The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-08-30
ATTEMPTED ASSASSINATION.
Jim Bourgctte. Discharged Clerk. Seeks TO
Murder Postmaster Jewett.

| The sensation of the day yesterday was
the attempted assassination OF Postmaster
| L. B. Jewett by James Bourgette. who
was until about two months ago clerk in
the postoffice.
Monday evening Bourgette went to po-
| lice headquarters and entered the private
! office, and beckoned to Chief Cone to fol-
| low him. Mr.. Cone did so, and, upon
stepping over the threshold. Bourgette
asked him to shut the door as he wanted
to talk privately to him. Upon the door
| being shut Bourgette told Chief Cone that
he intended to kill Postmaster Jewett and
asked him when the new postmaster would
be appointed to use his influence for the
retention Of one of the lady clerks, whom
he eulogized very heartily. Outside OF her
| he expressed desire to see the new broom
sweep as clean as possible. Chief Cone
told him that he was talking through his
hat" but Bourgette insisted that he was
! determined to kill Judge Jewett, and still
the chief did not pay any attention to him.
| During the night, however, he thought
perhaps that Bourgette was serious aud
lie determined to get up early in the morn
ing and warn Judge Jewett of the threats
proceeded TO the postoffice, but Mr.. jew
EFT WAS not there. He then went to head
quarters and afterwards stroled up street
IN hopes of finding Bourgette and
assertaining his intentions by another
interview. At the corner Of Main and
Douglass. he met prominent citi-
Zen who told him that Bourgette
was down town with loaded
revolver and TO he on the lookout for him.
The chief then proceeded again to the post
office and as he did so he observed Bour-
gette sitting on chair across the street
watching the postoffice entrance like
hawk. The chief passed in in hopes OF
seeing Judge Jewett. but as he was not
there he decided to arrest Bourgette for
fear he might meet Judge Jewett on the
street and put his threats into execution.
When he came out Bourgette had walked
away. evidently to avoid him. and the chief
followed oyertakiug him at the corner of
Douglas avenue and Marke. tstreet He told
Bourgette to walk along with him to
police headquarters and Bourgette asked
him what for. ''Oh l want to talk with
you little more on that postolIice mat
ter, " said the chief. Bourgette was not
inclined 10 go and Chief
Cone seeing his opportunity caught
hold of his hand, went into his
pocket and took out a vicious looking bull
dog revolver fully loaded and cooked
ready for action. This enraged Bourgette
and he said that he was determined to kill
Judge Jewett and would do it with an
other revolver. He was Immediately
taken to the city prison, locked up and had
a hearing at O'Clock, when he was fined
Sl5 and committed to Jail. This was done
for the purpose of holding him legally till
some steps could be taken to dispose of
him.
During the conversations with Chief
Cone, Bourgette told him that he had in
tended for a long time to kill Judge
Jewett, but that his mother was sick and
he was waiting till she got we'll enough to
bear the shock.
Bourgette is very much devoted to his
mother ana sisters, who are two very fine
Christian ladies, and his mental condition
is evidently the result of worrying about
how he could help them financially.
When Bourgette was discharged Judge
Jewett regretted very much that the ne
cessity of The service compelled him to do
it, Mt Jewett was very tender hearted
about the matter and instead of dis
charging him outright he left note on
his desk informing him that his resigna-
{ on would be accepted, and then Mr.
Jewett left for his farm. When Bourgette
found the note he was very much dis
turbed and started on foot to Judge jew
ett's farm near Valley Center and in
order to get there he waded the Arkansas
river and, arrived late in the night. He
asked Judge Jewett for explanations and
Mr.. Jewett gave them TO him. The prin
cipal fault found with MIN was his impos-
sbility 10 get along with the other en-
ployes of the Office and carelessnes and neg
lect in the line of his duty. The ultimation
was that he should resign. That Judge
Jewett was very sorry to be compelled TO.
let him cut there is no doubt Tor he ex-
pressed the most touching regrets to an
EAGLE reporter at the time. Mr. Jewett
had very high regard for the mother and
sister of Bourgette and it is for their sake
that he kept him in the office so long.
After his discharge Bourgette went east
in search of employment and it is fact
that while he WAS at Springfield, Ohio. he
then talked or not only killing Judge
Jewett but others who were among the
best friends he had in the world. IL is
also well known that while at Springfield
he became unbalanced on account of his
failure TO get employment and it is even
said that he attempted suicide in a ceme-
terry there and was only saved by taking
an overdose of some poison.
Luckily for Mr., Jewet6 he went to his
farm early yesterday morning or he might
have been assassinated had he remained
in town. for it is his custom to come to the
postoffice early in the morning.
The Bourgette family have hosts of
friends, all of whom very much regret the
young mans condition. His devotion to
his mother and sister is very commend
able aud it is too bad that he could not
stand up better under adversely. The
fact that he thinks Judge Jewett is an
enemy of his is a gross hallucination, for
Mr.. Jewett has expressed himself to the
contrary on most every occasion that
Bourgette is made the subject of CONVEX
sation. An inquiry will be made into his
mental condition.