New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1880-11-08
PRICE FOUR CENTS.
SHOT ON HER WAY HOME.

sTANDTRS-THE AssAILaNT APPAHEHTLY Az IN
SANE MAN-srGANGE SCENES IN srUYvgsAsT-
SQUIRE
Sister Gertrude Vcrena, a member of the
Protestant Episcopal Sisterhood OF ST. John
Baptist, having It's house in East Seventeenth
ST., near Stuyvesant-Square, was a'sallcd yes
terday as she was returning from her duties
among the poor, by n man who apparently IL
insane. He fred six shots at the deienceless
woman as she approached the entrance OF her
home, and four of them took effect. One wound
in her back is considered dangerous, and the
physician says the result cannot be known for
few days. The man was arrested while walk
ing away from the scene of tho attack but
he did not seek to escape.
NOT PROTECTED BY THE GARB OF CHARITY.
The st. John Baptist House, Protestant Epsco-
pal boarding-school, and the home OF one of the Sis
terhcOGs of the church, is situated at No % East
Seventeenth-st.. facing the northwest corner OF
Stuyvesant-square. member of the ssterhoOd is
Sister Gertrude Verena, q native of New York, who
has been in the order of 81. John Baptist for about
four years She is fortytwo years of age. Is an ac-
tive woman, and is devoted to her work Yesterday
morning Sister Verena dressed in the garb of SIS
ter Of Charity. left the House and to Seventh
there for the benefit of the Germanso of the neighbor
hood At the conclusion Of her duties she started 20
return to the House alone. She met with no unusual
incident until at quarter before IL O'clock. She
had reached a point opposite No. 237 East Seven
teeuth-st., when she noticed two men standing on
tic sidewalk. As she was passing them one OF the
men drew a revolver, and mutterng some words
sic did not CATCH began to fire at her. He fired two
shots in rapid succession, aud his aim Was suiici-
entity accurate at the almost point blank range to
cause both bullets to take effect.
Although so unDrovoked aud unexpected an attack
as this was enough TO disconcert the brave;t man.
and although she felt that she had been wounded.
Sister Nerena did not cry ont or fall. She appeared
to realize insnctlvely that she had beel attacked
by a Inadman and that her safety could be secured
only by reaching and entering tie house, only a
few feet distant. She, therefore, hurried on and
succeeded in making her way painfully up the half
dozen stone steps. Before she reached tde gate,
however noticing that her assallant was not satis-
fed and that he was pursuing her, she said to two
men whom she saw:
Won't you please stop him ~
Her appeal went unanswered The man with tho
revolver followed her to the very gate OF her house.
aud WHILE with the blood streaming from her
wounds she was striving to ring the bell and sum-
mon relief. be fired four more shots, two OF which
struck his victim One of the bullets struck the
stone steps aud afterward picked up IN Hat
tened condition, aud the fourth struck the door of
the house.
FALLING WITHIN THE DOORWAY.
The reports of tie slots had been heard within
the house, and had caused alarm and wonder,
although at first there was no thought mat MEM
Der OF the sisterhood had been attacked. The
bell was answered by one of the sisters. who
opened the door just in time to receive into her
arms the bleeding form of Sister Yerena. Great
CONSERVATION and excitement followed the. .reaiza-
ton Of the truth. The Mother Superior INTO the
chapel where services were in progress, and sum-
mOned several of the sisters to her assistance. An
alarm was thus created, and the services were in
terrupt,d.
DR.. stuyvasaut T. Morris. OF No. 1G5 Lexington
ave, was in the house, IN attendance Hpan one OK
the inmates iIe went Immediately 10 the assistance
Of sister Verena, who, although suffering from tho
shock Of the trial she had passed through ana dcs-
plte severe wounds, still maintained perfect CONF
posure Of manner. In reply to the question where
she had been hit, she said that she hal been shot
al over" She then told what she knew Of the
event. but could give no reason Why .hc was at
tackled by total stranger. E@aminatiol shows
that she had been shot III the right wrist, IN the
right thigh, IN the lett ankle and IN the back. All
wounds, and did no serious injury. DR.. Morris
p-obed the wound ;he back rs deeply
rs Ii, felt safe in doing at the tImc,
but did not succeed in extracting tha bullet. This
wound be regarded yesterday rs a scTious one. tho
effect Of which c0ulI not be told for n day or two.
lie sad that L. saw no cause for alarm, however.
SISTER Verona could not tell ia what order sac had
received the wounds. The TACT however tha.
while ringing tha bell and waiting for Tie door TO
be- opened she had stained the wall near the bell
VIII her blood is believed to indicate that one Of
the first two Shots took effect in her wrs-.
ARG.sr or TIE AsSAIIANr.
When without interruption lie had cmptied his
revolver at the defeuccless woman the assassin
walked slowly away in the direction Oh Ihrd-aye,
| carrying the smoking weapon in biS hand. Tho
noise of the firing quickly attracted large crowd,
many of whom were on their way to church. In the
crowd near The house were several men. bat, prob
ably owing to the rapidity with which tie wholo
affair had occurred. not one Of III IN made at
tempt to interfere and no, of them t.led TO
oppose the mans departure.
One man alone according TO the testimony Of q
witness who saw the attack from window. ap.
parcntly knew what TO do. This was haired
O!d goHtl,m VINO was near IT GeuIg'5 Church
when Lls attention was attracted hy The shots. He
| apparently uuders God what was occurring and ran
toward the house, which he reached after the last
shot had been fired. HIS first Impulse was 70 assist
! Sister Nplcna. ana re N3S urtcuNIR mo
! steps when aid came to her from within.
| He then ran in pursuit of the asS1iian. who had
gOne nearly t1 Thrd-aye. bGt " ho ma ie attempt
! 10 escape 1 he mau with the revolver was seized
! by young man who keeps q newsstand at
| Ihird-aYe. and Seventeeuth-st aud gwen into
the custody Of officer Dccyes OF the fwcnt second
Street squad lie was followed to the STATEN by a
| large and excited crowd. In the examination, he
! sald that his name was Thomas Stanton; that he
! was an IRISH Roman Catholic; that recently he
| worked up0u the Rockaway Beach Railroad. and
that latterIy he had boarded at No. I3 Grand-st.
! He told confused and meaningless story To ac-
count tor his conduct, and made &c seem at LEAST
! THAT he wasnot of sound mind. The revolver wh,h
! he used is of English make Of the KIND known ~
| the bulldog" IL has six chambers. ana carries a
| heavy ball. In StautOi's pOcket was fOaId box
OF central fire cartridges which III the seGoiyer.
The box has it the trade mark OF Es;eS Bros.