River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1893-03-02
SHOT DOWN.

of John w. Mackzy. the Famous b.
nsnza KIng"-He shoots Him In the
Back n san Francisco street and
Then Attempts Suieide-He VIII Prob
ably Die, While His Victim May Re
cover.
SAN Francisco, Feb. 25.-John w.
Maekay, the famous bonanza million
ARE and president of the Postal Tel
egraph company, lies in bed at the
Palace hotel with bullet hole in his
back just below the shoulder blade.
W. c. Rippey. the man who shot him,
is at the receiving hospital with bull
let wound in his chest. self-infiicted
and probably mortal. II was case OF
attempted assassination. The intended
victim will surely recover and the
shooter will almost as surely e.
There is only one conclusion as TO
the motive. and that is that Rippey
was practically insane through losses
in mines and mining stocks, and that
his mania, assuming the homicidal
form. was directed against John Maekay
as the author of his misfOrtunes.
The shooting occurred in the paved
court back of the Lick house, which
runs from Suffer to Post street. be-
tween Montgomery and Kearney. A
white-haired man was noticed walking
around Suffer street acting very
nervously during the early por-
ton of the morning, throwing his
hand back toward his hip pocket
IL is the custom of John w.
Mackay to come about noon time
every day to the jewelry store at the
corner of Suffer street aud Lick alley
To compare the time of day, and he is
always very prompt. As MaclSay
reached the end of the alley nearest SUIT
ter street and was a few feet away
from where the old man was standing
the latter pulled out his revolver and
fired one shot The bullet struck
Mackay in the middle of the back.
After firing the shot the would-be
murderer then supplemented his crime
by turning the pistol On himself and
firing a shot into his own body. Tie
self-inflicted wound was serious. but
rs long a. he could walk he followed
Mackey up, trying to fire at him again.
but he was SO weak that he could not
pull the trigger Of the pistol. Tie then
threw up his hands, exclaiming: My
God! l am satisfied
Mackav put his hand behind his
back and some one raised his coat. As
he drew his hand on; it was covered
with blood, and he exclaimed to one of
his friends that the shot had taken eff
feet in the middle of his back.
Mackay was placed in buggy
and taken To the Palace hotel, where
medical attendance was rendered
him. Mackay's assailant was taken to
the city receiving hospital.
Soon after , o'clock the physicians
extracted the bullet DIR John +.
Morse. who performed the operation
in conjunction with DIR. Keeney, said
that the bullet entered below the
right shoulder blade, and. rang
ing slightly to the right, struck
the vertebrs and lodged in one
of the spinous processes. DIR.
Morse said that the wound was
not necessarily fatal, but that the
patient was by no means out of danger
Mackay was about the coolest man
in san Francisco. After being ex-
amined by the surgeon he walked
about his apartments talking with
friends. lie said he did not know the
man who shot him or why he did it.
He supposed he was some crank.
Mackay said he was going into
the jewelry store TO compare his
watch with a chronometer when he
heard the report and felt the sting of
the bullet in his back. lie turned and
saw the old white-haired man, whom
he failed to recognize, with revolver
pointed at him lie walked out into
the street and the man turned the
weapon to his own breast, fired, and
fell To the ground.
The old man who did the shooting
was taken To the receiving hospital in
a patrol wagon. The man was con-
scious, but could not articulate. The
patient was placed on an operating
table when blood was seen to ooze
through his clothing about the
upper portion of his body. Further
examination revealed that the bullet
having entered his left breast had
passed through the trunk, coming out
Just below the left shoulder blade.
The bullet was found just under the
chin. The patient was apparently
about 30 years of age. with white hair
and close-cut white beard. In his pan
falcons left-hand pocket was found
fOrty-eight-caliber revolver of
the bulldog pattern and all the cart.
ridges intact: also in his pocket was a
purse containing twenty cents. aud an
envelope containing paper. on which
was written: ''Dr. !. K. Linton. Palace
hotel-End not yet"
A letter addressed to the Examiner
read as follows:
Food for reflection. Paid $4,000 for a
sapphire 70 place on the faded person of his wife
a sufficient amount TO have saved so OF his
paupars from a suicidal grave just think OF it,
Inscribe il on his tomb
William c. Rippcy was well known
to old-timers in San Francisco and was
familiar figure around 12a0 Powell
street where he made his home. Every
body knew him and considered him a
harmless old man. From people in the
house il was learned that the old man
had been very respondent of late, and
that nearly all his means had been
swallowed mp in stock speeulations.
MaclSay is the richest man ON the coast.
His fortune is variOusly estimated at
SO, coo. 600 to $50. OO9 900. Mrs Mackay,
his wife. Is famous all over Europe in a
social way and on account of the royal