The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-07-15
MURDER IN TACOMA.
Tax Collector George Martin
Shot by Tom Hinchey.
A DRUNKEN DEMONS CRIME.
The Victim Never Saw Nor Spoke to
the Man Who Took His Life.
A DRUNKEN DEMONS CRIME.
Rum m-Crazed Seattle Bricklayer, Seized
With . Desire to Kill Some One,
Buys . Pistol and Begins Shooting
One Man Dead, Another Wounded.

ployed at Seattle, this afternoon shot
George Martin. poll tar collector, in the
left lung with a 3s-calibre Hopkins & Allen
revolver. Martin is marfied and lives at
1,4l7 street. Hinchey's parents live at
Bellville, Canada, and he is aged 27 and
unmarried. Hinchey emptied the revolver,
firing five shots, the first striking William
Bannen, proprietor of the Fashion.saloon,
on Pacific avenue, between Twelfth and
Thirteenth street, in whose place the
shooting occurred. Bannen was wounded
in the left wrist and left side of his neck,
the ball passing under the skin on the
back of his wrist, and for about five inches
just above his shirt collar. The second
shot entered Martins left side. just below
the angle of the shoulderblade, ranged
forward and downward. Martin fell for
ward on the floor exclaiming:
"My God, my God, I'm shot"
He was removed to the barber shop,
fronting on Pacific avenue, in the rear of
which the saloon, formerly known as the
Elks, is located. 1t is curious coinci-
dence that Martin owned this same
saloon in which he was shot six
years ago. He bought it after COM
ing here from Olympia. Martins wife,
who is in poor health, was brought down
to the avenue to see her husband, but she
was not permitted to enter the barber
shop, as he was already unconscious, and
and it was feared the shock would CON-
pletely PROSTATE her.
DR.. Brodek, who was summoned, ap.
piled ice externally and internally and
checked the hemorrhage within fifteen
minutes. He advised keeping the wounded
man quiet, and not removing him, fearing
loss of blood from hemorrhage. DR.. Case
and others, called in consultation, thought
the apparently dying man should be re-
moved. This was at 5:15 p. m, and Mar
tin, who was shot at 3:25 O'Clock, was
seated on the floor of the barber-shop be-
tween a barber and policeman, who were
holding ice sacks to his shoulders. 1t was
noticeable that shortly after the shot was
and neck puffed out, as is not unusual in
lung wounds.
AS to the cause of Tom Hinchey's act,
an interview with him, followed by an
other with 7. Douglass, an acquaintance
and bricklayer, are given in explana-
ton. Hlnchey at first sunk to the corner
of his cell in the city Jail when CORE
spondent of the PosT-INTELLIeENcER called
upon him an hour after the shooting.
When the newspaper man told him that
he thought he knew him, he placed his
face against the prison bars showing light
blue eyes, rather lean, narrow face, sharp
nose and sandy moustache and hair of 8
shade darker hue.
'I'm burning up" Hinchey groaned.
Bring me drink. Ny insides are burn
ing out Bring rye whisky. that'n do.
Pm burning up"
A prisoner in the corridor brought water
in tin cup. Hinchey tasted it, and flung
the cup at the prisoner. Then he flung
one of his shoes through the messhole.
into the corridor Then he talked rapidlv
for moment, saying he had come over
from Seattle this morning to escape those
Seattle bricklayers, who would murder
him, and who had called him vile names.
and had gotten him into his present
troubles. Continuing, Hinchey said:
have been working under foreman BOYLE on
the Dexter Horton bank, Seattle Yesterday
the men called me names, and had police
man take me to the train at Seattle this morn
ing to protect me from them / roomed with
J. Davis, OF the Avenue house, on Yesler avenue
When i got on the train the conductor called
me names. SO did the passengers So did the
people at Puyalup. When / got here, other
people reviled me. So did women / said
I'd kill the first man that called me another vile
name. j bought a revolver to kill myself and
the man who would call me vile names. I'm
tired of living and being called vile names.
T. Douglass. who was detained at the
jail as witness. said:
I have known Hinchay two vaars ~
here from Spokane about eighteen months ago
He is . pressed brick layer, and worked here last
summer. This spring he went 10 Seattle I
never saw anything wrong in him, but now
think he has gone plumb crazy. This morning
he came over from Seattle. We had two drinks
in the Fashion saloon. He knew Mike O'Cou-
nell, the barkeeper there, but never had any
trouble with him, nor with anybody else. 40 far
as know. We drank at various places. and he
finally wrote two letters. While writing to his
mother he said he'd kill himself, and kent
talking about bricklayers and everybody
calling him names. Then he went 70
Dodge's gun store and bought n re-
volver, telling me IL was none OF my business
what he would do with il. He loaded it. plac-
ing the balance of the cartridges in his pocket.
Then he said "Lets have . drink" and led the
way to the Fashion saloon again, holding his
hand on the handle of the revolver, which he
had in his hip pocket. Once inside the saloon
he blazed away-bang, bang bangi bangi
bang! quick as lightning, the revolver being q
self-cocker He did not speak to anybody before
shooting.
Bannen saw Hinchey draw the gun. He
was talking to Martin about poll tax. say
ing he had many sins to account for in his
business. He threw up his hand in warn
ing Just as Hinchey shot. Then he
dropped TO get out of range. Then he ran
ont Of the back door. Hinchey followed
him after emptying the revolver, and, aside
from hitting Martin, doing no further
damages besides smashing glassware.
Charles Bishop, a contractor, heard
the shots and saw Hinehey following
Bannon up the alley to Thirteenth
street. He shouted to Hinchey TO
stop, and he did so, and Officer Miller
handcufed him. Hinchey then seemed
too stupid to be excited. At the city prison
20 cents, a receipt for July dues from the
Tacoma Bricklayers' Union, signed by
C. Bertelson, secretary, and the two letters
referred to. were found, besides the re-
yolver and the box of cartridges.
Here are the letters:
Jsr.ss BrO,ss. Fern HUI. Tacoma: You tax.
care of three parcels checked at lSx street, de-
liver them to yourself only what you
think IT. send the little red watch
10 ia. They called me c. C..
and il was Tom Brownley. and he kept IL up
II wss near all his fault, but he did not know
me.
To Agnes Hinehey, Toron,o-Doar Mother: lam
about 70 put an end 70 myself A an begin
ming the family dissass / think win fnish IL.
Isams over fson- Seattle just now. but man