Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-11-30
A CRAZY MAN
Attempts to Assassinate Rev. DR.. John
Hall, of New York,
AT THE ENTRANCE TO HIS HOME.
DR.. Hall Admits That BE Knows the Nan,
but Will Say Nothing MOre---Papers
Found on His Person Show His
Unbalanced COndition--He isa
Well-To-Do German.

NEw YORK. November 29.-As DR..
John Hall. pastor OF the Fifth avenue
Presbyterian cnurcn, was passing from
the church TO the parsonage adjoining,
Just after the close OF the morning ser
wees to-day, man named John ".
Rath. German, forty-iive years old,
stepped from behind wagon on the OPP
10 lite side OF the avenue, and fired three
shots in quick succession az the reverend
gentleman as he was about TO ascend
the steps of his residence.
The first shot struck the stone sto0p
OF the doctors house, the second per-
furated one OF the glass panels OF the
front door, and the third flattened itself
against the side OF the house. The
shooter cody put the pistol, hye-
chambered revolver OF the pattern
known as "The Young America" In his
pocket, while Mr.. A. L. Dick, mem
Der OF DR. Halls Church, and the sexton
Jumped upon him aud held him until the
arrival OF an officer.
lie made no resistance whatever, and
was led away To the Ffty-irst street sta
tlon andlocked up. Shortly aiterward DR..
Hall went To the Police Station and
preferred a complaint against the pris-
oner.
Rath IS heavy, well built man, with
whiskers aud moustache, well dressed,
and has the a pesrance OF well-to-dc
business man. He gave his business as
that OF real estate dealer.
A great crowd was present when tho
shooting occurred, and for while the
most intense excitement prevailed.
Aeuut fifty people followed the officer
20 the station, and saw that the prisoner
was safely landed behind the bars, IL
was an eminently respectable crowd,
composed mostly OF church-g0ing peo-
pie, many OF whom were members OF
DR.. Halls Church, hence there was no
riot, or attemptat rescue, nor threats OF
lynchiug.
The prisoner was evidently not In hiS
right mind. He muttered about con-
spiracy which he imagined existed
against him, and papers found on his
person showed the bias OF his imsgin-
ings. There were two OF these docu-
ments. one In manuscript and the other
printed, but botn were substantially the
same. The printed paper was moro
circumstantial In the history OF the al
legrd conspiracy TO drive the writer 70
uicide or crime.
Ii stated that agents OF wealthy and
ibnue1tlrl people were doing all In their
power To prevent him from rising In his
business, were watching all his steps,
and making IL impossible for him 10 OBJ
tain justice. His tormentors, too, he
said. mixed his food with obnoxious
stuff thereby causing him intense dis
tress. The conspiracy, the statement
says, was inaugurated In 1879. and has
20 equal IN human history. The state
ment goes on. In this sort OF style, at
great length, all OF winch shows that
the author was man OF unbalanced
mind.
The document intImates that DR..
Hall, DR.. Potter ann Judge Hilton were
the chief consprators. Mrs. A. Il.
Stewart was, IL was intimated, good
friend OF his. Tho prisoner stated. after
his arrest, that DIR. Hall was chief among
those conspIring TO do him bodily and
mental harm, in exp anation OF his
actions.
Inquiry at the address given discoy.
cred a cheap restaurant and lOdRiI
house, Andrew Greener proprietor. ~
Is located In the tenement house quarter
OF the city and is patrouized by a tran
silent class OF very poor people, mostly
foreigners. The landlord said that
Rath bad occupied the room there for
about four mouths. had been In this
country twenty years and had acquired
fair knowledge OF the English Ian
zusge.
al a.fH A.e L. L.
~ been employed In an incubatlng es-
Enlistment In Brooklyn, lie had no.
ticed certain peculiarities in Rath's
conduct, which seem to indicate that
he was mentally unbalanced. He often
paced his room at night aud talked In
coherently. Still he had no thought
be was dangerous man. ...+ro
DIR Hall was seen At his home shortly
after the shooting. He msDifested no
apparent nervousness In consequences Of
his narrow escape. but he declined pos
itively 20 converse upon the topic. lie
ad mitted that be had known Rath for
some time, and had received letters
from him, but be declined 10 say wnat
was the nature OF the matter written 20
him, or whether II was replied 10 or not.
IL IL 0ot known whether any threats
had been thus conveyed or not. The
prisoner was retlcent, and though out
gardly calm, seemed 70 be lab0ring un-
der suppressed excitement. He paced
nervogsly UP and down bis cell, and
paid little attention 70 hIs surrou ndings.
The police declined 10 permit the re-
porters to talk with the prisoner. He
will be arraigned 10 the YorkylIle Po-
ice Court tomorrow morning.