Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-10-30


dencc soon after his death. She had been
notified Of the shooting Immediately by
telephone, and did not know it was fatal
until she arrived At the scene of the
tragedy, where ON being told the awful
truth She sank half fainting into The arms
Of Mrs. Chalmers.
A BRIGHT FUTURE BEFORE HIM.
Yet Perishes at the Hands OF Worthless.
Cranky Nfiscrcant.
Tho tragedy is an inexpressah!y sad one. |
His son said: "lt was a coward!y and cold |
father had reached home weary with the
exertions Of a day at the fair. His future
was bright in every way and the world
held out great Inducements for him to live.
lie was to have been married Nov. 16 and
intended to leave the city Nov. l2 for New
Orleans, where he was to meet his bride.
There seems % have been fatality in the
dates, as the wedding was originally SET
for an earlier DAY, which, if the plans had
been carried out. would have taken father
from the city letore this time. But be-
cause o; the election the date Of the wed
ding was postponed"
And the man who shot, who was hes 4
crank perhaps, but not nearly SO crazy rs
Guiteau. y iuan of 25 with a face that
has vicious,iess printed all over it is the
way he is described by the city press. AT
his age he had found nothing suited to his
talents higher than carrier OF newspapers,
and he did that so poorly that one paper
discharged him. He was not worth to
the community or to mankind as much in
a month as Mayor Harrison was in u
minute. He went to the Desplaines Street
station and told the policemen he had shot
Mayor Harrison, and they took him to
headquarters where for an honr he was
questioned and cross-examiued apparently
with a view to ascertaining whether he
was insane or not.
For, as the mayors son says, 1.-THE man
who killed my father must b ave been in
sane There are good many people in
| Chicago, however, who believe that this
| particular Kind of insanity should always
| insure its possessor quick and certain
| death instead of 4 term at kankakee, to
| be followed by release and freedom to kill
| some one else. To the questions p-opouna-
| eG :he assassin said his name was Eugene
Patr.SA Pre- nfergast; that he shot ti0
mayor because the mayor had bettayeW
| his confidence (said betrayal consisting as
near as it could be made on. in refusing
to appoint Prendergast to the position of
| corporation counsel); that he expected to
| be acquitted, because he was justified in
! shooting.
He also said that he had plan to raise
the tracks os the railways at little cost to
the railways and none to the city, which
he had explained to the mayor, and it was
for the purpose of getting this plan into
operation that he wanted TO be co-opera.
tion counsel. There was lot more to the
same effect which left the policemen Of
the opinion that the fellow was insane
On the other hand his mother-not know
ing Of his crime at the e-said that hs
was perfectly sane, but cranky ON some
subjects, particularly the single tax theory
The physician who has attended the family
for years said that Prendergast was per
fectly sane, and that no one had ever sue
pected him Of insanity SO far rs he knew
SCENE At A REPUBLICAN MEETING
The Audience Adjourns ON Receipt of tn,
Awful News.
News of the tragedy reached the busi
ness part Of the city within \ few minutes
Before the reporters could reach the Har
rison mansion there was q crowd Of We
hicles on Ashland avenue and the lawl
was covered with people. Within half Al
hour the news had apparently reache,
every city and county Official, and befor
the body had been removed to the uppe
room, where it now lies, the crush had be
| come 30 great that Capt. Shea's men wer
obliged to keep away all visitors. Th
Commercial club was holding q banquet
but the banquet was untouched; at tn,
J | clubs the greatest excitement prevaile
} and half dozen social functions preparc
J for the night were abandoned.
But the most remark able scene was a
| the Republican campaign meeting held i
the North Side Turner hail. Here ha
gathered large throng to listen {
| speeches many Of which would have bee
/ | in parts decidedly uncomplimentary {
| Carter II. Harrison. John T.. Farwell pr,
. | sided and Ex-Governor Oglesby was speal
| ing when j. G. w. Rhode entered an
, | walking to the stage gave a slip Of pape
, to ex.County Attorney Bliss, who read
r ! and let it fall ON the floor. He picked
E ND again and whispered its dreadful tic
/. inrs to a reporter, who seized his nott
3 and left. These acts had attracted after
: ton aud Governor Oglesby stopped in b
Q speech and inquired what was the matte
4 lie in turn was handed the slip Of paper.
{ The ex-governor glanced 1t 1t, and as !
walked slowly forward the whole aud
). encs showed intense interest In what hs
been seen on the stage. men leaning 10
|. ward and half rising in their excitemeu
: Everybody dreaded something.
"Fellow- -cieizens. have terrible uevv1
. impart." Governor Oglsshy uttered q
. ! Werds scarcely above whisper.
D l Nearly the whole audienee Wns a 1