The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-25
tions of the paper came out they were
eagerly purchased.


Mr.. Macksy made the following state
ment: II was walking down Sutter street,
bound for my room to pack my valise. as
intended to go to Virginia City this after
noon. When reached Lick alley thought
il would be short cut to the hotel. had
hardly taken two steps into Lick alley
when heard pistol shot. paused for
moment, rather startled. for had not seen
any one in the alley when entered it. and
did not at first know from which direction
the report of the pistol came.
Suddenly voice exclaimed; MT.
Mackay, you have been shot, and looking
up saw gentleman. who brought me to
my room
Yes, you are he insisted. for l saw
dust fly from your coat when the bullet
struck you
II Dot my hand around under my coat
and. sure enough, when / looked at my
hand 1t was covered with blood. then
felt the pain in my back. II all happened
In second, and. turning nalf way around.
! saw my asssilant standing at the head Of
the alley with his pistol pointed at me. l
then hurried across TO the east side of the
alley and. as did so. saw tho old man
put a pistol, as / thought. to his mouth,
and L continued mp the alley until We
reached Mr.. Bonner's cart and he drove me
so the Palace Hotel.n
When Mr.. Mackay was asked If he knew
the man who had shot him. ne said: Il
never knew of a man named Rippey. had
good look at the old man who shot me,
and Am certain / do not know him. l cam
not give any reason for the assault"
Soon after o'clock physicians extracted
the bullet. DR.. John +. Morse, who per.
formed the operation in conjunction with
DIR. Keeney, said that the bullet entered
below the right shoulder blade and. rang
ing slightly TO the right, struck the verte-
bra. DR.. Morse said, that the wound was
not necessarily fatal. Sut that the patient
was by no means out of danger. He added
that in cases of gun shots there was always
danger of blood poisoning or lOck-Jaw.
When closely questioned, Dr. Morse said
that it was too soon after the extraction to
fOretell the termination of the wound. but
that Mr.. Msckay was resting quietly.
Richard ". Dey telegraphed to Mrs
Mackay in London and to young Mr..
been shot. but that the wound was not con-
sidered dangerous. After the extraction
of the bullet he wired again. giving the
above statement of the patients condition.
Wm. G. Rlppey was well known to old
timers in San Francisco aud was a familiar
figure around No. 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 her boarders. About
o'clock this morning he left his room and
went down town. He returned an hour
later in very despondent mood, and the
neighbors say that as he passed down
Powell street he was tearing aG his hand
kerchief with his teeth and appeared to be
very much worked up over something. He
remained In his .Oom about two hours and
then started off down town. The chances
are that the intervening time was spent In
putting his effects in order and getting
ready for the deed. The landlHdy OF the
house was away and had her pass key with
her, and as the room was locked 1t was I'M
possible to discover whether he had left
any letters. From the people in the house
it was learned that the old man had been
very despondent of late, and that nearly all
his means had been swallowed up IN stock
sDeculations.
81 knew Mr.. Rippey very WE'LL" was the
remark of gen ntleman who lives near No
1920 Powell street. "He used TO come to my
place every day to read the papers before
he went down town. He did not come this
morning. as usual, aud he seemed very
passed about o O'clock. He was born III
CiIe,anati. O., and leaves q wife and
family there At one time he was worth
over 100000. and made about S50.Oc0 on
Comstock. He came to San Francisco and
began gambling in stocks. His money soon
began to go. and then he opened cash
grocery store on Fourth street. That
venture failed. and abont four years ago
he was running bar and dining-room on
the steamer Mary Garrett. which plies be-
tween San Francisco and Stockton. At one
time he lived in Denver. and owned quite q
lot of property. but 1t also went IN his
stock speculations. Latteriy the old man
was at most without means. and was III a
very despOndeDt frame of mind. He knew
almost all the Old timers in California.
When else could identify q man,
Rippey was called upon, and he generally
succeeded"
What kippsy's Family Say.
CINCINNATI. Feb. 24.-The family OF Wesley c.
Rippey, who made an attempt on Mr. Mackay's
life, lives in the suburbs OF this city. His wife
lives with her william at Idlewild, six miles
north of here. He is well-to-do and highly re-
spected. He is connected with acanning company
on Elm street. The other son, Wesley c. Rlppey,
lives in the eastern part OF Columbia. He is a
government gauger Of spirits, and is o man Of
unblemished reputation. Naturally the news to
them today caused q terrible shock. Thirty
years more ago the would-be murderer
was engaged in trade here, connected with the
river intereSts. He was restless and removed
about S6S to Ca pc Girardeau, Mo. There. too.
his rowing temper led him to 20 further West
His family remained awhile at Cape Girardeau,
then returned TO Cincinnati. where they have re-
manned ever since. Only incidentally did they
hear OF this strange man during all these years
News came now and then of his wander
ings on the plains and in the Rockies. They sup
posed he was at Denver six years ago. when
they received the first and only letter he ever
wrote them. About six months ago Wesley Rip
pey got letter from safe deposit bank
i'll San Francisc6, asking reference be-
cause he had applied there to mako a deposit
OF valuables III the banks safety deposit
vaults. They answered this letter. The family
cay that Mr- Rippey was never suspected of
mental arrangement but that he had a mania
for rowing which took him away from family ties.
Ntither was he dIsagreeable in his conduct when
at home with his family. Nothing that they
ever saw of him wGen he was with them ever
prepared them to believe that he would attempt
TO murder any one. They now believe that he
must have lost his reason.
Rippey's Career at Denver.
DENVER, Col, Feb 24.-W.C. Rippey, the assail-
ant Of Mr.. Mackay, was well known In this city
in the seventies. In 1876 he was proprietor OF
the fremont House. Later he was in the COM
mission business. and was also q stockholder in
the Exchange Bank. which failed in 1880 He
had considerable property while here and en-
gagged in speculation good deal. He lost con-
siderable money. but was supposed to have
some when he went away. He stood well in the
community, and aside from his tendencies to
speculation was looked upon as q reliable bust.
ness man.
Nara Mackay Receives the News.
LONDON, Feb. 24.-Mrs. Mackay received a
dispatch from America this evening saying that
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