Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-10-27
CHICAGO SALOON TRAGEDY.
EX' Aldermen WiliFm P. VheIan Shot and
Killed by John H. Hathaway,
Gambler.

CHICAGO, Ill, Oct. 26.-Ex-A Alder
man William P. whelan was shot and
mortally wounded early this moruIng by
John n. Hathaway, q gambler. The
tragedy occurred at o'clock this morn
ing in Mat Hogan's saloon and restau-
rant at 1886 State street, a rendezvous for
sporting elements of both sexes. At
about Il O'Clock Saturday evening the
eX-alderman, in company with John
McGinnis, an officer III the en-
ploy of the health department,
went into Rogan's saloon and called for
champaign. They had been drinking,
and at the time were under the influence
of liquor. Hogan joined them and they
drank bottle after bottle, inviting ali
acquaintance VINO appeared IN the
meantime to join them. At about 3:45
o. clock the trio, in company with an
other man, sat Gown at a table 10 have
lunch and called for another bottle of
wine. They were chatting quietly, when
George II. Hathaway came in aud stood
st the bar for q few minutes TO pay his
bill. Whelan called him back and
asked him to have a drink. At first
he resisted, but finally sat
down and taxing a long-rsnge IS caliber
revolver from his pocket BEGAN twlrliug
II around under the noses OF the Others.
The ex-alderman told him to put up his
gun and act like gentleman or he would
make him. At this Hathaway jumped
up just as WhelaL made q grab for the
gun, and pointing it straight at him
said: "Well, you if
you want it, take it. -
He thOn pulled the trigger. The ball
took effect i'll the left side Immediately
over the groin, passed through the eb-
domen, SCATTERING the spine, and came
out at the back The alder
man threw up his hands and TELL
upon the floor saying: "l am bored
clean through, and Am done for. -
After the shooting Hathaway walked
calmly away and was neither seen nor
heard from for several hours. Hogan
called carriage, and in company with
MtGinnis conveyed the wounded man
to the Michael Reese hospital, where they
left him. The police were not notified
and did not learn OF the shooting
until O'Clock, when, through common
report, it came to their knowledge.
Mrs. Whelan was notified OF her hus-
band 8 condition by Hath Hogan. The
above Is the story of the tragedy as rs
idteu ny III eye witness. MANY other
witnesses weFeseen, but refused to tell
what they knew, desiring to avoid pub
licity or cover the matter up, if possible.
As soon as the police learned of the
shooting and of Whelan' s desperate con-
dition, every effort was made to capture
the perpetrator OF the dastardly deed,
but it was not until o'clock IN the ef-
terncou that they ran across him on the
Clark street bridge. On being informed
that he was under arrest HathaWay's
first question to the dectecti7e was,
"How badly is Wheian hurt?'
The detectives told him that they
thought he wound pull through all right,
and Hathaway felt much easier. When
tax en- TO the central station he was clos
eted for an hour aud three-quarters with
Chief Marsh and Lieut.. Kipsey, where
he made a written statement OF the affair
which the police refuse to make public.
Whelan died at 3:55 O'Clock
in the afternoon, but Hathaway
was not informed of his death.
John McGinnis, the health officer who
was at the table drinking at the time,
was also placed under arrest. He vas
taken TO the central station, but stopped
on the way for Alderman Cullerton, who
accompanied him to the station. Nc
Ginnis refused to say o word about the
shooting, and declared that he positively
knew nothing about it. He YVES locked up.