The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-02-25
BONANZA KINGA TARGET
Millionaire Mackay Narrowly Es-
capes Death in Frisco.
WIN. C. RlPPI ATTEMPTS MURDER
He Then Shot Himself Cause Of the Ar
fair Remains a. Mystery Rippi Is Well
known In Fan Francisco Tho City In
tensely Excited.


Mackay, the famous bonanza mining man
and financier, was shot through the back
shortly after noon yesterday by man
giving the name of w. @. Rippi, and mar
rowly escaped death. Rippi, after firing
at Mackay, shot himself through the left
breast and will die.
Owing to the great excitement, it was
some time after the shooting occurred
that the shooters name was ascertained.
II was w. Q. Rippi instead OF Ratclifie,
and Dunn, as at first reported. So far
Mackay's wound is not serious and there
Is no danger OF fatal termination.
The shooting occurred in the paved
court back of the Lick House, which runs
from Sutter to Post street, between Mont
gomery and Kearney. A white haired
man was noticed walking around Sutter
street acting very nervously during the
early portion OF the morning, throwing
his hand back toward his hip pocket. II
Is the custom of John w. Mackay to come
about noontime every day to the jewelry
store at the corner OF Sutter street and
Lick Alley to compare the time Of day,
and he Is always very prompt.
As Mackay reached the end OF the alley
nearest Sutter street and few feet away
from where the old man was standing, the
latter pulled out his revolver and fired
one shot. The bullet struck Mackay in
the middle of the back. The would be
murderer then fired shot into his own
body. His wound was serious, but as long
as he could walk Rippi followed up, try
ing to fire at him again, but he was SO
weak that he could not pull the trigger
He then threw up his hands, exclaiming:
"My God, 4 am Satisfied"
Mnckay put his hand behind his back,
and some one raised his coat. As he drew
his hand out It was covered with blood,
and he exclaimed to one OF his friends
that the shot had taken effect in the mid
die Of his back. Mackay was placed in a
buggy and taken to the Palace Hotel
where medical attendance was rendered
him. Mackay's assailant was taken to the
receiving hospital
Probably the only thing that saved
Mackay's life was the fact that wagon
was I'm the street, and in crossing Mr..
Mackay got the vehicle between him and
the shooter.
Mr.. Mackay made the following state
ment: "I was walking down Sutter
valise, as l intended going to Virginia
City in the afternoon. When l reached
Lick Alley thought it would be a short
cut to the hotel. i had hardly taken two
steps into Lick Alley when heard pis-
tol shot. paused for a moment, rather
btHFtlcu, lOT nHu nOb seen anyone Wnen
entered II, and did not at first know from
what direction the report Of the pistol
came.
Suddenly a voice exclaimed: sMr.
Mackay, you have been shot and look
ing up saw the gentleman John Bon
ner), who brought me TO my room. mo.
! am not shot, replied. yes, you are
he insisted, 'for saw dust fly from your
coat when the bullet struck you.'
81 put my hand under my coat and sure
enough, when looked my hand was COW
cred with blood. ] then felt pain in my
back. II all happened in a second, and
turning half way round ! saw my assail-
pistol pointed at me. / then hurried
across TO the east side of the alley, and as
did so / saw the old man put pistol, as
thought, to his mouth, and fire 1t again.
He then reeled and fell and / continued
up the alley until we reached Mr.. Bon
ner's cart and he drove me to the Palace
Hotel"
When Mr.. Mackay was asked il he
The Man Who Had Shot,
he said: 81 never knew a man named
Rippi. / had good look at the man who
shot me, and / am certain do not know
him. cannot give any reason for the as
suit"
Soon after two O'Clock physicians ex-
tracted the bullet from Mr.. Mackay's
body. DIR. John F. Morse, who performed
the operation In conjunction with DIR.
Keeney, said that the bullet entered below
the right shoulder blade, and ranging
slightly to the right struck the verte-
bra and lodged In one OF the spineous
processes DIR. Morse said the wound was
not necessarily fatal, but that the patient
was by no means out of danger. He
added that in cases OF gun.shot wounds
there was always danger OF blood poison
ing or lockjaw.
WilliamlC. Rippi was well known to
old timers in San Francisco and was ia
miliar figure around 1920 Powell street,
where he made his home. Every body knew
him and considered him harmless. For
the last two years he roomed at the above
address and the landlady asserts that he
was the easiest to please of all the board
ers. About 8 o'clock yesterday morning
he left his room and went down town.
He returned an hour later very despon-
dent, and the neighbors say that as he
passed down the street he was tearing at
his handkerchief with his teeth and ap-
peared TO be very much worked up over
something. He remained in his room
about two hours and then started off
down town.
Rippi was born i'm Cincinnati and has
a wife and family there. At one time he
was worth over 100000 and made about
$4,000 on Comstock. He came to San
Francisco and began gambling in stocks.
His money soon began TO go, and then he
opened grocery. That venture failed
and about four years ago he was running
Q bar and dining room on q steamer. At
one time he lived in Denver and owned
quite lot OF property, but 1t also went in
his stock speculations. Latterly the old
man was almost without means and was
very respondent.
Rippi Is apparently about 20 years OF
age, with white hair and close cut white
beard. In his pocket was found a 3s-cali-
bre revolver OF the bull dog pattern and
all cartridges intact and also purse con-
tanning 20 cents and an envelope contain
ing paper on which was written "Dr. X.
Linton, In Palace Hotel. End not yet"
A letter addressed to the examiner read
n follows:
"Food for reflection. Paid one hundred and
fifty thousand dollars for sapphire TO place
on the iaded person Of his wife. A sufficient
amount to have saved FIVE hundred of his
paupers from n suicidal grave. just think OF
II. 1nscribe on his tomb"
Not since the shooting OF Judge Terry
at Iathrop by United States Deputy Mar
shall Nagle, four years ago, has there been
sIcn lnte-lse sAcltShSns IN san !ehclsco.