on
the outside.
Prepared!
Across the street from the en-
trance to the hall stood a very in.
conspicuous auto truck. A blanket
concealed its contents, but Joe
Mclean and his men knew and sc
did the police reporters that under
the blanket rested an assortment
Of riot guns, rifles and shotguns
The police believed in preparedness
There was plenty Of shouting ano
gesticulating, threats Of violence
law suits and whatnot, but wher
thee excitement subsidized Joe" NC.
Lean called Supt. Beach on the
phone and reported "all's well"
And the superintendent dismissed
about 40 cops waiting in the drill
room for the call to action, cal
that didn't come for Joe" Nc
Lean cops cop knew his bust
ness. incidentally "Joe" rose tc
the position Of superintendent after
working years as a supernumerary
police, regular, sergeant and dep
uty superintendent. They don't gel
them that way anymore!