Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1893-10-31

ArtAlt0h anu itiAN+' fatt'''
The man Prcnl~rgast, who murdered
Mayor Garter Harrison Saturday. seems
% be "a "lunatc" after the order Of Gui-
trau. and II that is all that there Is wrong
with his brains we trust that he will
meet the same fate that Guitcau met.
lie is "a reformcr." and an oiiice-seeker.
That he Is monomaniac ia no doubt
true. but Il would seem that he is re-
sponsible for his actions, that is TO say,
he knew he had no right TO take life.
The world is nowadays so full Of cranks
that 20 allow that they are 'irrespons-
ble' for crimes committed by them Is
90 give liberty to large class TO muir
der with impunity. However. we under
stand very well that each case must stand
or fall upon its own merits.
The family physician Of Prendergast Is
quoted as saying that he never dis
covered in him any evidence of unsound-
ness of mind. but there are many Others
who. IT Is stated. will testify that Prem
dergast was "a crank; that he had
studied cranky economic theories until
his mind gave way; that he Imagined
that he was reformer': that he had
schemes for the betterment OF mankind" (;
that ne was especially bitter in denun-
citation OF the railroad-grade crossings"
by which number OF people are killed
IN Chicago every year: that he was a
disciple of Henry George. and that he
imagined that If he could secure the
place of corporation counsel he could
right all OF these wrongs and live hap
pity dn ohlce) ever afterwards.
True he had no qualifications for the
Office that he sought-he was paper
carrier. not lawyer-but IL we are TO
set down as insane all those men who
seek office without the slightest qualihca-
ton therefor there will be long list of
adjudgod lunatics in every community.
In all OF the annals of crime there
have been few more cold-blooded az
sassnations than Prendergasts of Har-
rison. Psendergast waited about the
Mayors residence Saturday till the Mayor
came from the Fair-Grounds For fear
OF interruption no doubt. he did not at
tack Mr. Harrison on the street. When
he first rang the door-bell OF the de-
ceaseds house. the deceased was at din
ner. Prcndergast was told TO call later.
lie called three quarters OF an hour later,
and the Mayor then came forward 10
meet him.
Mayor Harrison was a man OF wealth.
and lived In excellent style. and though
hundreds OF people sought audience with
him daily. he seems 10 have maintained
al his home no network Of footmen.
door-kecpers. ushers. and private secre-
taries to crosse Xamine and sift out the
people who should be permitted TO see
him. In this case certainly. 1t would
have been better had he been surrounded
By such a staff. for upon presenting him
self before Prendergast ne was not only
unarmed hut unsuspicious. and fell
pierced by four bullets. which made five
wounds.
The people would have lynched Prem
dergast had they dared 10 make the
attempt Perhaps the recollections OF a
late affair at Roanoke cooled their blood
little. Nevertheless, Prendergast WAS
hurried from one police-statlon 10
another. and then To jail. and then az
was SAID 10 some unknown place. hnt
ON Sunday afternoon he was produced
Vor identiication) before the Coroner's
jury. lie was brought into Mayor Har-
risons house by the back gate. and be-
Ing requested 80 10 do. put on his hat In
ort'er 10 let the maidservant, who opened
tho door for him ON Saturday, say
whether he was the same man. She
fully identified him. lie himself, then
ana there. admitted that he was the
hsfse man. but az 10 the shooting he
would Say nothing. The Coroners jury,
OF course. found that Carter II. Harri-
BON came TO his death by wounds in
nic'eo by Patrick Eugene Prendergast
All OF the Chicago papers speak well
oi mr. Harrison. Some OF them that
ooaia never md pleasant word for him
10 ms life. when he was dead sscertained
that they could truly and conscisntiously
see IN MS Character many admirable traits.
Ahased, ne Was not without faults. but he
was man who loved Chicago much. and
dh much for her. lie believed In Chicago
END himself. and lived boldly up 70 his
tdeal OF Official duty. He WAS In fact,
. typical ch'easoan. and yet some chica-
80 preachers la their sundays sermons
veal - oar a. TO sscsihs tho murder 70