The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-02-25
JOHN W. MAOKAY SHOT.
The Bonanza King Wounded by a Broken
Down Stock Gambler.

rowly escaped death. RippeY, after firing
one shot at MackaE, shot himself through
the left breast aud will die. So far rs
known Mackay's wound is not serious, and
there is no danger of a fatal termination.
The shooting occurred in the court back
OF he Lick house, which runs from Sutter
TO Post street, between Montgomery and
kearney streets. a white haired man was
noticed walking around Sutter street, act
ing very neryously, during the early por-
ton Of the morning. It is the custom of
John W. Mackay 10 come about noon time
every day TO jewelcy store at the corner
of Sutter street and the Lick alley to COM
pare the time of day. AS Mackay reached
the end of the alley near Suffer street the
nervous old man pulled our revolver and
fired one shot. The bullet struck Mackay
in the middle of the back.
After firing the shot the would-be mur-
derer supplemented the crime by turning
the pistol on himself and firing a shot into
his own body. The self-inficted wound
was serious, but as long as he could walk
he followed Mackay up trying to fire
again; but he was so weak that he could
not pull the trigger. He then threw up
his hands. exclalming, my God! ! am
satisfied"
Mackay put his hand behind his back
As be drew his hand out il was covered
with blood, and he exclaimed to one OF his
friends that the shot had taken effect IN
the middle of the back. Mackay wss
placed in buggy and taken to the Palace
hotel, where medical attendance Was rem
dered him.
Mackay's assailant was taken to the city
receiving hospital. He Was conscious, but
could not articulate. An examination
revealed the fact that the bullet had en-
tered the left breast, passed through the
trunk, and come out Just below the left
shoulder blade. The bullet was found
just underneath the skin. The patient is
apparently about 20 years of age In his
left hand pantaloon pocket was found
48-caliber revolver, with all the cartridges
intact. In the pocket was also purss
containing 20 cents and an envelope con-
tanning sheet OF paper, on which was
written:
= ID, E L R., Linton, La Place hotel.
End not yet"
A letter. addressed to the Examiner.
reads as follows:
FOOD FOR REFLECTION
"He paid one hundred and fifty thousand |
dollars for a sapphire to place on the |
jaded person of his wife, sufficient |
amount to have saved five hundred of his |
paupers from suicidal graves. Just think |
OF i'll Inscrbe it on his tomb"
after the shooting. When asked If he |
knew the man who had shot him he said |
Il never knew man named RipDey. |
had good look at the old man who shot /
me, and am certain that l do not know /
him. l can't give any reason for the /
assault"
Soon after o'clock the physicians ex
tracted the bullet. DR.. John +. Morse, |
who performed the operation in con-
junction with DR.. Keeney, said that the |
bullet had entered below the right snoul- |
der blade, ranging slightly to the right, |
struck the vertebrae and lodged in one OF !
the spinOid processes. DR.. Morse said that
the wound was not necessarily fatal, but |
that the patient was by no means out OF !
danger He added that in cases of gun
shot wounds there was always danger of
blood poisoning or lockjaw. When closely
questioned DR.. Morse said that it was too
soon after the operation to Toretell the
result, but that Mr.. Mackay was resting
quietly.
Mackay was about the coolest man in
San francisco after being examined by
the surgeon. He walked about his apart
ments, talking with his, friends and tell
ing how the shooting took place.
RIPLEY IDENTIFIED.
w G. Rippey Is we'll known to old timers
in San Francisco, an was a familiar
figure around 100 Powell street. where he
him considered him harmless. For the
last two years he had roomed at the
a above address, and the lAndlady asserts
he was the easiest man TO please of all the
bOarders she had. About s O'Clock this
he left his room and went down
town. He returned an hour liter in
mood, and the neigh bors say
that as he passed down Powell street he
was tearing at q handkerchief with his
teeth and appeared to be very much work
ed up over something. He remained III
his room about two hours and then start
ed off down town. From the people in
the house it was learned that the old man
had been very despondent of late, and that
nearly all his means had been swallowed
up in stock speculations.
A man who knew Rippey well said that
Rlppey was born In Cincinnati, O., and
leaves n wife and family there. At Que
time he WAS worth over 100000 and made
about $50, 600 more in Comstock mining
shares. He came to San Francisco and
began gambling in stocks. His money
soon began to go, and then he opened "A
cash grocery store on Fortieth street.
That venture failed. About four years
ago he was running bar and dining room
IN the steamer Mary Garrett, which plies
between san Francisco and Stockton. At
)ne time he lived in Denver, Colo, and
owned quite lot of property, but il also
went into stock speculations. Lately the
Did man was almost without means and
was in very respondent frame OF mind
He knew almost al the old timers in Cali
orplA.
Not since the shooting OF Judge Terry !
1t LsthrOp by United States Deputy Mar
'haI Nagie, four years ago, has there been
such intense excitement in San Francisco. /
t was at noon and thousands Of psopl. I
we're on the streets in the business quar-
er, wnere the shooting occurred 1hey
.rowded to the scene OF the tragedy aud
he narrow aLeyway was soon black with
bout the bulletin boards and newspaper
'flices, and when extra editions Of the pa
,ers came out they were eagerly seized.
RIPPEY's FAMILY.
CTECTNEATI, Feb. u The family Of
Wesley e. Rlppey, who made the attempt
N John ". Msckay's LIE. lives IN the
uburbs Of this city. His wife lives with
Ter son William at IIlewIld, SIX miles
Iorth Of here The son Is weii-tO-do and
5 highly respected. He IS Connected with
Csnning company on Elm street
Another sou, Wesley G, kIppey, lives ia
ne eastern part Of Columbus. and Is a
government gauger Of spirits lie : "a
nan Of unb.eusished reputation Tee
e8s TO them today caused terrible
mock
Thirty years or more ago. the would be (
murderer was engaged ia trade here, con
eCIsd with the river Interests de was
estless. aud removed, about I-65, To Cape
rIras8rau, No. IHeTe, too, hI- roaming
-uper lei l.l4 70 20 farther west. he
Aull4y remained for time at Cape GiT- !
rdeau- and then returned 10 Cincinnati, I ,
there they nave remained ever since. OHlT
Frequently did they hear o. the lsesd u /
be family. They supposed that be was :
[ Denver. SIX years ego they Tecesssd ]
se first and ouiy letter be ever wrote