The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-03-07
MURDER At THE POLLS.
Fatal Row at the Municipal Elec-
tion in Troy.
ONE MAN KILLED, THREE WOUNDED.
Ehe Trouble Occurred Over nn Alleged
Attempt to Get In tho Votes of Repeaters.
MaIIoy, Senator Nurphy's Candidate,
Probably Elected Mayor.

btnyOr.
TROY, N. ", March IA mayor was
: sleeted in this city yesterday, but the
record OF tho eheton is spotted with
blood. and scenef Beyond parallel and
buch as the oldestTesident in Troy has no
recollection of were enacted.
In darkened room in his family resi-
fence lies the body of Robert Ross, who
left his home In the morning to aid in the
election of The candidate that the Repub
lican party had indorsed. In room in the
same house lies his brother william, seri-
eusly and perhaps mortally wounded. In
another part of the town lies rough and
"ward heeler," Bat" Shea, wounded,
and in still another part of the city is John
McGough, who received another bullet,
and is seriously injured.
Up to noon the only serious trouble was
Ri the First district of the Thirteenth ward,
and consisted only of pulling down a rail
Ing in the polling place and banging about
= few ardent partisans who were anxious
to prove that they were working for the
Interest of their side. But this little fra
cas- was only small forprunner of the
terrible tragedy short half hour later in
the same place, aud participated in by
many of the same people who had come
ont of the first wranglc uuscathed.
Among the watchers at this polling
place was Robert Ross and his brother
William, both of them in the interest of
the Republican party. There was also
Ehere well known character by the name
Of Bat Shea, and 1t was difficulty be-
tw Ethese people that led to the out
come Several times the complaint had
been rlnde that repeaters were voting sew
eral times on one name.
Finally about 1880 o'clock gang of at
least fifteen strangers stood waiting to
vote while men whose names were on the
poll list, both Democrats and Republicans,
were crowded away. Robert Ross objected
10 this, and had soma words with bat"
Shea. There are two stories Of the affair
and both must he told because AZ yet
there is no evidence to show which one is
true. The police say, from what they can
gather, that John Hayner, a candidate for
ward constable ou the Whelan ticket, at
tempted TO enter the polling booth Of the
Thirteenth ward shortly after 10 o'clock
He was stopped in the doorway 10y John
MctiOugh, a Nalloy man, who told him
he had no right there.
AlcGough says that Hnyner drew billy
and attempted to hit him As IInyner
struck al him he clinchcd him. mud at that
moment felt a sharp pain in his back, and
Stunning saw IA smoking revolver in the
hands of John Ross n brother of he dead
msu. The Rosses then pitched on 10 him
and as he struggled TO his feet John 10
laud began TO fire from II revolver. The
police say that there Is every Indication
that Bolnnd is the man who fired the
deadly shots. The revolver taken from
him had four empty chambers CORE
spending in number to the shots fred
u1,h ,Krl,r ft,,ts III ,I,
was a Whelan watcher.
The story told by the surviving Ross is
70 ihe effect that "Bat' Shea was the mau
who killed Robert Ross, and acting unou
that statement the police last night put
aim under arrest, although he is badly
wounded They say that the trouble be-
Raa in tue polling booth, where a crowd
Of Alalloy repeaters, headed by Jeremiah
Clrary aud Shea. attempted TO vote. When
the vote was challenged the men went out
Side aud immediately started mn argument
with the X 4es. suddenly the crowd
Mrxad forward. and in an instant revol5
sers werr drawn aud shots fired William
Rtts. who was injured, says that he saw
shcn fire the shot that kilGt! his brother,
but he is not sure that the firing was com
mruCod before that shot was fired.
when the shots were fired Robert Ross
tcla w 'lib TpHHNNN, HHl HIS DtbIitf w IL
lism cried I'm shot" Then the firing
psa>ed us suddenly as it had commenced
Excitement was SO intense hat no effort
was made 10 arrest anybody Robert Ross
Wss unconscious, and men carried him
into II house. DR.. Rogers was summoned
but before he reached the scene the
Eupndcd man was dead. The bullet
Suffered the brain from the back part Of
the head. Indeed, all were shot from be.
hind
McGough, who was very badly hurt, in
dsta hat William Ross and Buland started
bhe shooting William Ross, On the olher
hand, said. II did not fire pistol Ii was
murder-dclberat murder-and It was
premcditated .
The vote polled was as heavy ms that
sast In the presidential yeHr. With a few
histricts missing he vote for mayor shows
shRt Malloy, the regular Democrat. who
backed by Senator Murphy. hns defeated
Whllau, the independent, by / 400 votes.
In the other charter elections through
nut the state large Republican gains are
shown, many towns eleelilg all the Re
Sublican candidates