The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1892-07-30
The WOuld-be Assassin Makes a
Desperate Attempt to MUIR
der Frick.
The Mad Man Captured After a Hard
Struggle and Locked Up In
the Pittsburg Jail.
Attempted Assassination.

afternoon to assassinate Henry Clay
Prick, superintendent of the Carnegie
Steel Company, limited. His ~assailant
was Alexander Berkman, a Russian Jew
who came here from New York with the
evident intention of removing the mar
who had been the principal on the EN-.
ployers side in the great STRUGGLE now
going on between capital and labor in
this city.
1t was a few minutes before . O'Clock
this afternoon when dark complexioned
young man with a Jewish cast of count
enance of medium height and fairly well
dressed entered the elevator in the
Chronicle Telegraph building which is
occupied by the Carnegie Steel company,
limited, and asked to be let off at Frick's
office. The young man had been "a fire.
quent visitorduring the past few days and
David Fortney, the elevator boy, thought
nothing Of his request, but stopped at
the second floor and pointed out the way
to the chairman's private room. Two
minutes later the occupants of the build
ing and passers-by on the avenue were
startled by three pistol shots fired in
rapid succession. Intuitively the victim
was OWNED and Prick is shot, were
the words o o passing from mouth to
mouth on the street. 1t was true. 4
man believed to be a crank had assailed
fhn ,,rnnf cfnn1 ,,1nafar h,,t tLn I.Nt..
Notwithstanding two bullet wounds and
four ugly gashes from a dagger, still lives
and will probably recover.
As was his custom Mr.. Prick took his
lunch at the Duquesne club at moor to-
day and returned to his office at 1:30
o'clock this afternoon. He went to the
fifth floor where he remained but a few
minutes. He then came down the ele-
vator to his private room on the second
floor fronting on Fifth avenue where he
seated himself at his desk. The office of
Leishman. business partner of Prick, ad-
joins that of the chairman. Leishman
came in and the two were holding a pri-
vate conference. no one else being in the
room. a few minutes before . o'clock
Harry Heckle, office boy, noticed a mar
hastily push open the swinging gate in
liz iuiilbS tIut luub DtIWttu Tic DuDllc
portion and enclosure where the desks
of stenographers and clerks are located.
There was no one neal the private Office
door and the boy hurried up to ask the
intruder what he wanted. but he was too
late as the stranger had already entered
the private office. Mr.. Frick looked up.
as did also Mr.. Leishman, to see who it
was. Frick was examining a bundle of
nannrC Tho p,op cDrnn. % ,L.-
about five feet of Mr.. Prick and. quickly
drawing his revolver, pulled the trigger.
The first cartridge did not explode. the
Tricks neck and glancing downward to
the outside below the arm-pit. Prick
made an exclamation and jumped to the
tried in vain to open it. His assailant
and approaching close to Mr.. Prick fired
again. The ball entered the muscle on
the left side of his neck and passed
around to a Judgment under the right
ear where it was later reached by a
probe. At this instant Mr.. Leishman
threw himself on the would-be assassin
and wrestled for the possersion of the re-
vOlver. Leishman grasped the weapon
and turned the pistol upwards as it
exploded. the ball entering the ceiling
near the glass partition.
a Desperate Struggle.
With great. agility the desperate man
drew a dagger and attempted to stab
who was holding the assailant
~ the shoulder and body. Frick saw
CLEAN of steel and, although stag
gered by the shock of his wounds and
bleeding profusely, jumped between the
men and seized the mans arm. The
latter freeded himself from Leishman's
grasp and plunged the dagger into
right side just above the hip,
making an ugly wound three inches long.
He made another lunge, this time the
struck higher up but the point
a rib and glanced down without
infiicting much injury. Twice again
was the knife thrust at Prick but he was
merely scratched at these last attempts.
The struggle wss in full view Of those
on the street and by this time the Office
boys and Deputy Sheriff May, who had
Just entered the Office as the first shot
was fired, threw themselves upon the
May had drawn his revolver
and was about to shoot the fellow in the
back when Frick cried out: Don't kill
him, we have got him all right, leave
to the law" The mar broke away
tried to escape but was secured and
taken to the central police station. The
prompt action Of Frick saved the lives OF
IIeishman and his self-appointed execu-
In five minutes half a dozen
surgeons we're at hand. Prick was told
10 lilo down on a lounge and after his
had been removed
the wounds were washed and
the bleeding stopped. Dur
ing all this time the wounded man was
calm, had perfect command Of his facul-
lies, and apparently was less excited
han any other person in the room.
From time to time he made suggestions
" ~ how badly he was hurt and q half
lOur after the shooting dictated q mes.
,sge 10 Mr.. Carnegie about the assault,
n which he told him he thought he
would DO oil right, At his request oil
communication with his residences was
hut of and bis brother in-Iaw was sent
inform his wife Of his Illness.