Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-11-02

EctT1S uIeSSeu Iudii. Cdfft lliS EtNoI-
yer in his hand. He shook like a man
with palsey. his face was white and
drawn, great drops of perspiration
chased each other down his face and
his lettering limbs seemed scarcely able
to hold him UP. Looking Mcdonald
stTaight in the eyes, he said:
L did it
You did it?'' asked Mcdonald.
Yes, l did"
Did what?'' asked the officer as he
laid one hand on the fellows shoulder
and with the other took the revolver.
Il shot Mayor Harrison, and that
is what l shot him with" was the
reply.
What made you do it," asked Nc
Donald.
He said he would make me corpora
tion counsel, and he did not. That
is what [ shot him for
Pendergast was trembling SO he could
scarcely stand and the officer led him
to a chair and asked few more QueS
tions to which Prendergast would only
make the reply he had first given as to
the cause of the shooting. He said
that after leaving Harrison's house he
had taken street car and started to-
ward the Desplaines street station
with the object of giving himself up.
The car did not go very fast he said
J ''or I would have been here sooner"
The cell door had barely closed be-
hind the murderer when an excited
! +1,o ~,
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 Il curious crowd push
ed against each other in a wild en-
deavOr 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 therats of vengeance,
for Mr.. Harrison was popular with the
masses.
The streets were soon filed 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.
A hasty conference was held and it
was decided to remove Prendergast to
the central station in city hall. The
trembling, pale-faced man was led be-
tween stalwant officers to the rear
door and hurried away in darkness.
Meantime tidirgs Of the murder
swept like an electric shot through the
city. Every body seemed to gather
al-Out the central station. Bulletins
were pasted in prominent down town
places and about them eager thrOngs
Surged ana struggled. The newspaper
offices We're besieged by eager question
ers and down town business for Il time
was al Il StandStil.
Before the prisoner reached the city
hall the news of his coming had been
commune rted to the crowd. The muir
derer was rushed through the throng
and taken by the private entrance into
Chief of-Detective Shea's office. The
door was barred, and officers hurried
| from adjacent stations to guard the
place.
The prisoner, as soon as he had reach
ed the office, sank exhausted in a chair,
| his head fell back and his livid face and
staring eyes presented Il CHASTITY pct
ure.
| He is Il slender man, perhaps a years
Old with 4 beardlesS, cadaverOuS face
and a stupid, almost idiotic expression.
For Il time the man refused to answer
any questions and then in scarcely an
audible voice he said:
I'm sick, I'm sick
Chief Shea told him he was doctor
and asked why did you kill the ma
yor?'
| Well" the man responded feebly,
he told me he would make me cor
poration counsel and did not do it, so
[ shot him. | went to his door and
rang and went in and shot him. That's
all"
! What is your name?" asked the de-
tective.
| ''Prendergast. Patrick Eugene or
Eugene Patrick, it makes no differ
ence which. !"
Where do you live?'
| Il don't know. Around here some
where, l guess. l don't live at the
railroad tracks. I'll tell you that he
said emphaticaIly.
The officers experienced great diff
culty in examining him further, but at
last convinced that the murderer had
been a newspaper carrier whose route
was i'll the vicinity Of the mayors
home. For several hours the eXami-
nation continued, but little of import
ance was developed. Other witnesses
finally placed in a cell under the city
hail. 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 swife ven
geance were frequently heard
AT one time during the evening as
Il carriage drove rapidly down the
street a young man shouted there he
goes There was an immediate rush
for the retreating vehicle but some ona
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 /