The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-09-28
BULLETS FLY ON CHANGE.
A LunatiC Fires Into the Board Of
Trade Operators.

Three of His Five Bullets Take Eff
fsct-Amori M. Bennett Suffers q
Flesh Wound and a Telegraph Ops
erator's Jaw Fractured-The Man
Who Fired the Shots Full of Queer
Halluoinations.
Chicago, Sept. 27.-Five shots fired in
quick succession echoed through the hall
Of the board Of trade shortly after noon
to-day while the floor of the exchange
was crowded with operators. A panic
resulted, the operators rushing pell-mel
from the floor and tumbling over each
other in their haste TO reach the outer
hall. The shots were fired by a middle-
aged man who had been observing the
proceeding from front seat in the ex-
treme southern corner of the gall
lery What Immediately preceded
the tragedy is not known, for those
who had been sitting near him fed for
their lives. When the first shot was
heard, the operators who looked in the
direction Of whence it came saw the in-
dividual in question flourishing his pistol
and endeavoring to pull the trigger of the
weapon, which appeared momentarily to
have caught in his finger. He was still
fourishing the pistol aimlessly when it
discharged four times in rapid succession.
Three of the five shots took effect
THE INJURED.
The injured are: Amori NJ Bennett,
prominent operator and president of the
Board of Trade Insurance Company, bull
let in the neck, believed seriously
wounded Mrs. w w. Lewis, of Titus
ville Pa, worlds fair visitor to Chicago
who was sitting in the gallery, flesh
wound
@. w. Roewell, assistant chief operator
of the Western Union Telegraph Com
pany, on change, jaw fractured by
bullet.
Before the lunatic could empty the re-
naming chambers Of his revolver he was
caught from behind by Thomas Barrett,
the floor officer Of the board, and noted
athlete, who threw him TO the tioor aud
pinioned his hands. He was then taken
down to the private room of the executive
committee of the board shouting at the
top of his voice, II warned them before
and they would not heed; 1 gave them
plenty of fair warnings"
THE MAN A LUNATIo.
The name of the man who did the
shooting is said to be Charles Belden, and
his occupation is that of a carriage paint
er. He is stout man of middle age, and
was poorly dressed. For a time he re-
fused to give any name except Chicago"
He is undoubtedly a lunatic.
Belden was taken to the Harrison
street police station, where he made a
rambling and incoherent statement to the
effect that he is under hypnotic influence;
struggle for bread; saw his children sold
on the board of trade; expected to see his
soul sold there to-day and other things
equally as disJointed.
COOL AND COLLECTED.
Belden was cool and collected while
talking. He changed frequently from
the subject of hypnotism to his Yagary
about his soul being sold He is about 40
years old. After his talk he was locked
in cell
Belden lived in a fat on La Sale
avenue with his sister, Mrs. A Williams,
a dress maker and his brother, T. +.
Belden, a speculatOr. When Mrs Will
liams was told of the shooting she said:
"My brother has not been in his right
mind for five years and he
has been unable to work during
that time, being dependent on my brother
and me for support. He used to be sign
painter but over work and domestic
trouble unsettled his mind, and he has
since his diuOrce from his wife in Cam
den, N. j., been lunatic / believe that
he committed the act in the thought that
his brother was being robbed or some
way injured by the men in the pit.