The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1892-05-03
DEATH TO FREEMASONS.
4 Crazy Tailor Sets Out to Kill
the Secret Fraternity.
He Shoots at Captain ]. E. Burns Of the
Schooner Vine-The Mariners Life Saved
by the Clasp Of His suspenders,

Crazy Fred Schiekler, tailor, tho lives
at the Montgomery Hotel, on Second street,
started out yesterday afternoon to annihi-
late the ancient order of FreemasOns which
he thinks exists solely for the purpose of
making his life burden. He loaded and
placed in his pocket bulldog revolver aud
set out to accomplish his purpose.
At the corner If Market and Third
streets, in front of the Nucleus building.
Schiekler saw the tall form of John E.
Burns, captain and owner of the schooner
Vine, coming toward him. He had never
seen the mariner before. but thinking that
be was a Freemason, which proved to be
the case, he pulled the revolver from his
pocket when Burns was within three feet
of him and blazed away. The captain was
struck by the bullet, and as the wouId-be
assassin raised the weapon for a second
shot he turned and fed across the street..
meeting Officers O'COnuOr, O'Shea aud
Rurnett, who. hearing the crash Of the pis-
toll and seeing the rapidly swelling crowd,
were fastening toward the center OF dis
tuTbaDce.
He WAS SHOT
"Are you shot ?" asked Officer OConnOr.
''Yes, | am" gasped the fugitive. a tall,
slim individual, with long, gray beard.
''WhO shot your?
THAT miserable little cur over there"
said the excited seaman, pointing to
Schieker. who. with the smoking weapon
ia his hand, was trying to break through
the surrounding crowd.
Officer O'Shea snatched the revolver from
Sehieker's hand. The Nemesis of the Ma
sons was QugerIng with excitement. His
face was as red as 4 sunset cloud, and
great drops of DerSpiratiOn were raining
from his forehead. He was hustled into q
patrol-wag0n and taken TO the City Prison,
where he was booked for attempted murder.
Schiekler is short and swarthy and has a
heavy black mOustache. He was born in
Germany % years ago and came to this
country when II years of age. 1t is not
known whether he has family or not. He
served In the Union army and,draws pen
sion for wounds received during the war of
the rebellion.
Captain Burns went to the prison to tell
how the affair occurred, but before reaching
the bastile found that his person had not
been perforated by the bullet fired by
SchIeker. The ball while en- route to his
abdomen had been stopped by metal clasp
which was attached below the buckle OF his
suspender for the purpose Of holding his
undercl0thes IN place.
THE BULLET FLATTENED.
The bullet flattened the clasp and dropped.
Captain Vine said that he had never seen
Schieker before and knew nothing about
him.
SCDleKIer, Wnen interviewed Oy GALL
reporter. said that the FreemasonS had pur-
sued him from Germany. They lad taken
his property and caused him to be iucar-
eerated in the insane asylum at Reno, New.
He was kept in the asylum for three months
and was released four years ago. Then ac-
cOrdng to his story he went 10 Idaho and
acquired some property for which he had a
deed in his possession.
"The Freemasons," he said, shave per-
secuted me because l have said that they
are dastards."
Are you going to kill all Of them?" he
| was asked.
II don't know; l think there are too
many Of them; but | will if i cam"
Officer Shea states that two hours before
| Schiekler started upon his mission of ami
| hilatiOn he met him on Market street.
| Schiekler asked him where was the nearest
| police telephone box. and upon being told
| said that there would soon be use for it. He
! was evidently planning his crusade against
| Masonry at the time. Schiekler says; he
| knew that Burns was Mason, because he
| (Schiekier) is mlnd-reader.