Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-10-31
SHOT BY A CRANK
superintendent Matthias Of the
Postal Telegraph Company
ASSAULTED BY A CRAZY MAN
Hidinx m Building He Opened Fire.
Hat was Finally Captured by
the PoitceL
ASSAULTED BY A CRAZY MAN

NKv YoRx. Oct 0-An excited work
man rushed from the new building OF
the Postsl Telegraph company At Broad
way and Murray street sf i:lc o'clock
this afternoon and called out that
murderous crank Was At large on the
ground floor of the building who had
already shot the clerk OF the works aud
threatened murder by the wholesale.
Several police officers Immediately
rushed TO the spot Inside the building
thes found Superintendent Frederick l.
Matthias. who had charge of the con
struction for Architects Harvey A
Gooch. lie was bleeding profuseiy
from bullet wound in the abdomen.
A number Of badly scared work.
men were lurking behind pillars
and piles OF wood and brick.
while others crowded the tenn
porary stairs leading 10 the next
story attracted there BY pistol shots and
the excitement from below. The police
men we're told that Matthias assailant
was concealed behind pile OF brick in
the rear Of the building. An officer ad-
vanced towards the mans hiding place
and ordered him 10 come out. 4 pistol
shot rang out and a bullet grazed the
cheek III the policeman. The officer
mounted another pile of bricks and
opened fusilade in the direction of the
mans hiding place. which the latter
steadily returned.
Captured by Police
Finally the crank gave an unearthly
scream. jumped from mis- hiding place
and fred three shots in quick succession
at the policeman. all three missing their
mark. Officers Giblin and Cornell
rushed upon him. seized the pistol and
bore the man 10 the ground. Even after
being disarmed the man fought desper-
ately and the policemen had 10 use their
clubs To overcome him. The hundreds
OF workmen employed in the building.
as well as pedestrians from broadway.
rushed in and raised cry ~ lynch
him" Somebody picked upa brick and
struck the fellow over the head. The
policemen were obliged % turn their at
tention TO saving the man from the fury
of the crowd. Both victim and prisoner
were conveved To the Chamber Street
hospital. IL was found that Matthias
had been shot in the abdomen and was
in great danger of dying. The prisoner
said his name was Francis Bradley.
laborer, without home. Ii was found
that some Of the officers shots had heen
effective. for Bradley was wounded twice
in the right forearm. lie is an unpre-
possessing individual. dirty and un-
kempt. When the superintendent came
around. he told the fellow 10 get out
Hid Behind Pile of Bricks
A fow hours later he came hack and
without saying wcrd walked toward
the centre of the building and hid be-
hind a pile of bricks. 4 workman
called the attention OF Matthias 10 the
fact and he was sgain ordered out. The
answer was a shot Matthias cried. II
am shot" staggered toward the centre
OF the building and fell. After being
arrested Bradley made an incoherept
statement about people being after him.
He said he was Grand Army man.
which cannot he true il the age he gave
81 correct. He also said II had
TO shoot him: he was trying 10 shoot me.
! lost my citizenship papers and was
being hunted by a mob"
None Of the workmen about the build
ing knew Bradley. Tho police believe
he is undoubtedly insane. Others said
that he acted like drunken man. or
one that was badly affected by delirium
trcmens
The bullet was extracted from the
wounded man during the evening. IL
was found embedded in the back OF the
pelvis. II peritonitis does not set in the
physicians say they now have hope for
the superintendent's recovery. who. at 10
o'clock. was resting quietly
Bradley was transferred 10 Bellevue
hospital. The physicians there say Z,
necessary he will be able 10 go to court
tomorrow morning.