The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-10-30
THE CHICAGO TRAGEDY.

tragic emu 10 dramatlc ana picturesque
career. He was man of strong person.
ality, and outside of politics possessed some
admirable traits of character. That he was
a man of more than ordinary ability and
power in impressing himself on the people
is amply shown by his repeated election to
different Offices by large majorities and by
the large personal following he had among
all classes of people irrespective of party
affiliations. He united in remarkable de-
gree the qualities of an aristocrat and
rroletary. He was equally at home among
people Of the highest culture and the lowest
rabble of the slums. Born. bred and edu-
Gated as a gentleman, cultivated and lib
eralized by travel an effective speaker and
graceful writer, he was also able to and
did put himself in complete sympathy with
the lawbreaking and law-defying classes.
If he was a forceful and accomplished man,
in politics was in sense wholesome.
Amiable, attractive and even fascinating in
private life and personal intercourse, his
public career was wholly on the side of
bad morals, bad politics and bad govern
ment. If he had been less of a demagogue
he would probably have been less successful
in politics, but with his unquestioned abil-
tiles he could certainly have done some
service in the cause of social reform and
purer politics. AS it is, his record presents
no evidence of any such service. To his
marked ability he added a degree of ego
tism and self-confidence that made him
very available on state occasions, and dur
ing the progress of the worlds fair he has
borne brilliant part in many notable pub
lie functions.
The manner of Mr.. Harrisons death was
as dramatic as it was shocking. The muir
der. any circumstances would have shocked
the country, but the circumstances sur
rounding this cowardly assassination make
1t peculiarly impressive Beginning his last
term as Mayor almost simultaneously with
the opening of the worlds fair, it is re-
markable that he should have met his
death but two days before it's Close and on
the very day when he had been particularly
conspicuous as the leader of a PROCESSION
of Mayors and city officials from all parts
of the country. The fact that he was in a
estimable lady who was i'm his house at
the time of the shooting, and an enforced
witness of the death scene, gives an added
touch of dramatic horror to the deep dam
nation of his taking off.
IN some respects the case recalls the muir
der of President Garfield. In both cases the
assassin was a crank, If not lunatic. who
claimed to have rendered political service
and an office seeker who claimed to have
been denied the just reward of his services.
| In this respect the murder of Mayor Har-
rison, like that of Garfield. has connec-
ton more or less direct with the universal
scramble for office. There is no reason to
believe that Prendergast had any claim
/ for the position he was seeking, and it is
| quite evident that he had no fitness for IT.
| yet, with the monumental self-complacency
| of the typical office seeker, he seems to
| have worked himself into the belief that he
| had both claims and fitness. 1t is evident
! from the statement Of Corporation Counsel
| Kraus that Prendergast had been quite per-
sistent in demanding the office. and 1t is
| not unlikely that Mayor Harrison or some
person speaking for him had promised the
| fellow he should be appointed, in order to
| get rid of a person they supposed to be
| crazy. That he had worked himself into a
| nurderous state of mind is shown by the
| fact that on the Thursday before the kill
| ing he declared in the presence of Mr.. Har-
rison's private secretary, in public saloon
that If Mayor Harrison did not do a GER
tain thing he would shoot him. Mark
what 1 say" he added. excitedly, unless
| he does it he Is dead man." He should
have been arrested at once. as every man
should who publicly threatens to commit
murder. If Guiteau had made any such
| public declaration of his intention to kill
4
| arrested, and the murdered President might
/ be alive to-day.
| If Prendergast is insane his insanity is
| probably much like Guiteau's-the result of
| morbid vanity and disappointed ambition
| preying on a naturally weak and selfish
nature and a constitution undermined by
drink. Unfortunately, there are too many
| insane people of that class in the country.
| 1t Is very questionable whether that sort of
| insanity ought to be admitted as a plea of
| defense on charge OF murder
THEY ARE AFRAID OF LIGHT.
The Democrats in the House do not want
any light thrown on the operations Of State
banks in ante-war times. When a resolu-