Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-10-30

passed through the liver and was found in
the bowels. The third struck near the
shoulder and. ranging downward lodged
under the skin.
asked Prendergast IL he had a Statement
10 make. but the prisoner refused TO speak
Inc nrst entry on the coroner's book yes
ueruay morning was the official record OF
,he mayors death. 1t read: Sunday. Octo-
per =. lss3 Carter II. Harrison was shot ana
Killed at p. m. last night by a man named
fatrick Z. Prendergast at the mayors
residence on Ashland avenue"
Like Gufteau's Case.
A parallel has been drawn between the
assassination OF President Garfield by Gui-
teau and the present murder. Guiteau vas
disappointed office-seeker. who had some
qualifications and some claims to Office.
frenoergast had studied and read economic
theories until his mind gave way. He
imagined that he was a reformer. He had
schemes for the betterment Of all mankind.
he was especially interested in the welfare
OF Chicago. and imagined that he alone
could reform the abuses from which the
city Is suffering. He was especially bitter
in his denunciation OF the railroad yrs,5.
crossings, which are responsible for MANY,
uedtns every year, and the idea became
nxed In his mind that IL ne were made
corporation counsel he could solve the prob
within the city limits
Long brooding over this subject brea the
oeiuslon that the mayor had promised him
tne ONCE He insisted upon the fulfillment
Oh the imaginary promise. He haunfei the
municipal building and ANNOYED the cIfy
ofncials with his demands Finally he de-
termined that the mayor was acting i'm bad
faith with him. This idea grew upon him.
he thought OF IL day and night. His dis
eased brain was incapable Of entertaining
any other idea. At last he determined 70
oeinand from the mayor himself satisfac-
uon for his imaginary wrongs.
he mad now reached the homicidal stage
he bought a cheap. secoad-hani revolver,
put IL In his pocket and called at the NAV
ors residence Mr.. Harrison, accustomed
to the vagaries of all sorts of cranks, treat
81 su ms demand lightly. Prendergast killed
him. That is the story.
The Question of Succession.
Opinions in Chicago vary as to the sue
cession to the mayoralty made vacant by
the assassination of Mayor Harrison.
Corporation Counsel Kraus saws that
pending the election of a new mayor. the
council would, in his opinion, be empower
ed TO select a mayor pro tenn. II should
not like to give a positive opinion" Mr..
hraus says. without the statutes before
me- L remember of looking up the matter
years ago, and am quite confident that 1
read the laws to mean that the council
would select the mayor pro TEN.
Alderman Madden, chairman of the
finance committee of the city council saws:
Inc city statutes are rather vague in
reference to an emergency of this kind
The unexoired term Of Mayor Harrison is
more than one year. hence n special cleo
uon Will have to ne called and AZ will be
settled by the people"
A. s. Trude, eminent as an authority on
local municipal law, says: Chicago has no
mayor. No one can succeed Mr. Harrison
There is an absolute silence IN the laws
concerning this point. There is no presi-
dent of the city council. There is a chair
man elected at each meeting, when the
mayor Is absent, but this election IT, tenn
porary. and only viva voce lyhuw.-'
City Controller Wethercll says: mo rro-
vision is made for the filing of the mayor.
atty office in such an Instance as has heen
brought about, by the mayors ASA ssina.
ton. There is no law or established pre-
cedent for a permanent Chairman of the
council. the charter saying merely that
when the mayor is absent the body shall
elect one Of its members 10 preside. The
council can undo its action and elect anoth-
er TO preside, or IL can name Mr.. Swift"
At the city hall the opinion was general
that Mr.. Swift would act as mayor until
a special election can be called. which viii
require thirty days notice. This will throw
the city government into the HANDS of the
republicans. although there is little proba-
bility that any partisan advantage will be
taken Of the mayors assassination to re-
move any Of the present holders of city
offices.