The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1871-04-08

Attempted Assassination.


ATTEMPTED AsSasSAnaClon.
An Insaae Per.on Atsempts to XIII Rev.
Baehsr Terry.
Last Saturday evening, 1T about six o'clock,
the report Wa suddenly spread through town
that Father Terry, Of the Roman Catholic church,
had been shot and killed. 1T is a first of April
joke" said tho cautious. 1T may be true" said
the exci.able, while the orsdulous hurried to-
wards the reported scese of the tragedy. The
facts Of the ease are these:
Father Terry had been attending to his duties,
- wa his custom every evening at that hour, at
the Convent few blocks south.eastward of his
residence, and was walking homsward. When
within about block of his residence he heard
rapid footsteps behind him. Turning around he
saw James 1orrissey within few feet of him.
Stepping to the outside Of the walk he discover
ed that 4orrissey had revolver and was draw
ing it. The expression of his countenaHce indi-
GATED desperation and violence Father Terry
said sternly, Pass on" to which Morrssey
replied. "You pass On" and instant ly raised his
pistol directing it towards Father Terry's face
The latter, being six feet away, that he could
not knock the pistol out of range, and turned his
head. His assailsnt fired, the charge striking
Father Terry in the back of the head. The con-
eussion staggered him, sad then be ran, but soon
stumbled and fell upon his face. Morrissey ran
up to him, and deliberately aiming, fired the pis-
toll ever Father Terry's back four times, aud then
walked away. The charges, three in number,
struck within the space of two inches around the
spine, oyer the region OF the heart and little
below the shoulders. The fourth shot seems to
have missed him. He got up and went to his
house and summoned DR.. Boyle, whe came and
examined the wounds. Several other surgeons
also came within few minutes 1t was found
that zone of the balls, or whatever the pistol was
loaded with, had lodged in the flesh or made deep
wounds. A small bit of fence wire was taken
from the tangled hair and blood, near the wound
in the head.
By this time an immense crowd of excited peo-
pie had gathered around the front of Father
Terrys house, and the widest excitement pre-.
vailed and it became evident that should the
would-be murderer be captured he woald be kill
ed like q mad dog.
Father Terry's wounds being found but tri.
fling, he turned his attention towards saving the
life of his asssilsnt. Hastily throwing some
clothing about his shoulders, he went out to hi.
gate and assured the people that ne was..nsither
killed nor seriously injured, and begged them
not to hunt the fugitive.
THE ESCAPE.
The poor lunatie having, as he supposed killed
his victim, and possessed of a sense Of danger
from Father Terry's friends ran away eastward
- fast as his legs could carry him, and by the
time the event had been brulted around, and the
sheriff and officers were ready to pursue he was
, mile from town, and soon hundred or more
armed with every available weapon. were In rap.
id pursuit.
The sheriff, Gso. Blake, WAS mounted on a
horse, but Is the fugitive ran through fields and
across fences, through hedges and over bitches
that energetic young officer could not make much
better time; than those on foot. On came the
crowd pell nell, every now and then some one
'houtins, or firing q revolver, to show that he
vas, in double sense, in dead earnest On
vent the terrified prisoner, and the report of each
hot fred 10 his rear, and the shouts of his pu..
urers who were slowly and surely gaining upon
him, lent new vigor to his gait, but at last tired
'ut, and hill before him at Sam PARIS resi-.
lence, four miles from town, he w4s forced 10
top .
THE CAPTURE.
In few moments several Of his pursures, none
# whom knew that Father Terry was alive and
mt OF danger, came up, and at once began the
work Of executing him On the spot, but their re.
'overs were fortunately empty, 50 that the only
essible plan was to throw stones at him and beat
lin With their pistsls The young sheriff got
lp just then, and throwing himself from his
lorse and drawing his revolver, ran up and
lrove the crowd back, who did not like the looks
i loaded six shooter in the hands of an officer
vho said "he would shoot" and whose word was
cod. The prisoner was quickly taken to Mr..
'srrs. On locking towards Ottawa, and seeing |
hat tho fields were FULL and the road lined, with
rmed msa all ready to kill the prisoner as soon |
. they could reach him, George requested Mr.. |
'arr to take him
TO NARsEILLEs.
Mr.. PARIS team never made that distance in |
sss time, aad q reaching the Beckwith House
be prisoner was hurried TO room at the back of |
he house, and surgical aid summoned for the |
rissnsr, whs wss ssdly eat sad bruised about
be head and face, The result Of the rough hand.
ing by the eeswsd when arrested.