St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-10-29

Docohc dldIIucu IOr tue SdIety OF tQeIf
prisoner. A hasty conference of the
officers was held, and it was decided to
remove Prendergast to the central sta
ton in the city hall.
The trembling, pale-faced prisoner
was led between stalwart officers to
rear door and hurried away In the
darkness.
Meantime tidings of the murder had
swept like an electric shock through
the city. The telephone wires fairly
burned with service as queries and con-
nrmations flew over the circuits. City
officials, politicians and business men
dropped their evening papers as the
startling news came to their homes,z
and hurried to the center of the city, to ,
swell the crowds that clustered about
the central station. Bulletins were !.
posted IN prominent downtown places.
and about them eager throngs surged
aud struggled. The newspaper offices /
were besieged by eager question
ers, and downtown business was !
for time at standstii.
Before the prisoner had reached the
city hall news of his coming had been
communicated to the crowds about the
street, and the place was surrounded.
The murderer was rushed through the
throng into the dark court yard between
the county and city buildings and hur-
rled through a private entrance into
Chief of Detectives Shea's office. The
doors were barred, and officers even
hurried from adjacent stations to guard
the windows, doors and corridors. A
few detectives and police officers were
called into the chiefs Office, and the
examination of Prendergast began.
THE PRISONER,
as soon he had reached the Office, sank
exhausted into a chair, his head fell
back and his livid face and staring eyes
presented CHASTITY picture. He is a
slender man, perhaps twenty-fOur years
of age, with beardlesS and cadevorous
face and stupid, almost idiotic express
sion. His attire was that of laboring
man and was not over cleanly. For
time the man refused to answer any
questions that were addressed to him.
In scarcely audible voice he said:
Ppm sick, Pm sick.''
Chief Shea at last reached over, placed
bis finger on the mans wrist and told
that it was doctor who questioned
him. "WhY did you kill the mayor?"
asked the chief.
"Well," the man responded feebiy,
she told me he would make me corpora
ton counsel, and he didn't do it, so /
shot him. Ijust shot him, that's ALI l
shot him."
''What is your name, asked a detec-
tive.
"Prendergast. Patrick Eugene or Eu-
gene Patrick. makes no difference which.
The last name is Prendergast."
''Where do you live?"
81 don't know where. Around here
somewhere, l guess. But" and the
man raised his head to make mis- answer
more emphatic. 81 don't live at the rail-
road tracks, 1 tell you that" and no
amount of inquiry could induce him to
give his place of residence.
Chief Shea asked him if he had ever
been lawyer, and Prendergast re-
sponded that he did not know.
"Then why did you expect to be
made corporation counsel?" asked the
officer.
'The mayor promised me. That's ALL"
was the answer.
During the course Of his talk the
prisoner stated that he had originated
plan for elevating the railroad tracks
within the city limits, and that he had
desired to be corporation counsel SO
that he could carry out this plan.
"You see," said Prendergast, 81 ha We
done some work in a political way in
my ward during the last few campaigns,
and all for Harrison. / knew large
number of people, and, because of my
influence, Harrison promised me posi-
ton if he was elected in the last cam
paign. 1 was asked what l wanted,
and l said that 1 had scheme
for the elevation Of the railroad tracks.
wanted to be corporation counsel so
that could push this scheme. l was
told that l might have the position.
Since election have asked for the office
again and again and have been put off
repeatedly. The Office was given to an
other. The mayor had betrayed me,
and resolved to have revenge. I have
it."
"You wanted to have the tracks ele-
vated, did you? You did not have any
particular plan did you?" asked the
chief, thinking perhaps Prendergast
was crazy on that subject.
{ ''Yes, had plan that would have
cost the railroads little and the city
nothing. But have forgotten 1t now."
he continued, wearily, and moment
later began to talk again incoherently
about Mr.. Harrison's failure to give him
q position.
? In attempting to learn the mans
means of livelihood the officers expert
enced great difficulty. His replies were
iucoherent and rambling, but at last the
examiners became convinced that he
had been newspaper carrier whose
route was along Ashland boulevard, land
in the vicinity of
THE MAYORS HOME.
For several hours the examination was
continued, but little of Importance was
developed. Other witnesses were ex-
amined, Including servants Who were in
Mr. Harrison's house at the time of the
shooting, and people who had arrived
soon after the murder. The prisoner
was finally placed in cell under the
city hall and additional policemen were
stationed about the building for the
nights vigil.
All night long crowds came and went
about the place. A bitter feeling
against the murderer was manifested.
Significant but subdued remarks about
lamp posts and swift revenge were
heard. At one time during the evening
as carriage drove rapidly down the
street, a young man pointed his UNI
brella at the vehicle and shouted:
s'There he goes"
There was an immediate rush for the
retreating carriage, but some one
shouted that Prendergast was still in
the chiefs Office. and the crowd stopped
ond houon looking for the man with the