, 1874-09-03
SINGULAR TRAGEDY.
An Old Lady Shot and Instantly Killed
Nhilo Standing in Front Of
}lor House.
Sad Result Of Pistol practice---Two
Policemen Guilty Of Gross
Carelcssness.

Ono OF tho mort 9tuGul1f trhGlo uohtnh WHICH
haa over occurred III tiH city Ia that OF hlrS.
Margaret Wngner, a German woman G8 years OF
ago. 6lo was shot a few minutes aftor o'clock
yeatordaY afternoon, while standing in front Of
her aaloon. No. 827 West Division street, and
DIED IN TEN MINUTES AFrEnwARD.
sho WIS standing fow stopa from tho doorway,
facing eastward, and engaged in conversation with
hor daughter, Paulina Wagnor, wlion tho fatal
shot struck l,or juat below tho right shoulder
blado, entering at tho buck and passing through
her body, tho bali spending Its force OH picket
OF tho fence. Tho old lady ciaspod her hands to
her broast whom hit, md exclaimed to her aaugh-
tor, "Oh, my God, nm sllotw md eank down
on tho walk. Rho waA picked up by neghbors
who Immediately gathered about her. and car~
ried into tho saloon anu 1atd Oil q lounge, whero
eho expired In the timo aboyo stated.
No ono in the vicinity heard
TnR FATAL sMoT,
md for some time tho occurrence could not bo
accounted for. Finally, boy canlo to tho
saloon and stated that two policemen Ind boeu
diBcharging their rov0tvera il, tho plank OF u
bridge over tha doop gutter Oh Hoboy street,
distance OF 600 feet from Mrs. Wagner's
place. The officers roforred to camo to tllo ST.
loon immediately aftor tho aud occurrence, aud
took report OF tho name OF tho old Indy and
tile number Of hor house. At o'clock they re-
ported ut tho Wost Chicago avenue station
THE HMILE FACT OF TIE bHQ3TlNUt
aud sorgeant Driseo detailed three men to inves-
tigate tho singular alfalr. uo also Bo,lt report
to tho Coutral Station, which III no wiHo impli-
catod tho oi1icers In tho shooting.
4 reporter OF TltE TRIBUNE visited tho Acen
of the fatality Inst night, aud lenrned tint the
Benson and Dennis Ford. and thoy wore on duty
at tho time they were prncticnE with tlioir pia-
tolls, which carry cartridges tho na,no az arc
uaod III No, Smith l. Wessun revolvora.
Af,,. 4f tho ir,c ,fbs,r 1u1&f nj.
thoy wore firing at, showed that four bullets Ind
penetrated 1t, ono bnll passing cloar through it.
Tho boy ssated that
FIVE sHors WE'RE r1nED
by tho officers. and QUO Of thom miRaed tho
mnrk. From the position IN which Alrs Wagnor
stood, and tile courBe taken by tho bullet. It in
thought by tho writer that tho shot which missed
it's mark struck Mrs. Wagner, notwithstanding
ahe was fully COO foot away, NJ shown by
measurement. Still. thore nre othcrH who cau-
AlsB Lizzlo DoygeA. who iiyoA between Mrs.
Wagncr's nnd tho bridge where tile officers were
firing, stated that two policemen came down
past hor placo, aud ono Of tlieln sail, at was
not done pnrpogely." nnd then l,assod on.
THERE wAB GREAT EXCITEMENT
in tho noighborltood at tho timo Of tho shooting.
and, had the officers made any satement impli-
eating themselves, it il likely thoy would have
boou severely dealt with.
WhotLor or not Benson and Ford mnde stato-
shooting at tho bridge, the wri.or% so!lld
not learn, though he cal1ed at tho station
partly for that plsrpoKo but did not find the
Sergeant iu, nor Ford and Bonson about. The
particu lara Of tho ahooting Of Mrs. Wagner wore
not generally known at tho station, aud many OF
tho people In tho nagborhoo1 wilere it took
place wero loft i'll ignorance as to tho party who
did tho firing. The o1iccra concerned In this
unfortunate nfIair
WE'RE CERTAINLY GUILTY
Of gross carolossnesH in firing Oh q direct limo
with Aouses which wero dot mare ttau 200 or
49u fcut from them, ard on1angoring the lives
Of persons wllo might bc on the sidewalks or
rosdway. Thoro is scarcely d doubt but TINT the
fatnl bullet came from tile revolver oi tie officer
who missed the plank but Which Of them il
could not bo learned last night.
THE CORONER
will bold an investigation to-dny, aud it is prob.
ahla that tho facts III the case will lo givau anti
tito party who fired tho fatal shot discovered, II
Ae Is not already known. 1t would appear thas
an attempt had boon mado to conceAi tho facte
from fear Of causing undue excitement in the
neiglborhood whoro Mrs- Wagner 1iyod.
THE VICTIM or THIS BAD AFFAIR
Vas well~to-do, aud ownod considerable property
in tho vicinity where she liyod 9tlo was wild
ow. and Ioaros two grown~up daughtera to mourl,
llor sudden death. She was an oHtinahlo old
lady, mud woll liked by hor neiglbors.