The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1890-02-15
wHITAKER's AssAILANT.


tlOn Oh THO 0tonOps
The following details of the attempted
assassination of Bishop Whitaker at st.
Johns Protestant Episcopal Church, in
Philadelphia. on the evening of January
goth, will be read with interest by all
who knew him in Nevada:
The occasion was the confirmation of
eight candidates for membership by
Bishop Whitaker. The congregation
had just finished singing the first psalter,
and were still on their feet, when a tall,
light-complexioned and genteel.looking
young man, whoswore glasses, standing
in the front pew, almost directly in
front of the chancel, drew revolver
from his pocket and, taking deliberate
aim at Bishop Whitaker, fred.
His hand must have been very un.
steady, for neither the Bishop nor Rector
Latimer, who were both within the al.
tar, were touched.
David McCreight. large and power.
full man, caught the assailant and
wrenched the weapon, which was %.
calibre, with six chambers, from his
hands. Two other gentlemen assisted
Mr.. McCreight to hold him, while q
third notified officer Hunter, who took
the prisoner to the seventh district sta.
ton house near by.
There was much excitement in the
church and Mrs. Lattimer, wife of the
rector, and several other ladies tainted at
the report Of the pistol.
When questioned as to whether he
meant to shoot the Bishop or Rector
Lattimer, the would.be assassin, who
said his name was David Alexander, said
ne most certainly meant Bishop Whitaker
that he had been waiting for favorable
opportunity to fire the shot, and that he
would try again. Alexander betrayed no
signs liquor, and behaved with
compotu e. At the station house he said:
II was, till Friday, clerk in the
money order department of Strawbridge
4 Clothier's store. On that day
resigned my position in order to shoot
Bishop Whitaker without bringing
disgrace on my employers"
The man was seen in his cell by re-
porter. He is boyish-looking. smooth.
faced, light.complexionedl and bright
and alert in hisimanner. He talked in a
perfectly rational way.
"Why did you shoot at the Bishop"
was asked. ''To remove vile hypocrite.
one who favors rumsellers," was the
reply, He then went into discussion
he had with the Bishop last spring, Fat
the church of Rev. Charles w. Cooper,
Twenty-arst and Christian street, when
the Bishop said that the question of high
license or prohibition must be settled
according to each persons conscience.
On the following day Alexandria read
in newspaper that Archbishop Ryan
favored hi gh license. In Tuesday,
paper he read an interview in which
Bishop Whitaker was quoted as fayoring
high license. He then decided to write
letter to helBishop to the effect that
with Christ as an example his stand on
the prohibition question was inconsistent.
''The Bishop" he continued, replied to
the letter at some length putting the
same question back to me. The salient
feature was: You have read the Bible.
Can you say that your life is model
of Christ's?" and upon receipt Of this, I"
said the prisoner, II vowed that would
kill him." The youth was not excited,
but it was evident that he is religious
maniac. In calm manner he proceeded:
Friend Bishop Whitaker is a vile
hypocrite and consort Of rumsellers. l
meant also to kill Rev. DR.. s. D. Nc
Connel, rector of st. Stephens Church,
also a hypocrite and consort of rumsellers,
whenever l got the chance"
Rihop Whitaker stated that he was as
much surprised as any one that the yonng
man should try to kill him, and at first
did not think that pistol had been!fred,
but that fire cracker had been exploded.
de remembered receiving the letter
from Alexander, and also his reply to the
same. He considered the man insane.
Brought Him to Time
You are not going to stay out late TO-
night, arc you, John?' ''Not very late,
my dear; have to help put a man