The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1892-07-25

PITrsBuRoH, Pa, July 24-Henry
Clay Frick, the executive head of the
Carnegie firms, lies at his home, twice
shot and twice stabbed by Russian
Hebrew Nihilist nomcd Alexander
Berkmann, now resident Of New York.
He was attacked without notice or
word Of warning as he sat in his office
ut work. He is seriously wounded, but
his physicians think he may recover.
The scoundrel who committed this
crime is in jail. He regards himself as
social purifier and talks boldly OF his
intentions and their consummation.
The attack was made upon Mr. Frick
ut l:45 o'clock Saturday. The assassin
secured admission under the guise of q
New York employment agent. Just in
side tho entrance TO the.sprivate office
he fred two shots, one into either side
OF the base Of Mr.. tricks skull Then
the man twice plunged long dagger
into the chairman's side.
Mr.. Frick never lost his presence Of
mind. Vice Chairman Leishman rushed
to his assistance. Though Mr.. Frick
had then been pierced by two pistol
balls, ho forgot his wounds in the dan
ger Of his partner, and rushing up 70,
ceived in his own side the dagger point
intended for his partner And oven
when the assassin was thrown down he
interfered and saved the life of his
would-be assassin.
TIE NEWS SPREAD INSTANTLY.
The tragedy occurred in front of the
great bow window on the second floor
OF the Hussoy building, on Fifth ave-
nue., and hundreds of people On the
street witnessed the fight. Thousands
more were attracted by the shots, and
inside Of five minutes the street was
blocked with vast throng of surging
people. The news that Fl. @. Frick had
been assassinated spread with the great
est rapidly, and from every quarter
people were seen running to the scene
OF the crime. There was nAught but
pity for the great ironmaster, and il
there were any who rejoiced thoy held
their peace to save their lives.
1t was reported at first that Mr..
Frick was dead, but when later, 1t was
learned he lived, the vast crowds
hailed the news with Joy. Each press
ed closer to the great granite walls that
he might gather some later information:
Pittsburgh has never before witnessed
such scene Of excitement
In the meantime Officer John Nc.
Roberts and Garrett Crossnan had
rushed upstairs and secured the priso-
ner, who had already been arrested by
Deputy Sheriff May, assisted by the
clerks in the Office.
When they at last appeared with
their prisoner he was drenched with
his victims blood. He himself did
not have wound save scratch made
by the fngernail of one the clerks in the
struggle.
APPEARANCE OF THE AssAIIANT.
The man is curious sight. He is
little slender fellow about p years old
and beardless Simon Bachmannis the
name he placed on the register at the
Merchants Hotel, where he came last
night from New York. Heis Russian
Hebrew and a Nihilist, and has been in
America six years. He said he was
cigarmaker and printer and lived on
,Forty-second street, New York. He
had been nerving himself for two days
to commit the crime, but each time
until yesterday afternoon his nerve
failed him.
He evidently wanted to pose as a
hero, for in his mouth he had two
highly explosive persuasive caps used
in exploding dynamite. They were ex-
actly the same as that used by Louis
Lingg, the famous Chicago Anarchist,
when he blew his own head off on the
morning that he was to have been exc
cuted. Berkmau held them in his
mouth evidently intending to explode
them with his teeth as a last resort.
Several times after his arrest he rolled
the caps about his mouth as if con.
templatinY whether to put them of.
He did not try to bite them through
for the covering is as thin as paper, and
they would have exploded at the least
touch.
THE MANS PREVIOUS EFFORTS.
Berkman made q number ofattempts
to see Mr.. Frick. His frat call was at
the offices of the coke company, on the
fifth floor OF the Hussey building, ats
o'clock Friday afternoon. His name
was entered in the visitors book, but
heleft without seeing his man.
Alto o'clock yesterday morning he
made his next call. This time it was at
the second floor Office where he was re-
ceiyer by Mr.. Utley, as Mr.. Erick was
not in. He talked very cody and said
that he was tho representative OF an
employment bureau. He then left the
Office and did not return until about
noon when he gave his card to Harry
Heckley, the Office boy. The card was
a narrow, thin bit Of white pasteboard
on which was written in pencil in an
evidently German or French hand:
A. BERGMAN, a
AgentNew York Employment Company
This card was taken in to Mr.. Frick,
who told the boy he would see Mr..
Berkman in few moments.
The clerks noticed that the man was
very nervous, and when they looked at
him closely no turned to the wall and
was apparently engaged in examining
map. Then he wheeled and went out,
and soon after the boy returned with
instructions to send the gentleman up.
As washis habit Mr., Frick took his
lunch at the Duquesne club and about
1889 returned to his offices, going to the
fifth floor OF the Hussey building,
where he remained a few minutes. He
then came down in the elevator to the
second floor and entered his private
room at tho front OF the building. He
seated himself at his desk, which is 8
large fat topped one Of heavy oak and
which stands in tho center OF the
bright room. Mr.. Leishman, whose
Office is next to that Of Mr.. Frick, came