New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1886-12-27
an ambulance Or. wildman said that he was suffering
from softening Of tho brain.
RoW JOHN scASsELL SHOT TOM DoNoHUE.
n INCIDENT OF CITY POLITICS RECALLED BY W.
IL InrINsnN,a

AN INCIDENT OF CITY POLITICS RECALLED BY w.
II. JOHNsONs DEATH
The death Of William H. johnson recalls the shooting
Of "Tom Donohue by John scannen In ohnson's pool
room in the basement the northwest of Broad
way and Twenty -eghthst, the evening OF November
2 1872 This grew out Of the shooting OF Florence Scan
NELL Johns lfbrother, in the barroom Of Dcnohue at
second-ave and Twenty thrd-st on December 3, 1859
AT that time there elections held yearly in this
city, State election IN November and the charter cleo
ton in December Florence scannel candidate for
Alderman IN the XVIII District having been nominated
by Mozart Hall and the Constitutional Democracy His
opponent was John Nesbitt on the Tammany ticket
i" Tom Donohue a supporter Of Nesbitt
Repeating on election day was common in those days
AL the Democratic factions practsed IT, The Scannells
declared that Donohnes the headquarters
of that had registered IN the interest OF Nesrit
and intended vote throughout the Aldermanc district
election day The charter election held Oh De
cembcr that year. About l p. m. on De
cember the two scannels, accompanied by
half dozen men as desperate as themselves
started down secondave with the avowed intention Of
clearing out" Donohues place. Some Of the rang in
Guiding the scannels had pistols the others had large
clubs concealed beneath their coats.
When they entered the barroom Donohue demanded
what they wanted. Making defiant answer. the gang
led by the scannes entered ROOM where several
men were playing dominos, and attacked them. Not
much resistance could be offered The
mercifuy dubbed and several pistol shots fired at
them.
" Tom Donohue was shot in the right arm. He ran
to the East Twenty second Street Police Station and
claimed protection.
When the smoke had cleared away somewha it
found that Florence sCanne had received bullet in the
back which had struck the spinal cord The entire lower
part OF his body paralyZed He taken 10
Bellevue Hospital but would say who shot him.
Donohue declared that he fired pistol and did not have
Florence elected Alderman the following Tues
day, and died in Bellevue two months afferward.
John 5canne threatened the life of Donohue. Several
months after the death OF Florence Donohue met late
at night In Thrdave by masked man. who stepped ont
from place OF concealment and fred shot into his
breast DOnohue fingered between life and death for
eral weeks. but eventually recovered.
JOhnsOns poolroom in full blast the evening OF
November 2, 1872, nearly 300 sportng'
men and politicians being present buying pools on the
approaching election. DonOhue there with friend
Between and 10 o'clock he turned to leave the place
He had nearly ed the stairs leading the street
when he John Scannel standing in front OF him. Be
fore he could make motion to defend himself or escape
scanne had fired at him, the ball taking effect In the
breast and causing almost instant death.
Scanneu arrested. tried and declared to be insane
He committed to insane asylum and within one
released The physicians then asserted that he was
sound mentally.
John scannen is to-day the leader of the delegation
from the XIth Assembly Distri In the Tanmany Gen
eral Committee and the Committed II Organization he
il Of sixteen seventeen who compose the dom
nant faction in the Committee OF wentyfour OF Tam
Hall