davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-03

Tho determination Of the police TO put stor
% fast bicvcle riding on the Boulevard will
,,.., with the approval of those who believe in
fair play for pedestrians rs well a. rluero. i"'
wheel has come to stay and 50 has the pe,'~','""
But tho danger from fast bicycle ri'ihs HIS '''''
grossly exaggerated.
New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-06-03

After Governor Flower had spent two or thre'
bours in tho Chicago rairs Machinery Hall the
eupcrintendcnt of the department. VINO ac'en a.
bis escort begged leave to inquire what ne
thought of it. The Governors breast heaven' Dig
tear. filed his eyes. his lips quivered as he re
nlied: These exhibits are fine. very fine, Dbl
II Won want 70 see really superb machine, on
which surpassas anything you have here IN poih'
Of efficiency and smoothness OF running you
really ought to come TO Albany and inspect I'M
Flowcr-Shccian machine" Tho superinfepdent-
who never did take any interest in politlcs-wa'
yisibly impressed lie insisted that the Governor
should see that u working model OF the inachihe
was placed in Machinery Hall.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25
RIPPEY SHOOTING THE uI1IroyAIRE

l recognized him he had placed himself be-
tween a team of Duffey Bros. the plumbers,
and the man who did the shooting. | called
to Mr.. Mackay to come 70 me quickly, which
he did, not seeming TO understand that he
had been shot at all.
''At the same time ! observed the old
man, with the smoking revolver in his hand,
standing on the sidewalk on the other side
of the plumbers wagon. Almost before
had finished calling to Mr.. Mackay there
was another report. and the old man whom
/ had noticed dr0nped to the sidewalk. as
thought, dead. He was attempting to de-
liver another shot at his fleeing victim. but
had lost sight Of him in consequences OF his
being obscured by the wagon that l have
mentioned Thinking, no doubt, that he
had mpli5hed his purpose lie turned the
weapon upon himself.
'As the crowd was rushing to the scene
gave Mr. Mackay a hand and assisted him
into my buggy. Thinking that he was dam
gerously wounded | made all haste to the
Office Of DR.. KeeDey, on Grant avenue. The
doctor was not IN at the time, but was soon
summoned and gave his attention to the
wounded man. After the injury was
dressed Mr.. Mackay took the elevator and
returned to by buggy, and / conveyed him
to the Palace Ho.el, where he went 10 his
apartments 10 have the bullet which had
lodged IN his back, pTobed for.
did Mr.. Mackay make any remark while
in your buggy" was asked of Mr. Bonner
Yes. / asked him If he was shot, and he
replied that he was. and that the bullet had
struck him in the back, but he showed no
signs Of weakness or unusual pain during
the entire trip"
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25
AT THE RECEIVING HOSPITAL.
DR.. Simpson Removes the Bullet
From the Assassin's Body.

The gray-headed assassin was picked up
and lifted into the patrol wagon. which was
driven at galloping pace to the Receiving
Hospital. When lifted upon the operating
table he was unconscious. Nobody knew
his name. The steward quickly pulled off
his bood-stained coat. vest and shirt.
There was a small hale In his breast Just
above the region Of the heart and the blood
was trucking from it. The old man groaned
as the surgeons finger was thrust into the
wound.
The course described by the suicidal bull
let was quickly traced. 1t had taken
downward path and had penetrated the left
lung. Whether in its passage the spine had
been touched could not be determined. just
below the tenth rib on the left side near the
back aud close under the skin the bullet
was tracked DIR. Simpson made two in
cisi0ns with his knife. With deft twist
of his wrist the little bullet was in bis hands.
After the Wounds had been bandaged the
old man was transferred to cot in the
ward and Police Officer Gleason was de-
tailed from the City Hall station to stand
guard over the prisoner DIR. Simpson ex-
pressed the opinion that he was fatally
wounded. He had coughed up blood and
pleuratic duid Death was only question
of few hours.
The occupation of Wesley G. Rppey Is
given In the directory as ship carpenter.
He Is aged ~ years, height feet inches,
complexion light, eyes blCe hair gray, ma
tive of Pennsylvania, and a resident of 1920
Powell street. For considerable time past
he has bad no occupation.
Kippey has clear cut features, and is not
bad-lockng man. His hair and whiskers
are as white as driven snow. and his eyes
are somewhat deep set under high fore
head He was clad rather shabbily.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25
FACTS ABOUT RIPLEY.
His Family History-What He Did In
This City.

