Constable George S. Anderson

George S. Anderson

Constable George Anderson succumbed to gunshot wounds sustained three days earlier when he and other officers attempted to execute multiple arrest warrants in New Florence Borough.

Constable Anderson had been notified a week earlier that laws and violations concerning speakeasies were being overlooked and ignored by the local police departments in exchange for hush money and other bribes in New Florence Borough. He and a game warden traveled to New Florence Borough to investigate and found multiple violations concerning liquor laws in numerous establishments, with minimal effort at concealment. Constable Anderson returned to Greensburg and reported the evidence to the District Attorney, who directed him to the Justice of the Peace, who issued multiple arrest warrants for several people and assigned a Greensburg City police officer for assistance in executing the arrest warrants.

On the way to New Florence Borough, both men met up with the game warden to assist in making arrests. After several raids and arrests, Constable Anderson and the game warden approached a subject on the street, who was a proprietor of an establishment, for whom they had an arrest warrant, and stated that he was under arrest. The subject asked if he could take a package of meat that was in his hands to his home, a short distance away. Constable Anderson and the other officer agreed and walked the subject to his house. Constable Anderson entered the home when he noticed the subject concealing a revolver with a handkerchief. Constable Anderson grabbed the subject by both hands and pushed him over a bed and onto the floor, and yelled for assistance from the game warden outside. During the fierce struggle for the revolver, the subject attempted multiple times to point the weapon towards both officers and, at one point, forced the weapon into the mouth of the game warden as Constable Anderson knocked it away. The revolver went off, striking the game warden in the leg. The subject lost his grip on the revolver when it fired again, striking Constable Anderson in the abdomen. The Greensburg City officer, who was also involved in the struggle, hit the subject in the head with his mace, knocking the subject to the ground and securing him. Constable Anderson was able to get to his feet, take the weapon, and walk outside the home, where he dropped down due to weakness.

After refusing to accept aid from the local police force and citizens, the Greensburg City police officer was able to dress Constable Anderson's wound, render assistance to the game warden, and secure their prisoners. He then made a phone call to the Justice of the Peace for assistance after a crowd started to form around them, sensing trouble. State Police Constabulary members from Troop A, Greensburg, were called in from the Greensburg Justice of the Peace to assist. While waiting to be taken back to Greensburg, Constable Anderson's condition became worse, and he was rushed to Westmoreland Hospital, where he made a statement about the incident in New Florence Borough before being given an anesthetic for surgery. Constable Anderson succumbed to his wounds two days later.

Immediately following the shooting, the District Attorney of Westmoreland County ordered a thorough investigation into New Florence Borough and swift actions for any Law Enforcement Officers in the Borough for neglecting their duties.

On November 21, 1906, the suspect was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to four years and four months in jail.

Constable Anderson was a United States Army veteran from the Spanish-American War and was wounded in the Battle of Malate in Manila, Philippines. He served with the Pennsylvania State Constable - Westmoreland County for three years. Constable Anderson was survived by his wife and three children.

Constable Anderson was appointed to replace Constable Harry F. Bierer, who was killed in the line of duty on July 9, 1903, while serving an arrest warrant near Luxor.

He is buried at Saint Clair Cemetery in Greensburg.