The Big Stone Gap post. [volume] (Big Stone Gap, Wise County, Va.) 1892-1928, 1893-11-02
mayor Harrison, Of CHICAGO
Murdered in Cold Blood.
he Sought Rest st His Home whsy,
The Assassin Stole Upon Him.
hhr"' C'"ei Bullots Entered 1I,s VIZ,
1@rt"-"I Did IT," Bald Rnsen. rnfr,ot
1en"e rSaat. IA He Surrendered
Aimsoif TO the City Police.

-. "a Vie "eat' hes dead in his home
NO. Isl South Ashland boulevard
hrce onll'ts entered his body, two O.
thcm making wounds sufficient to cans,
death. w ~A"S'
The murder was committed SATURDAY.
evening by Eugene Patrick Prender
CAST pspcr-carrier, who declared
'hht Mayor Harrison had promised e
'hakc him corporation counsel, and hat
not kept hin word. This. he said wn,
his only reason for committing thu
crime
Tho only persons In the house at the
time besides Mr.. Harrison were his son
William Preston Harrison, Is years O.
age; his afianced wife, Miss Ami,
howard, and his servant Shortly b.
fore 3 o'clock the door.bcll rang. euc
when Mary Hansen, the domestic
opened the door she was confronted hy
a man.
is Mr. Harrison !n?" asked the man
IN quiet, pleasant voice.
Yes, SIR, responded the girl as she
threw the door wider open to permit
his entrance
Il would like to see him. please"
said the man, as he walked toward the
back end Of the hall NJ. Harrison
was IN the dining room, which oponr
into the r~nr end Of the hall.
Hearing shc man ask for him, he
arose. and stepped into the hall, walk
ed toward Prcndergast who by the
time he caught sight Of Mr.. Harrison,
had advanced about ten feet from the
/ doorway.
Without saying word Prendergast
drew his revolver and commenced 70
! FIRE. lie pulled tho trigger but three
times, and every bullet hit the mark
One ball shattered Mr. Harrison's loft
hand another passed into the lower
right Side OF tho abdomen, making a
wound that would have becn mortal
! within few days; the third bullet
entered the chest, slightly above the
! heart
This bullet was the immediate cause
Of death.
AS soon rs rrendergnst began 70 fire
Mr. Harrison turned and walked rapid
L. toward the d!ning-rooln IIc walked
through the door, ccroSs the dining
room and PASSED into buffers pantry
opening off the room, where. weakened
BY loss CT blood, he ELL to the floor
rrcndcrsnst did not follow up his vic
tim or make any attempt to ascertain
how deadly his aim had tcen. He rt,.
placed his revolver in his pocket with
the same celebration that marked all
Of his actions and started toward the
door
Just as he WAS passing through the
doorway William Preston Harrison, the
mayors son, came tearing down the
stairs from the upper part OF the house
lust rs Mr. Harrison's cOachmnn ran
into the rear cnd OF the hail Tho cries
Of NARY Hansen directed the son TO
where his Esther lay, but the coach
man WIS after other game. lie had n
revolver OF his own, and rs quickly as
he realized what had occurred he
lcvelcd his weapon and sent bullet
after the disappearing torn Of the muir:
derer. A SECOND time his revolver
spoke, but both bullets went wild.
Running to the door the coachman
was prepared to continue hostil:ties,
but several people we're entering to
learn the cause OF the shooting and BY
the time tive coachman had reaohed
the sidewalk prcndergast had boon
swallowed up in the darkness.
Across Ashland boulevard, directly
onnositc The residence Of Mr.. Harrison,
is the home OF W. J. Chalmers, the
wealthy maker of mining machinery.
Mr.. Chalmers WAS standing upon the
front steps Of his residence when the
shots were fred. He bounded down tho
steps, and, dashing across the street,
NIT Ir.ndor1ust almost out OF the
gate.
"Whot is it," said Mr. Chalmers.
The ,nan walked rapidly north on
Ashland avenue without replying, and
Mr. Chalmers FASTENED into the house.
He rcach..d MIR lIarrison's side almost
M the same instant that William Tres
, Ga, Harrison had found where his father
lay. c,.,,us
49, hc and the son Of the dying man
4trove 70 raise him.
I've got my death, Chalmers, re:
spon,.cd the mayor:
Noticing q spot Of blood on the
moyor's waistcoat, Mr. Chalmers said:
az guess not.
I'm shot in tho heart and I'm
dead man." was the only reply.
A moment later he said with voice
which was rapidly losing strength:
"Unbutton my vest, Chalmers 1 mere .
where tho trouble is
Nv this time the stricken man nao
been borne TO couch in an adjoining
roo,, and as quickly as he spoke MT
Chalmers opened his waisteoat' Inc
front of his shirt was soaked with
Hood which wclled rapidly from twe
holes, one just ap9ye the aear1 tho
other in l.in abdomen.
ITS through the heart, salo inc
mayor again, his voice scarcely "oo!e
,rhisDer. A moment later he sank INTO
,nconscious.ess. and III twenty min
utes after receiving the wounds MT
Harrison was dead.
Cu,cAGo. Oct 30.-There Will De
nothing of gladness and congfataia;
lion in the white city ut its offlc'ai
closing Monday.
- WIS 10 have been Columbus day, IN
the category of fctes and special days.
md the exposition was TO have gone
ont of official existence in olaze OF
nrrotechnic glory by day ana night