When Rippey became so annoying to Mr..
Flood in May of 1884, Detective John
Meagher was instructed to investigate his
history. He reported on May 10 of that
year that he learned from various sources,
giving his authority In each instance, that
the shooter had come here in 1879 from
Colorado and established grocery-store at
113l Mission street. His wife applied for a
sole leadership. which she was denied be-
cause her usband owed so much money in
Leadville. from which place they came.
Soon after this his wife left him and went
East He then started a restaurant at 523
Clay street. which did not pay. While on
the steamer Mary CARAT he won lot OF
money, which caused him to resign his
place and enter entirely into stock gam
bling He reveled in Trojan and Bodie
securities until he lost all.
A person we'll acquainted with Rippey
has given the information that he belonged
to what is known 10 them as suicide Soc-
ety. Recently they resolved. however. that
when member should commit suicide in
consequence of poverty they should take a
millionaire along with them. There is no
positive evidence of the existence of this
society, however
On February % last Rippey was In the
saloon al 545 Clay street, near Montgomery.
To the proprietor, John Erlenwein, he was
constantly talking of John Mackay, but in
his praise, saying he was one OF his best
friends. In the saloon and at the same
time he told Chef Lusk. the horse trainer,
that Mackay had beaten him out OF Sl00 900.
AT the time he was under the influence of
liquor and had been suffering from pro-
tracted spree.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25

taken out of the hole it broke for Itself
when II made its lodgment. 1t was found
firmly I'm bedded in the spongy bony struc-
ture of the vertebr9l called the osseous
process. 1t was found directly between
the sixth and seventh ribs. A DETECTION Of
one-twelfth of an inch to the right Of the
spine, so DR.. Keeney says. would have sent
the bullet blowing through the lungs.
After the bullet was extracted the sur
geons inserted drainage-tube, sewed up
the cash and dressed the wound anti
septically. The patient was then made
comfortable in his bed. to be nursed back.
if possible, to convaleseance.
DR.. Keeney was unwilling to commit him.
self upon the question as TO whether Mr..
Macksy could be considered out OF danger.
He was, he said, severely wounded. He
had been sh OF in a bad place. de had had
miraculous escape from being Instantly
killed. AS 1t was, the wound Is in a loca-
ton where the healing process would be
necessarily slow. The only immediate
peril Is from Inflammation.
Mr. Maekay is in the most robust health,
and his physical condition encouraged the
strongest hope that his recovery would In
due time be complete. There had been no
paralysis of any of the parts affected. and
the patient appeared TO have passed through
the first crisis of his injury without giving
evidence of having sustained any severe
shock to his nervous system.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25
RIPPEY'S FRIEND SCHMALZER.
The Little German Cobbler Says the
Shooter Was Crazed.

In the basement of the house in which
Rippey has lodged twenty long months there
is a little cobbler-shOp. in which German
shoemaker hammers and pegs away at
North Beach footwear all day long.
This little shop was favorite oun ging
place for old man Rippey. and there was
hardly day that passed without his DROP
ping in for a few minutes talk OF to read
the newspapers.
+. Schmazer. the cobbler. is a phlegmatic
sort of man with decided opinions OF his
own, and be says that Rppey was not only
crazy when he shot at Mackay but that he
had been mildly insane for a long ii me pre-
vious to yesterd avs occurrence.
THAT old man would sit alongside of me
and tell me some OF the most foolish things
| ever heard" Mr.. Schmalzer said yester.
dav. while he was lacking little strips of
leather to lopsided heel, and then he ex-
planned that he never took any notice Of
Rippey's talk because he was an old man
who was down on his luck, and therefore
naturally cranky.
HE was a great friend OF Waldr0n. the
man who committed suicide in Blair's Park
last summer. and also of Maloney, who
killed himself few days ago, and he told
me since the latter occurrence that Maloney
had acted foolish because he had not taken
the life of some Of the mili0naires who had
robbed him before he took his own"
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25

