New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-06-02
A DIVORCE LAWYER SHOT.
MRS. RAwsoN EMpTIES HER REVOLVER IN
COURT.
COLONEL WHITNEY WOUNDED TWICE, BUT NOT
FATALLY-A SEQUEL TO THE SHOOTING OF
RAwSoN IN CHICAGO.

FATALLY-A SEQUEL TO THE SHOOTING OF
RAwSoN IN CHICAGO.
by TELEoRArH THE TRIBUNE
Chicago, June 1.-The Rawson divorce suit was
brought to climax to-day by an attempt on the
part of the complainant, Mrs. Mecce L. Rawson,
to murder one Of her husbands lawyers, Colonel
Henry u Whitney, in open court.
The case came up this morning on q motion in
Judge Jamieson's court at 10 o'clock. Mrs.
Rawson appeared there with her attorney, Gem
eral Stiles Mr. Rawson represented by
Colonel ii. @. Whitney. When Judge Jameson
called the case, General Stiles had left the room.
The Judge told the bankers attorney to wait q
few minutes, and the lawyer sat within the rail
at Bailiff Sutherland's desk lie was bending
over some papers, absorbed in their contents,
when a buxom woman clad in a neat-ftting black
dress and with face pale as death walked through
the gateway from the main body OF the court
room and approached him. The lawyer looked up.
and there was evidently something in her appear
ance which warned him Of danger. lie jumped to
his feet and retreated hastily toward the clerks
desk, which is Immediately beside that of the
Judge. Then the woman raised a revolver ana
fred The shot shot crashed into ITO the side OF Judge
the clerks desk, and throwing himself on his
hands and knees tried to find safety by crowdins
under it. Another shot rang out, and the bullet
struck the top Of the desk, poughing furrow in
the wood and glancing off into pigeon-hoe. Mrs
Rawson was then behind the desk, and pointing
deliberately she fired three times at the prostrate
figure of the man. One bullet took effect in the
groin infctng a dang gerous wound. Another tore
its way through the hard wood in the pane.s Of the
desk and rolled out into the courtroom. The third
grazed Whitneys thigh, infiicting slight wound,
Clerk Reich, who was at his desk writing
jumped the partition between his seat and that
of the Judge. Bailiff Sutherland who was some
twenty feet away. made dash for the woman and
caught her around the waist At the same time
Clerk Reich ran around the Judges desk and took
the pistol from her hand.
I,,Ic T.na tlA int
tody and she was conveyed hurriedly to the
County Jail Her face ghastly and her eyes
red and swollen As the carriage ratified north in
Clark-st. on the way to the County Jail, Deputy.
Sheriff Gleason asked her if she knew what she had
done, She made no answer to the question: but,
shuddering, said:
Is it cold to-day? P am so cold. / have had
no sleep for so long,
Over ard over again during the brief journey
she bewailed her loss of sleep, but said nothing
about the incident in the court ROOM When the
jail was reached she had to be supported as she
walked into the prison She was taken to little
room adjoining the female department. and at once
asked to be allowed to lie down She was left
there a lounge, attended by the matron Of the
department.
prisoner in the County Jail for attempting to kill
his stepfather, in his cell in the boys depart
ment when his mother was brought in prisoner,
but he was in ignorance of the whole affair.
Surgeons were hastily summoned, and they pro-
nounced Whitneys wound not serious the only
danger being from possible blood poisoning. Judge
Jameson said to q reporter
"Wel. can't go on with the Rawson trial l
am prejudiced against that woman. IL was the
alimOny decision yesterday that sent her cunning
No, sir, they'll have to get some other Judge to sit
in the case.'
General Stiles Mrs. Rawson's attorney, was Of
the opinion that Mrs. Rawson insane. In
fact, he had a premoniton that all was not right
with his client and that she would do something
desperate. She gave no intmation Of her desper-
ate resolve except in vague way which the ex-
perienced eye Of the attorney detected. knowing
her hatred of Mr.. Whitney, General Stiles went
this morning to Deputy Gleason, in the Sherihs
Office and informed that official Of his suspicious
Mr.. Gleason instructed Deputy Morgan to go to
Judge JamesOn's court and take a seat beside
Mrs Rawson, and be ready for any emergency.
The deputy had just left the elevator when he
heard the first shot fired.
In an extended interview had with Mrs. Law
Mrs. Rawson showed the utmost vindictveness
against Whitney, whO she said, was not fit to
live. In her interview Mrs. Rawson said:
There will be absolutely no compromise IN
this case, absolutely no compromise. although l
have been bounded almost to death by hired
detectives, who follow me and watch every move
make. Rawson has as his right hand man that
lawyer Whitney, whom intend to cowhide and
mark for life"
Banker Rawson, who returned to the city last
night was seen at Mr.. Whitney's house tonight.
He looked remarkably well for a man whose law
yers testified in court a week ago that TO have TO
sit through trial of the divorce case now would
kill him. lie professed surprise that Mrs. Rawson
had attacked Whitney. saying he had considered
that he alone was in danger.