Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-06-17
Fugitive Slain by Troopers,
Brother Seized in Boy State

MIDDLEBORO. Mass, June
II (AP)--Ending Massachu-
sets biggest manhunt, State
police today shot and killed
one Of the desperate Coyle
brothers in woods about half q
mile from where they held up
O liquor store Monday,
The other brother was cap
tured. He was not wounded.
William Coyle, 20. younger
of the two, died in st. Luke's
Hospital shortly after he was
wounded.
He and his brother, John. "a,
had fed Philadelphia after al
legedly killing a policeman.
They had kidnapped a hostage.
William NSedgwick. 40, and
drove to Massachusetts, in his
car.
Capt. Howard Cater, chief
of the northwest detective di-
vision OF the Philadelphia Po-
lice, talked with John Coyle
after his capture and reported
that Coyle said his brother
shot the officer. He said John
admitted he was with his
brother at the time.
Escaped When Men Fled
Mr.. Sedgwick escaped when
the gunner fed into the woods
as they were surprised by po-
lice after the liquor store hold
up.
John Coyle escaped the hail
of bullets which felled his
brothers. He was stripped Of
his clothing. wrapped In a
troopers raincoat and hustled
of to police barracks.
Both brothers were heavily
armed.
A posse of up to 400 men
State troopers, conservation
officers, FBI agents and area
police - had beaten through
the woods since Monday morn
ing.
Shortly before 9 o'clock this
morning State police received
a call from Walter Schmidt Of
Union City, N. j.. who was
visiting his mother-in-law.
Mrs. Victoria Canova, just of
Route %. The liquor store is
Just up the road.
In seconds a State police
car with two troopers in 1t
stopped suddenly in the Canova
yard.
State Trooper John La
Case Of New Bedford. one Of
the policemen who shot down
young Coyle. said:
I'VE walked in the woods
there and saw them crouched
down in a thicket about Is feet
away. Trooper Paul Heating.
who was right beside me yelled.
They fred a shot or two at US
then we fred back.
The younger one was shot
In the head. 1t was the older
one who walked
Trooper La Case took two
revolvers from the wounded
brother-one q 80 calibef
nickel plated gun: the other q
80 caliber snub-nosed blue
steel weapon.
Mr.. La Case said a number
of the troopers fred at the
brothers with their service
pistols-as he did and some
shots were fred from carbines.
Associated Press Staff Writ
er Cornelius F. Hurley was at
the scene and gave this ac-
count:
IT was standing on Route %
when the troopers carrying
rarbines at the ready went up
to the Canova back door. They
talked to Schmidt for a
moment. Schmidt pointed to
woods in back of the house
so yards away. The two troop
ers headed into the brush lead
ing into the woods.
II went over to the Canova
house and asked Schmidt what
was Up. Schmidt said he was
eating breakfast when he saw
q young fellow with a blue
plaid jacket crawling on his
hands and knees along a path
in the bushes. First Schmidt
thought it was the kid next
door. Then he realized it wasn't
and called the police.
TROOPERS hIIfcu
"While I was talking TO
Schmidt a half-dozen State |
police cruiser cars came at
high speed, swirled into the
yard and unloaded about rs
troopers armed with carbines |
and pistols.
They spread out and adj
vanced into the woods. stayed |
on the porch and watched.
Then I heard a voice yelling |
and q fusillade of shots. There |
were more shouts and a trooper |
in the woods yelled: Toward
the road, toward the road
"a couple of the troopers who
were nearest to the road ran
out onto it. Their pistols were |
in their hands and they
crouched down as they moved