Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-24
A MADMAN'S CRIME.
He Shoo S an Invalid and Help
less Priest.
THE VICTIM TERRIBLY WOUNDED.

Awful Deed-Arrested at a Saloon Bar
While Gulping Down Drink Of
Whisky.
CHICAGO, May 24.-Rev Father S. NJ. A.
Barrett, the veteran pastor of St. Stephens
church, at the corner of West Ohio and
Sangamon streets, was shot and fatally
wounded last evening by crazy horseshoer
named Patrick Ready The shooting was
done ON the front porch of Father Bar
rett's residence, directly in the rear of the
church whose destinies he has guarded for
nearly quarter of a century. Shortly
after o'clock Father Barrett, who was
suffering from a stroke of paralysis, was
at his own request, carried by his servants
from the parlor to the porch and placed in
a big easy chair. He had scarcely settled
down into a comfortable position when a
stoekily built, muscular man, whose face
was infiamed and whose eyes had a pecu-
liar glitter, came in through the front
gate and climbed the stairs leading to the
porch.
The Murderer's Revolver Drawn.
~Good evening, father" said the strang-
"Good evening, sir" the old prelate re
piled cheerily. Il hope you are we'll"
Il am not" the man said rather alb
ruptly. Il have pain in my heart that is
bothering me very much, and Pm afraid
I'm going to die"
"Have you been Drinking" the priest
asked, noticing for the first time the
strangers fiery complexion and the pc
culiar expression of his eyes.
"No, / have not" WAS the reply; "the
only thing that ails me is my heart
Then you had better go home and rest
yourself" was the priests advice
The man turned abruptly on his heel
and took step or two in the direction of
the stairs, when he suddenly wheeled
around and again faced the priest. Be
fore the latter could comprehend the
movement the stranger had drawn
large revolver from his pocket and leveled
il at point blank range.
a Murder Most Foul.
What do You mean man." the helpless
invalid cried, ne caught sight of the
glittering barrel of the revolver. The anr
swer was a flash and report Father
Barrett pitched headlong from his chair
and fell at full length on the porch, feebly
crying for help. When his servants
reached him he had hardly enough
strength left to tell them that he had been
shot by stranger, aud that he needed the
immediate attention of a surgeon. The old
priest was lifted from the porch, carried
to his room and laid on n bed. Blood was
gushing from an ugly wound in his abdo-
men in perfect torrent dyeing the linen
of the bed deep red Physicians were
hastily summoned, and after hasty ex-
animation of Father Barrett's wound they
agreed that his chance for life was small,
and that a difficult and dangerous opera
ton would be necessary, not only to deter
mine the exact nature of the injury but to
remove the bullet from its resting place
among the inteStiues.
One Chance i'm "a Thousand.
DIR. Christian Fenger, of the county hos
pitai surgical staff, was called in. but be
fore he began the operation said that it
might result in death. In fact. he plainly
intimated that the sufferer did not have
one chance in Thousand to pull through
the ordeal alive. Without the operation
said the doctor, 'he cannot live. Death in
a short time is almost certain. With the
operation he has just one chance to sur
yive." Father Barrett's friends. when
they heard this ultimatum, unhesitating-
| ly gave their acquiescence TO the doctor 5
| plans.
Arrest of the Assassin.
After Ready shot Father Barrett he
coolly replaced the pistol in his pocket.
walked down Sangamon street TO Indiana
| and then turned east in the direction OF
| Halsted street. He entered Kings sa.
| loon, near the corner. and called fol-
whisky, which he gulped down with ap
parent relish. He called for another drink
and was about to help himself when OF
| ficer LOTUS, who had been apprised OF
| the shooting, placed him under arrest
| Ready offered no resistance When the
| officer took the big revolver from hi,
| pocket he held his hands above his head
| and said he had no more use for it.
Did 1t for ScIf-Preservation.
Il did want to kill Alderman Phi
Young and my brother Joe" he said. but
I've gotten over that now There were
threats of lynching, but the prisoner was
safely lodged in the station Il know
killed Father Barrett" he yelled at the tor
| of his voice, ~but had to do it to save my
| own life If | hadn't would have died. NJ,
| heart would have ceased to beat ii,
| followed this declaration with a series Of
maniacal screams and gestures thai
alarmed the crowd and sent timid mcI
| and boys scurrying in every direction
While on his way to the West Chicago
| Avenue station Ready was defiant II,
| refused to answer questions. and not until
| he was placed behind the bars of "A cell die
he again open his mouth.
| Went to Confession Thursday.
Il simply couldn't help it," he said. q
| had a grand impulse that was simply IRE
| sistible. Yesterday morning / went ts
| confession at the Jesuit church / told
| that to Father Barrett and he praised IN,
/ for il. For fifteen years / had been an in
| fidel. ] knew sometimes that my min6
| was affected and that ] was inclined 4
| worry too much about trifes About a
| week ago / went TO Milwaukee and saw al
| eclectic physician. He told me to do some
| thing. ! knew il was wrong told him
| so. j came back to Chicago and my hear,
| began to hurt me. i felt that those PEG
| pie had done me some wrong, and WASH :,
| going to die without getting even. Wher
| / went up to speak to Father Barrett my
| heart hurt me. AS l turned to leave
felt that was dying, and then / shot him
4 guess I'll feel better in the morning.
| Beats the EMPLOYEES Out of Their Wages
| TRENTON, n. j., May 2i.-The One Hun
dred and Fourteenth legislature adjourned
sine die yesterday after being in session
nineteen weeks. The house refused ia
concur in the senate amendment to the in
cidental expenses bill, because 1t contained
an item for si2,260 the expense of the
| Hudson county senatorial investigation
This caused the whole bill to be killed and
none of the extra employees of the legisla
ture will be paid.
A Harvard Students Disgrace.
l BosToN, May a4-Francis J. Holland, a
Harvard law student was arrested Thurs