The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1893-02-25
JOHN ", MACNAY SHOT
A LllatiC Tries to Kill The Well
KHuWn Millionaire.
A BULLET IN HIS BACK
The Assassin. After Firing the shot.
Turned the Revolver TO His own Head
and killed Himssif.
Associated Press.

Associated Press.
San Francisco, Feb. 24.--John w. Mack
ay. the famous capitalist, was shot In the
back this afternoon. Mackay's assailani
was a white-haired man named Rippy
fully sixty years of age. Mackay waf
standing in an alley in the rear OF the
Lick House. Rippy fired point blank al
Mackay, the bullet entering the latter's
back Rippy then turned the pistol to his
own heart and fired, the ball passing just
above the heart.-He died within five min
utes. Mackay was at once placed In a
carriage and driven away. How serious
his wound Is has not been learned. The
motive OF the shooting is unknown
San Francisco. Feb. A.-Rippy. It Is
now stated, had grievance against
Maclxay. fancied or otherwise, dating
back to mining days, and sought in this
manner to kill him. He is a man 7S years
of age.
San Francisco, Feb. A.--Mackay after
being shot, walked to his room in the
Palace Hotel. To a reporter he said he
had never seen the man who shot him be-
fore, and did not know why he did 1t.
have not yet found the bullet. Mackay is
wounded midway between the shoulder
blades and when seen did not seem to be
suffering much pain
DR.. Morse extracted the bullet from
Mackay's back, The bullet entered be-
low the right shoulderblade and struck
the vertebrae and lodged in one Of the
spineous processes. The doctor said the
wound would not be necessarily fatal, but
that 1t was too soon to foretell the ter
mination of the case.
Wesley C. Rippy was well known to old
timers In San Francisco. He was born In
Cincinnati and leaves O wife and family
there, At one time he was worth one hun
dred thousand dollars and made about
fifty thousand on the Comstock. He came
to San Francisco and commenced gam
bling in stocks and soon lost his money.
Lately he has been without means and
very despondent. The old man was crazed
by having lost the fortune that he once
possessed. There seemed to be no motive
for the assault on Mackay except that his
would-be assassin had determined to
commit suicide and had made up his
mind to die in company with one who had
been luckier than he in dealing with min
ing securities.
Mr.. Mackay was wounded in the back
between the sixth and seventh ribs The
bullet was extracted two hours after the
shooting and he is now resting easily. His
physicians express every hope that no
Inflammation will occur, In which case
there will be hardly any danger Of seri-
GUS results. Rippy lies mortally wounded
in the receiving hospital. with hardly any
possibility Of recovery. Mackay did not
know he was being followed and the first
intimation he had of 1t was when he
heard the report of the pistol and felt
a singing sensation in his back
Cincinnati. Feb. 2.-The family Of
Wesley Rippy who made the attempt on
Mackay's life. live in a suburb Of this
city. His wife lives with their son Will
lam, at Idlewild, seven miles north Of
here. He is competed with a cannery.
The other son, Wesley c. Rippy, lives in
the eastern part fColumbia. and is gov
ernment gauger of spirits and man Of
unblamable unblemished reputation.
Thirty years or more ago. the would-be
murderer was engaged In trade here, con-
nected with river interests. He was OF a
restless and rowing temper which led him
further west. Since 1868 the family have
only incidentally heard OF him.