The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-02-08
The SHOOTING OF HICKEY
The Result of a Drunken Row On
Valley Street.
HICKEY PIERCED BY A BALL.
Young sweeny Was In Bad Mood and
the Result of His Actions May BE That
He VIII Have. to Stand Trial for
Murder.

The talk of the shooting affray was the
principal thing heard in Olneyville yester
day and it caused considerable feeling i'm
the city, The victim, who was shot in
John Drury's saloon, ass Valley street at
11.30 Saturday night is now unlikely to
recover.
number of men were congregated I'm
the place, when James Hickey, man
about 80 years of age, boarding with Ann
McCann, 3 Cornell street, and employed
at the Builders Iron Foundry on Codding
street, entered in an intoxicated state, and
in n drunken manner began 10 push each
one as he passed him. Another fellow
named Harry Sweeney about % years old,
who works at the r. |. Locomotive Works
came in for his share, and Immediately on
being pushed, he struck, first with one
hand aud then with the other, telling
Hickey to the floor, discoloring both eyes
and the bridge of the nose. The latter
was ordered out, but came back again,
whereupon Sweeney left the saloon. going
off about 20 yards, and returned evidently
waiting for something. Hickey had again
stepped out on the piazza where he was
standing, when, without moments warn
ing, Sweeney began to fire at him. liz is
thought that the FIRST ball penetrated q
post. thence through an open door in the
-
cut in two by some hard substance. The
second struck Hickey in the right side
about three inches TO the right of the
nipple:
The sisters of the wounded man here
upon interfered, and one of them threw
the assassin's arm up as he was in the act
of firing third shot, it going in the air.
Two more bullets were fired from the re-
volver, Smith and Wesson improved, 8
chambers, 80 calibre.
Hickey was taken home and DIR. II. w.
Farrell summoned, who probed for the
ball, but was unable 10 get it, which fact
combined with the finding of bullet in
the bed clothing, goes TO verify the sup
position that the ball penetrated the en-
tire body, and that instead of entering
one from the front and the second from
the back, the holes on each side of the
mans vest were caused by the same shot
From the mans condition il was almost
a certainty he would die, but he finally
rallied sufficiently TO allow his removal TO
the Rhode Island Hospital. DIR. Farrell
ordered il done at once after a consdlta-
tion with DIR. Longfellow who was also
called in to assist. At the hospital Hickey
has. contrary TO expectations, been sur
prisingly comfortable, but the attending
physician would not express an opinion as
TO the ultimate result.
After the affray Sweeney started to run
but was caught by Patrick Corrigan, who
Hickey's friends, but they were separated
and in the excitement that followed,
Sweeney escaped, who ran directly TO the
Fourth Station, wnen he gave himself up,
stating it is said that he had shot "a man
on Valley street He was at first con
sidered laboring under a delusion caused
by mental alteration, but his statement
being found true he was locked up.
While the shooting was going on, a man
named Casey, living at POS Atwells ave-
nue., was standing by, and before he real
lied it, two bullets had pierced his hat,
passing not more than one-fourth OF an
inch from the head. The pistol was given
to Officer O'Brien of the Sixth, on whose
beat the affair occurred, and the five
cartridges which Sweeney had appar.
emily taken therefrom. were found yester-
day morning by Captain Leavitt, who, in
company with Sergeant Lewis, went over
the grounds again.
Drury states that no row took place in
the saloon prior to the assault. Hickey's
clothing was badly torn, as was also
Sweeney's when he arrived at the Fourth
station, and one of his hands badly lacer-
ated. 1t seems bad blood had existed be-
tween the two men for some time over a
matter that took place at the Cornell
street house where both resided. There
was nothing, however, from the evidence
of reliable parties, To warrant the shoot
ing, as Hickey was badly intoxicated and
in no condition to do anyone bodily harm,
if an effort were made to avoid it, When
it is definitely known whether the injured
person will recover or not, Sweeney will
be given a hearing, he having been re-
moved to the Central station.
Sweeney was arraigned in the Sixth Dis
trict Court this forenoon, charged with
assault with dangerous weapon on James
Hickey. He pleaded not guilty and was
required TO give 81, 900 bonds for trial Feb.
l6 He was locked up in default of bail.
Hickey was reported from the hospital
this forenoon as being in "A fairly comfort
able condition.