The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-10-14
NOT ON THE BILLS.
A Tragedy In Which a Theatrical
Manager and His Cast-Off Mis-
tress Play Prominent Parts.
The Old Story that Needs No Establishment
Mary Anderson UncOnsclOusIy the
Alleged Cause Of the Shooting.

Florence Mcdonald, a young woman wht
had sustained illicit relations with Sylves
ter NJ. Hickey, one Of the managers o
Q Miss Mary Anderson, the tragedienne
9 shot him in the ladies' reception.room o
3 the Burnet House, and then, believing
) him to be dying, put the weapon to her
own head aud sent bullet crashing
through her brain and ended her nisera.
BILE life. Such Is the history OF the case
in brief. It's full details would Oil book.
Hickey is resident OF Syracuse, New
York, and has managed theatrical cir.
cult thereabouts for several seasons quite
successfully. Miss Anderson, having
played several engagements under his
auspices with profit to herself, consented
to play this season under his management
and that Of John W. Norton.
While in Syracuse Hickey formed the
acquaintance OF Miss Mcdonald, and the
result was an Illicit intimacy that has con.
tinued ever since, thosgh Of late he hay.
ing higher and more honorable aspira.
StShSI VhhSaNoIeu " ulSCuulluub his fell'
tons with her, The girl, who loved him
with blind idolatry and to madness.
refused TO be cast aside, and has followed
him about this summer as pertinaciously
as fate, AS an avenging Nemesis she ar
rived in this city early last week, and
though she visited Pixies Opera House
and saw Hickey from a distance, it does
not appear that he was aware Of her
presence in the city until yesterday, when
she sent twice to the Burnet House and
left notes for him.
MIR. Hickey attended High Mass at the
Cathedral Yesterday morning, and was nol
In the hotel when the first note arrived.
Alter attending church he met journal.
lstiC friend and accompanied him to the
Highland House, where they remained
until about half-past two o'clock. Then
they came down into the city, Mr.. Hickey
going to the Burnet House and the scribe
to his home. Arriving at the hotel he
found the notes; the last one being handed
him by District Telegraph boy, who
who waited for an answer, Miss McDon.
a!d awaiting 1t at the the Telegraph office.
Hickey tore the notes up, aud told the
BOY there was no answer to them. The
messenger SO reported to Miss Mcdonald,
who then started down to the hotel and
found means to communicate with Hickey
and he met her in the reception.room
about 3 o'clock. When they met they seem
to have done so amicably, for they
occupied the same s'sociabIe" together,
she sitting at his right side, and were
seen in earnest though not unfriendly
converse by one OF the porlers Of the
house. A gentleman who saw them a few
minutes later states that the woman had
LETT the sociable, and was sitting to the
left OF Hickey on chair, which was
drawn up close to the end Of sofa, This
party states that he overheard portion of
their conversation. Miss Mcdonald was
lmploring Hickey not to cast her of from
his heart, in the most pitiful tones, while
ne was endeavorlng to explain 10 her that
II was better for both Of them-nay, abso.
IuteIy necessary-that they should part;
and he further told her that in future he
could be, nothing TO her at all. The
woman pleaded against this determine.
tion with all the eloqueuce OF words and
tears, but Hickey appeared to be innexible
in his determination.
At last she seemed to bow to his resolu.
ton, saying, swell, il it must be 80, give
me money enough to pay my way home"
Hickey at the time was leaning over the
sofa with his face to her. He seemed re.
iieyed to hear her ask for the money, and
he Strengthened up and put his hand in his
pants pocket 10 get it for her. AS he did
so his face was turned from her for mo.
ment- 1t was the moment for which she
mad waited, and just US he extricated his
hand from his pocket she drew revolver
IRON the folds other dress and, placing the
: muSzIe within a foot OF his head, pulled
the trigger. The ball struck him above
the ear, and he sprang to his feet and then
iell on his hands and knees on the floor.
She stood up Us she fired, and then
she discharged the pistol a second and a
third time at him, but the shots went wide
OF their mark. As she fired the pistol
the third time she let it fall to the floor.
: Hickey crawled cut to the hallway cry
ing out, For Gods sake, take her away
take her away" The porter OF the house
was in the hallway when the shots were
tired, and seeing Hickey crawling out all
covered with blood, ran into the room.
He saw Miss Mcdonald wringing her
hands in dazed sort OF manner amid the
smoke oil the weapon. AS soon as she
saw him she took step forward, pick.
ed up the pistol, and placing it to her
I head, fired ball into her brain. With.
out a groan she fell to the floor lust in
front Of the fire place, the blood from her
! wound crimsoning her face and neck. DR..
: Drumming, who is boarder in the house,
had just finished his dinner, and was
passing through the hallway when he
heard the shots fred. He bel ped Hickey
to his feet and had him conveyed to his
room, No. los, when messengers were
dispatched to st. Xavier's Church for a
: priest 1t being thought that he WAS dying.
. Father Chambers soon arrived and ad.
mtnistered the rites OF tho Catholic
8 Church to his penitent. Before he ar.
, rived, however, Hickey, who is possessed
OF some means, made his will and devised
: bis property to his brother and sister, who
: live in Syracuse. 1t was soon found that
he was in no immediate danger Of death
I and DR.. Drumming returned TO the reCep
3 ton room, where Miss Mcdonald lay nm
8 conscious, breathing stentoriously. The
death rattle was already in the poor wo.
mans throat when the doctor entered tht
room, She never spoke after firing the
fatal shot, and died at twenty minutes tc
, four o'clock.
Coroner Carrick arrived at the hotel
Q few moments alter the death OF Miss Nc
( Donald, and searched her clothing fo
evidences OF her identity. She was plain
> ly dressed in a neatly-made black merino
9 and wore a heavy plated chain as an or
!, nament In the bosom Of her dress wa
!, found two.ounce vial OF laudanum, III,
j. label ot which sho xed that it had beer
], purchased at No. 81 State street, Buffalo
& In one Of her stockings was found a fln,
g ivory.hilted dirk, on the blade Of whicl
!. was engraved Florence" In her dres
o pocket the Coroner found giltedye,
}, diary, with black morocco flexible cover
8 The diary contained ivoluminous note
r on her life aud faithful record OF he
movements from the time she left hom
until the fatal meeting with Hickey. Th
pistol used by Miss Mcdonald is OF FrencI
n manufacture, and is OF the needlegun pa,
: 4 knfu al "a