Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1891-11-30
HIS AIM WAS POOR.
A LunatiC Attempts to
Kill a Clergyman.
THREE SHOTS WERE FIRED,
Barely Missing the Intended Victim,
Rev. DR.. John Hall.

NEW YORK, Nov sO.--As Rev. Or. Jshn
Hall, pastor Of the Firth Avenue Presby.
terian church, was passing from tins
after the close OF the morning service yes
terday, John G. Rath, . German 45 years
old, stepped fron behind . wagon on the
opposite side Of the avenue and fired three
shots in quick succession 1t the reverend
gentleman a. he wss about ascending the
steps Of his residence. The FIRST shot struck
the stone stoop of the doctors house, the
second perforated one OF the gla 40 panels
Of the front door, and the third hattened
itself against the door OF the house just -
the doctor closed it behind him
The shooter eoolly put ths pistol, i've
chambsrsd revolver Of the pattern known
as the Young Americ, ." Ia his pocket,
while member Of DR. Halls church and
the sexton jumped upon him and held
him until the arrival Of an officer. Rath
made no resistance and was led away to
tie Fifty-frst street station house and
locked up. Shortly ward DR.. Hall
went to the station ana preferred . COM
plant against the prisoner
Rath IL q heavy, well built man, with
whiskers and mustachs, well dressed and
looks like well-to-ds business man. He
said he was . real estate dealer. A great
crowd was present when the shooting 90
Cured, and for while the most
Iatsnss Excitement Prevailed.
About fifty people followed the officer to
the station and saw that the prisoner was
safely landed behind the bars. II was an
sminently respectable and orderly crowd,
composed mostly Of church-going people,
many OF whom were members Of DIR. Halls
church. The prisoner was evidently not
In his right mind. He muttered some
thing about conspiracy which he imag-
ined existed against him. Two papers
found on his person showed the bias of his
tmaginings. One document was In manu-
script, and the other was printed, but both
were substantially the same.
The printed paper was more circumstan-
tial in the history of the alleged conspiracy
10 drive the writer to suicide Or crime. It
Is stated that agents in the hands Of veal
thy and influential people were doing all
In their power to prevent him from rising
In business, even watching all his steps
and making it impossible for him TO OBJ
tain justice. His tormentors, too, II 10
said. mixed obnoxious stuff in his food,
thereby causing him intense distress. The
conspiracy, the statement declared, was
inaugurated I'm 1879, and had no equal il
human history. The statement went On
in this sort Of style at great length plainly
showing that
The Author's Mind Was Unbalanced.
The document intimated that DR.. Hall,
Dr. Potter and Judge Hilton were the
chief conspirctors, and that Mrs. A. T.
Stewart was = good friend Of the prisoner.
The prisoner stated. after his arrest that
Dr. Hall was chief among thoss conspir-
ing to do him bodily and mental harm.
Inquiry at the address given by the pris-
oncr disclosed cheap restaurant and
lodging house. 1t is located in the tene-
ment house quarter and Is patroniz-d by
very poor people, mostly foreigners. The
landlord said Rath had occupied . room
there for about four months; had been in
this country twenty years and had &C
qured fair knowledge Of the English
Language. The landlord also said that the
prisoner had been employed In an incu-
batting establishment in Brooklyn Rath
often paced his room at night and talked
incoherently. Still hs had not thought
Rath was dangerous
DR.. Hall was seen At his home shortly
after the shooting lie manifested no
nervousness, but declined to converse upon
the topic. He admitted he had known
Rath for some time and had received let.
ters from him, but he declined 10 say what
was The nature OF tie matter written to
him or whether IL was replied to-
The prisoner was reticent and seemed to
be lsboring under suppressed excitement.
He paced nervously up and down his coll
and paid little attention ~ his surround
ings. The police declined to permit the
reporters To talk with the prisoner
1t is stated that Rath WAS q member Of
Dr. HALLS church and had attended at In
frequent intervals. The last time he was
seen there was about . year ago. Some
years ago DR.. Hall assisted the man flnan-
cially, but he had seen nothing Of him for
some time.