The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-09
KNITTED HIS ENEMY.
A Shipwright Slabs a Fisher
man in Jealous Rage.
CHANCES OF RECOVERY SLIGHT.
The Ffshcrman's Love for Woman May
Cost His Lffe-His Assailant
Arrested.

pital and his assaiiant occupies cell in
the city Jail.
Nick Rufus, Greek fish peddler who
has the reputation of being favorite
with women, particularly those of In
dian birth, sauntered down from his
shanty IN the Greek settlement under
the hill near the foot of Union
street to the Dewdrop saloon on
West street shortly before Z o'clock
last evening. On the sidewalk near the
saloon he met I. N. saddler. ship car
penter, who appears TO be his unsuccess-
full rival for a woman's affections. What
conversation took place between them is
not known, but Saddler dug the blade of
his pocket-knife into his rivals abdomen,
making deadly wound.
Saddler disappeared and Rufus stag
gered painfully back TO his shanty, hold
ing his hand over the wound and moan
ing. As he passed by little store run by
X. n Rhoads on the hillside, his means
attracted the attention of Mr.. Rhoads.
who went out and asked him what the
matter was
81 am stabbed was the reply, and he
passed on moment later a red-headed
man, who said he was from Ballard. but
whose name was not learned, ran after
him and told Mr.. Rhoads that he was
standing on the street waiting for a car
and saw the stabbing.
When Rufus reached the shack he Law
down outside the door, and was picked
mp by his companions and carried
into the house. One of them start
ed to find doctor, but it was some
time before one could be found. When Drs.
Krieglt and Williams arrived it was almost
O'Clock. They ordered him taken to
Providence hospital. as there was no
means of attending to the injuries in the
shack. BY the time quincy was secured
and the injured man reached the hospital it
was after 10 o'clock. Rufus was still
strong. and put his hand in his pocket and
took out money to pay for the gurney.
The examination of the wound by Drs
q. r. NJ Kriegk, Il. l.. Smith and J. r.
Williams disclosed the fact that the knife
passed over the stomach, through the
spleen and clipped the tips off of two of the
false ribs. The blade entered horizontally,
the back of the knife being toward the
outside, quarter of an inch above and
slightly to the left of the navel, and made
wound an inch and half long. 1t was
found necessary to make a long incison
vertically and to widen the wound con-
siderably in order TO examine the condi-
tion of the internal organs and trace the
course of the knife
DIR. +. L. Smith said that the mans
chances TO recover are very slight. s.In
the first place there is danger from the
shock, " said he, ''and, besides, infiamma-
ton will probably follow and give the af-
fair serious turn"
Officer Thompson, when going out for
night duty, heard of the affair, and. with
Inspector Willard and Officer Sanstrom.
started in search of Saddler. They found
him in Mrs. Coburn's lodging-house on
West street, near Seneca, where he has
been rooming for the past month. He
was in bed and admitted having done the
stabbing. He was taken to the city Jail.
The assailant was seen in his cell in
the city prison. He looks like an honest.
industrious man. He is IS years old. tall
and broad-shouldered, and wears q gray
mustache. He was huddled in his bunk
when the door of his cell was first opened
. There were traces of tears in his ewes. as
though he either regretted his hasty ac-
tion or feared the consequences.
There is very little to say about ii he
vonchsafed, in answer to the reporters
question. al had no idea of meeting him
minute before did l don't know the
man, and have nothing against him.
II had just returned from the funeral of
Mr.. Patchens little boy. had NV knife
in my hand, and was whiting n Ittle
pine stick. The Greek was leaning against
o fence railing between the Dewdron
saloon and the London house. As T
passed him | said: Hello, Dick, what do
you know? just as would pass the time
of day with any other man. He looked nj
me rs though he did not understand. and
without saying word hauled off and
pasted me in the face.
MY knife was in my hand and. without
thinking. / pushed it forward. He ran
across the street TO his cabin and
/ went on home. l didn't know
i had cut him until went
on the street about O'Clock and n rod
headed man asked me if | had heard how
bad the fellow was hurt. A little bit after
that was arrested"
"Were there any witnesses?" was asked
Nobody that | know of except that
red-headed fellow. | said to him: Did
you see him hit me?' He said that he did
but didn't think much of it, and | for
got to ask his name"
The man referred to by the prisoner
could not be found last night.
"That is the whole business" Saddler
added rs the door was shut. There ,s
nothing more TO it,
A blank space is left after Saddler's
name on the prison register. 1t will be
filed in wnen the result of the wound is
ascertained. The charge will probably be
murder.
The man from Ballard is probably the
only witness from whom true account of
the beginning of the quarrel can be OBJ
tanned.
Rufus weakness for the fair sex has got
ten him into trouble on various oc-
casions recently. About a week
ago he became engaged in
a quarrel on Schwabacher's wharf on ac-
count of woman with n man who drew a
revolver on him and threatened to
shoot him. Who the man was
the other Greeks could not, or would
not tell. When asked if it was Saddler.
they said they didn't know, but thought
perhaps il was. Saddler also has
the reputation of having an ex-
cesSlve fondness for women and
several men who knew hlm well indi-
Gated by their conversation that they knew
more about him than they cared 10 tell.
In fact one of them said he was sure il was
the result ST jealousy, but beyond this he
would say nothing.
Saddler is a member of the Shipwrights'
Union and delegate to the w. q. l.. L. He
has no family as far IS known. Rufus is
single man and has the name among his
associates of being very peaceable,