Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1893-11-03
CHICAG0'S MAYOR ASSASSI-
MATED.
Carter ii. Harrison Shot Down
i'm His Home by Madman.

The Murderer Surrenders Himself---
Great Excitement i'm ChicagO---the
Mayors Remarkable Career.
Carter Henry Harrison, the mayor of
! Chicago, was shot and instantly killed in
his home Saturday evening by Patrick f.
Prendergast, a former policeman. Prem
dergast is undoubtedly insane. lie rushed
from the house and ran to the Desplaines
street police station, where he cried Lock
me up. I've Just killed Carter Harrison.
He wouldn't do the square thing by me-"
Mr.. Harrison, his son Preston and the
servants were the only persons in the house
at the time Prendergast called. The SER
want who answered the ring at the door
told Prendergast that Mr. Harrison was
sleeping and could not see visitors. Prem
dergast replied: 81 must see him. l know
he will see me, for I've come on matter
of great Importance and it will be a serious
matter to wait" The servant aroused Mr..
Harrison and left the room. The mayor
went into the hall, when the man in wait
ing suddenly drew a revolver and fired four
shots. The four bullets entered Mr.. Har-
rison's body and the last shot was fired at
such close range that his hand was black
ened and scorched by the powder. Prem
dergast then walked backward at once
through the front door and started to leave
the premises. He was followed by the
mayors coachman and several shots were
exchanged between the two men, but none
of them took effect.
Mr.. Harrison tottered about in the hall
and parlOr for a moment before he fell.
His son, who was in an upper room at
! the time of the shooting, and Mr.. Chal-
mers, an intimate neighbor, were soon at
| eli fol- hot ho
had been shot and would die. He asked
that Miss Annie Howard be summoned at
once but when she arrived he did not rec
ognize her. Miss Howard was at the home
of Carter Harrison, jr., at the time of the
tragedy. Her marriage to the mayor was
announced to take place Nov. I.
The news of the killing of Mr.. Harrison
caused great excitement in Chicago. Ad-
ditonal officers had to be brought to the
police station, as there were threats of
lynching the prisoner by the crowd that
soon gathered. Early Sunday morning
Prendergast was removed to an outlying
station.
There is no doubt of the assassin's in
sanity. Prendergast imagined himself a
great reformer. He says the mayor would
not carry out his promise to make him cor
poration counsel and deserved to be shot
Prendergast has haunted the municipal
buildings for some time and has annoyed
the officials with his demands. He has
also written many threatening letters to
them.
Mr.. Harrison was 6S years old and ma
tive of Kentucky. He came of distinguish
ed ancestry. His great-grandfather was
Carter A. Harrison, brother of Benjamin
Harrison, a sgner of the Declaration of
Independence and father of William Henry
Harrison, general and president of the
United States. His family was connected
with the families of Thomas jefferson and
John Randolph of Virginia, and the Brock
inridges of Kentucky. Carter Harrison
graduated from Yale college and studied
law. He was admitted to the bar, but did
not practice long, on account of inability
to argue in court. Mr. Harrison engaged
in real estate speculation in Chicago and
began his political career there in 1871 i'm
medately after the great fire. He was first
elected county commissioner, and then
went to Congress for two terms. In 1879
he was elected mayor of Chicago and since
then has served several terms in that office
No mayor of an American city ever became
so widely known in an official capacity as
Carter II. Harrison. He was an energetic
and able man and typitied many of the
most striking characteristics of American
politics. He made use of the most dis
reputable element to promote his political
ambitions, but he mingled with all the
lower classes in such a way as to win their
support.
The campaign last spring when he was
elected mayor for the Worlds Fair year
was most holly contested, and the lines
were drawn close between what was called
the respectable element and those in favor
of the Harrison "wide-open" plan of wide
open saloons, gambling-houses, etc. 1t
was counted generally great misfortune
for good government in the city that Har-
rison won. But his administration had on
the whole been better than was expected.
He made a strong effort to increase the eff
ficiency of the police force, and beyond one
or two unconsdered harangues to dissatis-
fed workmen, anarchy, which sprang up
with such deadly results during his former
administration in 1886, has received no en-
couragement from him directly or indirect
ly during his last incumbency. He was a
man of fine appearance and address, and it
was said that this counted not little for
him at the last city election-the people
wanting a man who could make a good
impression at first sight as mayor to receive
the World Fair guests. During the day of
election last spring Mr., Harrison, splendid
ly mounted and riding like marshal of the
empire, gallOped from polling-place to poll
ing-place urging his followers to press for
ward to the victory. Mr.. Harrison's career
was a great success financially, and he
leaves over 1,000,O0
Miss Annie Howard, the mayors fianc6e,
is idolized at her home in New Orleans on
account of her many charitable and phil
anthropic acts. Her father was a wealthy
resident of that city, and from him she in
herited 100000. She spends much of her
time in the vicinity of New York, and has
palatial home on the Hudson.
The Big Electric Power Station Near
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