The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-02-24
ADEADLY FUSILLADE
Pistol Shots Exchanged in a
Crowded Street.
Result Of the Publication Of SlanderOuS
Articles in Columbus, Ohio.
One Journalist Shot Through the Head and
Another Badly Wounded-A By
Stander Instantly Killed.


COLUMBUS Ohio, Feb. 23.-A shooting
occurred on most crowded portion of High
street to-day, in which about fifteen shots
were fired. The shots were exchanged by
w. j. Elliott of the Sunday Capital and
A. c. Osborne of the Sunday World,
and grew out Of the exchange of SIAN
derous articles. A bystander named
Hughes was shot through the head and
instantly killed. Osborne was shot
through the head and died soon after,
while the brother of w. j. Elliott was shot
through the arm and back, and number of
others were slightly wounded. The Elliotts
are under arrest and threats are made
against w. j. Elliott. Stories of the shoot
ing are conflicting. Elliott asserts that Os-
borne fired the shot which killed Hughes
At the time of the fusillade great crowd
was on the street watchinga procession.
The excitement incident to the tragedy
continues tonight, and the situation is
threatening. Large crowds continue to
hover about the scene Of the tragedy. w.
j. Elliott and his brother, Patrick, are held
at the City Prison, and, owing to threats
openly made, the police authorities have
taken extra precautions TO prevent an out
break Of mob violence. W. j. Elliott, who
was seen by reporter tonight, said: My
brother and myself went uptown to see the
parade. When in front of Schrader's sa-
loon, saw Osborne with revolver pointed
at ne. reached for my pistol, when he
fired two or three times, and l fired back.
Osborne then fired at Pat, who was
in the crowd" Elliott thinks this
was when the men in the crowd were shot
and Osborne'S gun wounded them. Pat Ell
llott said that While running away from OS-
borne lie felt TWO stings where bullets struck
him. Interviews with a large number of
eye-witneSSes say that w. }. Elliott opened
ire on Osborne first, and this best informa-
ton from those who saw 1t is that the first
shot fired by Elliott hit Osborne In the side
OF the lead. Osborne, after returning the
fire at Elliott. ran into the hat.store, where
he was followed by Patrick Elliott, and
they lad a iand-to-hand struggle. during
which several shots were fred and Osborne
was shot. He died instantly.
The bodies of Osborne anu ". L. Hughes
an Innocent spectator, were removed to the
CorOner's office Among the wounded spec
tators were John III. Reese, Government
statiStician agent shot through the left leg
but not seriously; G. w. Sullivan, book
keeper, shot through the arm; r. Z. Gard
ner OF Danyllle, Ohio, shot through the
ankle; G. w. Reifsehmeider, struck in the
bosom by spent ball.
The terrible affair was the outgrowth OF
newspaper feud. which was raging several
weeks between the publishers OF the Sunday
World and the Sunday Capitol. Two weeks
ago the World made charges against a
female relative of Editor Elliott's family
Elliott retaliated the following Sunday with
a fGur-column article, charging Editor Lev
ering Of the World with being Joint pro-
prietor of an assignation- house. Levering
is an assistant State OIL Inspector and a
prominent politician. The charges created
a sensation, and also implicated Claude
Meeker. Governor CampbelIs private Sec
retary. Levering and Osborne retaliated
yesterday by charging Elliott with all the
crimes in the calendar