been married and had no relatives living.
Cincinnati was his native place, but he had
lived in many cities, and at one time he
kept hotel in Denver, Colo.
About his California career he had never
much to say, although in a casual way he
told me how be had run the bar on the
Mary CARAT, river steamer plying be-
tween this port and Stockton, and of his
being the proprietor OF q saloon on Fourth
street at one time.
''Of late he has been very much depressed
in spirits, just as II he had expected some.
thing would turn up in his favor and had
been disappointed.
''He also became so sensitive about the
money he owed me that he would carry his
key always In his pocket and would not
allow me to do any work in his room. taking
care OF it himself.
After John Maloney committed suicide
by drowning himself two weeks ago, Rippl
came to me full of excitement and said that
he had known Maloney we'll when they both
were wealthy, and that the latter's case was
very similar to his own.
ION this occasion he dropped some hints
OF following MaloDey's example soon, but
not before he had killed some Of the men
who had robbed him OF his money.
II paid n attention to that kind OF talk.
considering it only as the raving of an ex-
cited and much downhearted old man.
when he left here this morning there
was nothing unusual about him, and when
l heard that he had shot a man, / could
hardly believe it, because he seemed sc
utterly incapable to do anything of thai
kind"
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25
A FELLOW-LODGER'S STORY.
Mrs. Munson Tells What She Knows
About Rippey.

Rippey had one devoted attendant at the
side OF his cot In the Receiving Hospital all
the afternoon. She smoothed his pillow,
wiped the blood from his lips and wept oysr
his fate She called herself Mrs. Munson,
and said she felt she had lost brother. for
she mad known him intimately for fifteen
years. Mrs. Munson came 10 the hospital
from the Powell-street house as soon as she
learned through the reporters that her
fellow-lodger was the man who had shot
John Mackay and then himself.
He was quiet. good old man." she said.
1--WE were very friendly. | never dreamed
he would get into this trouble. | never
heard him say a word against Mr. Mackay.
He has been for some time very respondent.
This morning he came to me and said
'gooi-by.' but did not attach any special
Importance to his visit. because be often
called on ME and said 'good-by before he
went away. He told me that he had once
been a very wealthy man I'm Denver. but
had lost all his fortune in specuiatng in
mines" Further the woman declined to say.
Yrs. Munson is an English woman, about
~tfyears of age, but declined to talk about
herself
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25
WANTED TO SEE RIPLEY.
The Assassin Regains Consciousness
but Cannot Talk.

During the evening number OF people
called at the Receiving Hospital to see Rip
pey, some out of curiousty and others who
had known him during his sojourn in this
and other cities.
Among the visitors was James l.. Flood,
who had dropped in to obtain look at the
man who had nearly succeeded in taking
the life of his business associate and who
had annoyed his father.
A physician who desired his name with
held gave some facts connected with the
case, which conclusively show that Rippey
was slightly demented at the time and that
brooding over his family troubles and fan
cied wrongs had upset his brain. He had
known Rippey for the past twenty-five
years, both in this city and in Denver.
Colorado, where his family lived.
Until thirteen years ago he was pros
porous merchant in Denver. but owing to
financial reyerses left that city and came
TO San Francisco.
That Rippey premeditated his crime is evil
dent. About two weeks ago he met the doc
tor, and during a conversation asked him
his ideas on the subject of suicides.
Before parting he remarked, swell,
may do it, too, but will take one of those
robbers that broke me with me-"
Since then the physician did not see him
until he found him lying dying OIL cot at
the hospital last night.
Rippey was well connected. His wife and
married daughter reside In Seattle. Healso
has two sons, one OF whom, Wesley Ripley
Jr., who lives in Fulton, a town near GIN
cinalti, Ohio, is reputed to be very wealthy.
He was known to be of proud, retiring
disposition. and did not let his relatives
know of his financial difficulties
AT late hour last night Rippey was
resting easily. He recovered consciousness,
but owing to weakness and the nature oil
his wound was unable to speak.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25
"CRAZY LYNCH" SUSPECTED.
Jerry Mahony Thought Harmless
Lunatic Was the Shooter.


