“DUTCH” KELLER SHOT BY LOCAL MAN IN MILLTOWN RESTAURANT YESTERDAY
Motorman Attacked by Angelo Benedetto of This City—Latter Draws Gun and Fires in Restaurant Without Warning.
George Keller, familiarly known as “Dutch,” a Public Service motorman of Ward Street in this city, was shot through both legs early yesterday morning by Angelo Benedetto of this city, an Italian, who, it is claimed, attacked Keller without reason. The shooting occurred at 1:45 Sunday morning in the lunchroom of Michael Ducey on Main Street, Milltown, where Keller and a number of other Public Service employees who had just come off shift had gathered.
According to their story, Benedetto appeared in the place and said that he had taken a South Amboy car in mistake for a Middlesex, had fallen asleep, and had been carried out to Milltown, where he was put off the car. He ordered a cup of coffee and a sandwich, which he ate without speaking to anybody. The Public Service men were laughing and talking among themselves but did not address Benedetto. The latter, when he had finished, laid a ten-dollar bill down on the counter and started out, without waiting for his change.
Ducey, it was said, started after him with the change when the man suddenly drew a revolver from his pocket and, standing at the door, ordered everybody in the place to line up and put up their hands. Keller was sitting on a stool by the counter, some distance away. Thinking that the man was fooling, Keller did not get up but yelled at Benedetto to shut the door. The latter, without warning, fired at Keller and then fled into the street.
The bullet struck Keller in the right leg, passed through it, and into his left leg. A hunt was immediately organized for Benedetto. It was thought at first that Keller had been killed, and Chief County Detective Richard Peltier was immediately notified at his home at Fords. He at once sent County Detective Ferd David, who lives near South River, to the scene. Benedetto tried to escape by the back roads, but a cordon was thrown around, and apparently, he was frightened back into the town. At about four o’clock in the morning, he was seen by Officers George Hall and Harold Stults in front of the National Bank building on Main Street, Milltown. When he saw them, he attempted to draw his gun again, but they overpowered him.
He was given a hearing before Recorder Joseph A. Headley and was committed to the county jail here on charges of carrying concealed weapons, highway robbery, and atrocious assault and battery with intent to kill. Keller was treated by Dr. N.N. Forney of Milltown, who ordered him brought to St. Peter’s Hospital here. An operation was performed on his leg this afternoon to extract the bullet. His condition is regarded as serious.
