Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1893-11-03


to hold him up. Looking Mcdonald
straight i'll the eyes, he said:
Il did it"
You did it, asked Mcdonald.
Yes, | did
Did what" asked the officer as he
laid one hand on the fellows shoulder
and with the other took the revolver.
L shot Mayor Harrison, and that
IS what | shot him with" was the
reply.
What made you do it," asked Nc
Donald.
, He said he would make me corpora
ton counsel, and he did not. That
is what | shot him for
prendergast was trembling so he could
scarcely stand and the officer led him
to chair and asked Il few more ques-
tons to which PenderSast would only
make the reply he had first given as to
the cause of the shooting. He said
that after leaving IIarrison'S house he
had taken a street car and started to-
ward the DesplaineS street station with
the object of giving himself up The
car dld not so very fast" he said,
II l would have been here sooner"
The cell door had barely closed be-
hind the murderer when an excited
crowd began to gather about the police
station. Patrol wagons ratified up to
the place, cabs and carriages came by
scores and the occupants crowded and
pushed their way into the office.
Personal friends of the dead mayor.
city officials and a curious crowd push
Ell against each other i'll Il wild en-
deayor to learn if the story which
had spread like wild fire through the
city was true. An immense throng
gathered and laboring men who stopped
on their way home added their voices
to the subdued threats of vengeance.
for Mr.. Harrison was popular with the
masses.
The streets were soon filled for blocks
and the officers as they looked out of
the station windows on the surging sea
of angry faces became alarmed for the
safety of their prisoner.
n hasty conference was held and it
decided to remove Prcndergast to the
central station in city hall The
trembling. pale-faced man was led be-
tween stalWart officers to the rear
door and hurried away in darkness.
Meantime tidingS of the murder
swept like an electric shot through the
city. Every body seemed to gather
about the central station. Bulletins
were pasted in prominent down town
places and about them eager throngs
SurSed and struggled The newspaper
offices were beSicgcd by eager question
crS and down town business for a time
was at Il ST lnl>lill.
Before til f?.%oner coached the city
hall the news Ct his coming had been
communicate ~ the crowd. The muir
dercr was rushed through the throns
md taken by the private entrance into
Chicf-OfDeteciye ShcaS office The
door was barred, and officers hurried
from adjacent stations to guard the
place.
The prisoner, as soon Is m hal reach
cd the office, sank exhausted in a
chair, his head fell back and his livid
face and staring eyes presented IL
CHASTITY picture.
- y
old, with Il beardIcSs, cadaverous face
and stupid, almost idiotic expression.
For time the man refused to answer
any questions and then in scarcely an
audible voice he said:
"Im sick. Pm sick"
Chief Shea told him he was Il doctor
and asked why did you kill the ma
yor?"
WELL the man responded feebly,
The told me he would make me cor
poratiOn counsel and did not do it, so
[ shot him. I went to his door and
rang and went in and shot him. That's
all"
What is your name:" asked the
detective.
'Prendergast. Patrick Eugene Or
Eugene Patrick, it makes no differ
ence which,
where do you live?"
Il don't know. Around here some
where, I guess. I don't live at the
railroad tracks, I'll tell you that" he
said empha tically.
The officers experienced great diff
Guilty in examining him further, but ut
last convinced that the murderer had
been Il newspaper carrier whose route
was in the vicinity of the mayors
home For several hours the cxamina-
ton continued, but little Of import
ance was developed. Other witnesses
were examined and the prisoner was
finally placed in a cell under the city
hall, and additional policemen stationed
about the building for the nights vigil.
All night long crowds came and went
about the place. Bitter feeling against
the murderer became intensified and
significant and subdued remarks about
Il convenient lamp post and swift ven
geance were frequently heard.
At one time during the evening as
a carriage drove rapidly down the
street young man shouted there he
goes" There was an immediate rush
for the retreating vehicle but some one
shouted that Prendergast was still in
the chiefs office and the crowd re-
turned
Miss Annie Howard, the fiancee of
Mr.. Harrison, was in the house at the
time the fatal shot was fired. In ac-
cordance with the wounded mans re-
quest she was at once summoned and
was present when the end came.
Miss Towards grief is terrible. She
was icCmTletely overcome and was
taken to the home of Carter Harrison,
Jr., where she spent the night.
Carter Harrison, Jr., was at Jackson
park when the news of his fathers !