The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-10-31

that the parallel that was at hrst drawn
hefveen the assassination Of President
Garfield by Guiteau and the present muir
der is not a true one. Guiteau was dls-
! appointed onice-seeker, VINO had sOHle
qualifications and some claims TO once
lie was a monomaniac, II Is true, but ne
I was mentally responsible Tor MS actlOhs'
Imagined He Was Beformer.
prcndergast. however, rs. beyond a
/ doubt. 3 unatic pure and simple. He had
studied and read cranky economic theor-
/ les 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
I'm his denunciation OF the railroad grade
crossings. which are responsible for many
deaths every year, and the idea became
hxed In his mind that II he were made
corporation counsel he could solve the
problem Of elevating all the railroad
tracks within the city limits. Long brood
ing over this subject bred the delusion
that the mayor had promised him the
office. He insisted upon the fulhlment
OF the imaginary promise. He haunted
city officials with his crazy demands.
Finally, he determined that the mayor
was acting In bad faith with him. This
idea grew upon him. He thought OF It
day and night. His diseased brain was
incapable Of entertaining any other idea,
and In this state Of mind he went TO the
mayors residence and committed the
crime.
Thinks lie Did His Duty.
The muderer is confined in the cell Of
tbe county iai in which Ling, the an
srcbfst. committed suicide. Or. Scudder
vas also an occupant Of the same cell
when he caused his own death by taking
morphine.
while the cell was being cleaned, Prem
dcrgast sat down on a bench in The cage.
He frightened UP and asked for morning
Iaper containing an account Of the
mn rder This was harded him, and he
read down the columns in an apparently
mechanical manner. Then he dropped
the paper. and said: Il CID my duty"
repeating this sentence several times
When asked how ne felt. he replied 81
am very tired, having been bothered so
much by so many Ieople to-day. But
J feel greatly relieved as a great strain
IS off my mind. I have done my duty,
and 1 think the majority Of people when
thcy know this, will be on my side 1
shall get out clear. / do not mind the
physical confinement at all, and my mind
is now clear"
"What was your reason for killing the
mayOr?" was asked
Prendergast replied emphatically: Il
was to have had the position Of corpora
uon counsel, but he played false to me,
and 1 only did right I'm killing him. l
did not know that had fired three shots
at him until / read IL in the papers. /
was Of the impression that l had fired
two shots at the mayor. fired another
shot as / went away, to prevent anyone
from following me, as 1 expected large
crowd to follow me-"
did Mr.. Harrison say anything to you
when you met him in the house?"
Prendergast replied: mo: L drew my
revolver and fired. After the first shot,
Mr.. Harrison shouted Arurder,' but /
did not hear him say anything else. /
ran away quickly and caught a street
car"
Prendergast claimed he was tired. and
declined to talk any more
Clerk Price and Jailer Gould are sure |
hey have seen Prendcrgsst before. Price |
being positive that he had been an in |
mate Of the Jail on previous occasion.
Neither Of the officials could, however,
'ecall under what name or circumstances |
he had been there.
None Of the Prendergast family believe
i'm insane. They have always regarded
i'm as quite a model young man. His !
abits were sc Od, and he has never ex-
ibited lack Of Industry. Since he was a
cy he has cared for hims elf, and his
elatives think he ha- saved a snug sum
( money Neither his mother nor his
ncle, Patrick King. who is his mothers |
rother. say anything bout having seen |
ymptOms OF insanity. They both declare
nat he differs from other young men
My in being more intelligent than the
verage person Of his standing and advan-
ages.
A Single Tax Advocate.
He has one hobby, however, upon which
e spent much OF his leisure time. This |
obby is single tax. Nothing that has
yer ocme from the pen Of Henry George |
rs escaIed his notice, and there is
'arCely a statement or a proposition in
Progress ard Poverty" with which he
not familiar.
When a boy he attended St. Patricks |
chCcl. on DeSplains street, and he ap-
lied himself so .studiously to his books
lat when he left school to go and earn
living for himself, his education was
ivanced much beyond his years. Since
aviEg school he has not neglected his
adng To his friends he once cOnnded
at he intended TO read law. With this
irpOse, he paid some attention TO
,'itical questions. This line Of reading
ally led him 10 study Henry Georges
eOries of taxation. His mother lives
comfortable brick cottage at 6y9
ne street, with her son, John W, who
a mail assOrter I'm the Government
Hiding. Eugene however has not lived
home for nearly two years. BY his
VA energy and studiousness he hes
ised himself 10 a better standing than
S immediate relatives. Moreover not
ding them I'm sympathy with his single
X professions he left home and lived
m ewhere near Lincoln Park. in i rerted
ON.
rhe details Of the shooting to-day do Z
/ vary materially from the account
at out previously.
Succession 10 the Mayoral v.
Opinions vary as to the succession 10
G mayC rally made vacant by the as ,
ssinauOn of Mayor Harrison.
Corporation Counsel hraus says that, .
nding the election, of a new mayor, :
E coonrn would in his opinion, be !
powered TO select a mayor pro TEN. =
should not like 10 give a positive -
iniOn." Mr.. Kraus said without the !,
lmtes before me. / remember look =
{ up the matter years ago. and am :
ite confident that l read the laws 10 :
.au that the council could select the
.yor pro tem."
he section which deals with the tempo
~ absence or inability OF the mayor, vi
/ the provision for the selection by the Ia
ncil OF a mayor pro tenn, Mr. Kraus u
.eyes is sufficient 20 cover the case. al
he intention Of the law" he said, was h'