jeremiah Mahony. the well-known con-
tractor Of the firm of Mahony Bros, had a
tale OF his own 10 tell when he visited the
alley where the shooting had taken place
an hour after it was all over.
Il heard about this affair little while
ago." said Jerry, land it Immediately
struck me that Crazy Pat Lynch must be
the shooter, but / have since learned that it
was another man."
Explaining his statement Mr. Mahony
said that about II o'clock yesterday morn
ing he was standing on California street,
near Montgomery, when Lynch, who has
for years been one of the characters known
to everybody downtown. came up to
him and pulled out letter addressed to
John w. Mackay.
do you know this man?" he asked me.
said Jerry, land told him that knew Mr.
Mackay quite well. and then he immedi-
ately commenced his usual billingsgate aud
heaped curses upon the head OF people Of
wealth.
81 told him that he ought to be ashamed
OF himself Tor using such language. and lie
walked away. eursing me along with the
others.
IAN hour later l heard of the shooting,
and connecting the two incidents / con-
clnded Lynch had done it,"
Pat Lynch. the man who was mentioned
by Jerry" is an old man, formerly well to
do and in business in Virginia City, who,
after several terms spent in the insane asy-
lums, was discharged. and ever since has
been permitted to walk the streets of this
city because he is considered perfectly
harmless.
Lynch can be seen any day of the week,
especially during business hours. on Mont
gomery street, and he Is always talking
loudly to himself, using much vile and
abusive language.
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25
AT THE PALACE.
Millionaire Callers Who Were Unable
to See the Wounded Man.

The injured millionaire, John w. Mackay.
had not been in his room one half hour be-
fore many of his friends began to arrive,
and rushing up 10 Clerk Warren asked to be
shown to Mr.. Mackay's apartments.
The first TO arrive was William T., Cole
man, who took a neat white card from
pearl-bound case and passed IL over TO the
hotel clerk. "You cannot see Mr.. Mackay,"
said the clerk.
The face of the chief of ths Vigilantes
flushed. and be told the clerk to send up his
card with his regrets at the injury which
Mr.. Mackey had sustained.
Mr.. Coleman had hardly left when Henry
+. Scott OF the Union Iron Works came
along and met similar fate.
Senator James G.. Fair entered hurriedly,
and instead of waiting to be told by the
clerk to leave his card. asked: did Mr..
Mackay ask for m3P"
Yes. he said if You came he desired to
see you"
The porlIy and loug-hearded ex-senator
of Nevada then went upstairs in the eleya-
tor, but did not remain with Mr.. Mackay
very long.
Hes all right" said Senator Fair to
friend, and proceeded to his rooms at the
Lick House.
About o'clock a stout. forid-faced man
in faultless attire. and whiskers neatly
trmme J. entered the hotel anu inquired:
mo, sir. We have orders to let no one
see him except the Doctors
VERY well. Give him my card. He will
know how l feel"
The Inscription on the plain white card
was ID. D. Mills.
1t is very seldom that the card of the
father-in-law OF Whitelaw Reid and owner
of many millions cannot secure him imme-
diate admitanee anywhere.
Many other visitors ealled-old Califor-
mans. mining men, bank presidents, leading
merchants and stOckbrOkeTs-but all were
told that Mr. Mackay could not be seen.
Soon Mr.. Mackay'S box at the hotel was
jammed full of cards. the wealth of the
owners of which represented several hun
dred millions of dollars.
and great ones of the bonanza days were
presenting their cards Of sympathy and re-
greet, there entered the hotel two figures.
They were females
On the street they would have been ua-
noticed, but In the magnificent Office of the
Palace. with their general air of having seen
better DAYS, and apparent shabbiness of
apparel, stained and dusty, they appeared
singuary out OF place.
But they did not notice their surroundings
nor the stares leveled at them from the
dudes.
One Of the females was stout, very short,
and her face very red.
"Mr. clerk, is it true Mr. Mackay is
hurt"
Yes, he has been shot," was the answer
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25
HE WARNED MACKAY.
Denis kearney Acted the Part Of a
Guardian Angel.

Denis kearney approached john w.
Mackay as the latter was on his way to his
Office in the Nevada bio k yesterday morn
ing and asked the millionaire why he al
ways walked alone and unattended.
why should / need a bodyguard P"
Mackay asked in a surprised way. Il have
never done any harm TO any one and need
have no fear of violence" Then he entered
the building to come out again two hours
later and be shot at.
Denis Kearney, who told this story, said
that the reason why he had addressed
Mackay in this manner was because about
three days ago he had heard that there was
man in this city VINO intended to kill
Mackay.
''Ihe story came to me in rounda bout
way" said kearney. ''and the way it was
told to me was that some ones friend had
lately committed suicide. and that in speak
ing Of the matter later on this man had said
that he would also soon kill himself, but
that he intended to take John W. Mackay
along on his way to the hereafter.
Il took enough stock in this yarn to
watch quietly every morning when Mackay
left his hotel for mis- Office. to see whether
any suspicious fellows were following him,
but never found anything to Substantiate
the report l had received until this MORN
ing's shooting.
Il did not care to tell Mr.. Mackay of the
rumors which had reached me. because
did not want to alarm him needlessly, but
now | am sorry that | have not given him
more OF warning than l did
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25
JOHN w. MACKAY.
A Brief Sketch of the Wounded
Millionaire.

