The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-02-25
John W. MaCKAY SHOT.
The California Millionaire the
Victim of Crank.
THE WOUND IS NOT DANGEROUS

His Assaiiant, After the Attemp mpted Muir
der, Inflicted u Mortal Wound ON Him.
seif-He Is q Victim of Stock specu-
Iation.
SAN FRANCISCO, Feb. 25.-The life of
John w Mackay, the famous CAPITALIST,
was attempted yesterday by w. C, Rippey,
an old man who is undoubtedly insane,
and who after attempting Mr.. Mackay's
assassination. turned the weapon upon
himself and inflicted O mortal wound.
shortly after noon two men, one of them
an old man, were seen walking through
Lick alley, a passage through the Lick
house, from Sutter to Post street. Suddenly
, two shots In rapid succession were fired,
I'd the man who had fired them--the
older-was seen to fall near the end Of the
alley. The other, who was Mr.. Mackay,
was at once helped into buggy and driven
rapidly away while the old man lay bleed
ing and unconscious on the street. A patrol
wagon was called and the wounded man
was hurried to the receiving hospital.
There the doctor found the bullet had
penetrated above the heart and had lodged
under the skin of the back, from which it
was extracted At the time of the opera
hon the man was unconscious, and the
wound was pronounced fatal
There was little on the dying mans
\ person to indicate who he was. He had
In his pocket letter addressed to morn
ing paper in which the writer stated that
he was 78 years of.age. 1t was signed w.
q. Rippey. There was also upon him an
envelope bearing the name of Dr. L. l..
lincoln. On the back OF the envelope
were the words: 1.-THE end is not yet"
Upon sheet of paper, under the heading
Food for Reflection" were the words
=" Paid s150,0O0 for one sapphire to place on
the forehead of his wife-a sufficient
amount to have saved at least five hun
dred OF his victims from suicidal graves
just think Of it. Inscribe it upon his
tomb
MIR. Macieay but Slightly Hurt.
When Mr. Mackay reached his room at
the hotel he removed his garments with
out assistance and waited for a physician
DR.. Reeney and DR.. John +. Morse arrived
aL,ut tie sah.a time After brief exam
tnation they stated they the wound was
mot fatal The bullet entered Under the
right shoulder blade and glanced toward
the right 1t was suggested that the physi-
Iians should delay probing for the bullet
hutil Mr.. Mackay became more composed,
but the wounded man insisted that the
operation be proceeded with at once, and
soon after the physicians extracted the
bullet DR. Morse said that the bullet en-
tered below the right shoulder blade and,
ranging slightly to the right, struck one
Of the vertebra, lodging in the splnous
process Dr. Morse said that the wound
was not necessarily fatal, but that his pa
tient was by no means out Of danger. He
added that in cnses of gunshot wounds
there was always danger of blood poison
ing. When closely questioned he said that
= II was too soon to foretell the result.
" lien Mr. MaGkay was asked If he knew
the man who had shot him he said: II
never knew of u man named Rippey. /
hal a good look Mt the old man who shot
ne and am certain do not know him.
cannot give any reason for the assault"
A Victim of Stock Gambling.
Rppey, who has been identified was
born in Cincinnati, and leaves wife and
family there. AT one time he was worth
orer 100000 He made about s50,0OO on
the Comstock. He came to San Francisco
and began gambling in stocks. His money
soon began to 20 and then he opened
cash grocery store. That venture failed,
and about four years ago he was running
The bar and dining room on the steamer
which plies between San Francisco and
Stockton. Al one time he lived in Denver
and owned considerable property, but it
also went in his stock speculations Lat
terly the man was almost without means
and was in very despondent frame OF
mind, He knew almost all the old timers
In California. When no one else could
identify an unknown old man Rippey was
caiied up II, and iie generally succeeded.