John w. Msckay was born In Dublin,
Ireland, in 1896. AS boy he came to
America, and was apprentced out to Viii.
liam II. Webb, the famous New York ship
builder.
When the gold fever broke out in the
early fifties Mackay joined the fortune
seekers and landed in California in '52 For
long time he was engaged in placer
mining, and enjoyed all the hardships of
that precarious occupation without any
signs Of fortunes favor. He stuck to it,
never theless, and saving his earnings made
enough to go to Virginia City, New. where
he joined with several partners and started
tunnel on the old Union ground, north of
the famous Ophir mine. But the tunnel en-
terprise did not pan out we'll, and Mackay
took TO cutting timbe in the Mexican mine
at 81 day.
Mackay still chung to the notion that there
was money in mines, and In 1863. having
mean time experienced a moderate success
in a kentuck investment. he pooled his in
terests with j. M. Walker.
Then Mackay's fortune began to accumu-
late, and a year later James G. Flood and
nership. In 1868 Walker sold out his inter-
ests to James &. Fair. Ore discoveries in
the Hale 81 NOrcr0ss added largely to the
pr0his OF the new firm, and then came the
discoveries in the Consolidated Virginia
and California mines, which brought the
partners something like S80,000,000.
Since the dissolving of the old partnership
Mr.. Mackay has conferred most Of his inter-
ests In the Commercial Cable Company
and the Postal Telegraph Company, coh-
trolling both Of them. He Is no longer
actively engaged in mining. but has large
sums invested in mines and mills. In 1867
IL was that Mackay married the daughter Of
Colonel ID. Il. Hungerford, U. S. A. Mrs.
Mackay is now social queen and moves in
the best London circles. The couple have a
married daughter and a son, who is said to
have Inherited much of his fathers great
business ability. Mr.. Mackay is very popu-
The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-02-25

there will hardly be any danger OF serious
results.
Rippey, who after firing the shot which he
hoped would Kill Mackay. turned the pis-
tols muzzle against himself and pulled the
trigger, lies severely wounded in the Re-
ceiving Hospital with hardly any possibility
Of recovery.
We're it not for the fact that every cir.
cumstanee connected with the case shows
that the shooting was the act of mailman
the attack would 60 on record as one of the
most cowardly deeds ever perpetrated, be-
cause, pistol in hand, Pippey laid in walt
for his intended victim until lie saw him
walking from Suffer street into Lick alley.
a small thOroughfare in the rear of the Lick
House, and then he followed him steaithily
as far as about the middle of the alley,
where he suddenly and without word Of
warning deliberately shot him from behind
Mackay did not know he was being fol-
lowed, and the first intimation he had Of it
was when he heard the report of pistol and
felt a singing sensation in his back.
As matter of course, owing to the prom
inence of MI Mackay and the fact that the
shooting took place at an hour when many
people are on the street. the news of the
occurrence spread rapidly, although the
first reports of il were widely at variance
and as usual in such cases all wrong.
When matters Quieted down and the par
Elephants in the affair had been removed, it
was learned that the man who shot Mackay
was totally unknown to the latter, although
he had in times gone by distinguished him.
self rs writer Of threatening letters TO an
other millionaire, James c. Flood.
The police remembered at once that Rippey
is the same man who in 1854 used to prom
enade Montgomery street claiming that he
lad been cheated ont of a fortune he once
possessed by Flood, and that he intended to
kill the latter.
At the same time he wrote a number of
letters to Flood warning him of his impend-
ing fate.
Police interference Quilted Rippey. and
for years afterward he was kept under sur
veillance as a dangerous crank. until the
authorities lost sight of him about two
years ago.
He probably left this city then for pc
riod, aad only returned again In 1891. taking
lodgings on Powell street, but living in alb
jeet poverty ever since
There is no doubt but that Rippey at one
time was very wealthy man, but mining
speeulatens swallowed up all he ever had
long ago.
He is a well-edueated man. and was en-
gagged in business many times during his
life. bat the constant broodings he INDUCED