The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1894-07-13
PRENDERGASTA AND HIS CRIME
COId-BIOOdcd Murder or Carter
BarrisOn. ChicaSOs Mayor.

Patrick Eugene Prandergast shortly
after O'Clock OF tho night # oct. IS,
1899, called at 2Sl Ashland avenue Chi
cago, the house of Carter II. Harrison,
then Mayor of the city.
lie asked 10 see the Mayo. and. when
Mary Hansen, servant, hesitated about
admitting rim he brushed past her and
entered the hallway.
Mr.. Harrison. who mad been sleeping
in the dining room on The hrs. floor of
his residence, was awakened by tho con-
vcrsation and walkel out into the hail
way.
He asked Prendergast what he wanted
and the servan; retired to the kitchen.
Prendergast muttcred somsth ing about
wanting to be appointed Corporation
Counsel, ard drawing Il 32-calibre re-
,olver. shot Mr.. Harrison four times.
lie then fled. and on the way fired at
and missed Coachman Charles Parth,
who went to the Mayors assistance, and
who pursued but failed to overtakc the
assassin.
MIR. Harrison died within twenty min
utes after being shot.
Prendergast. after the murder, in-
mediately proceeded TO the Desplaines
lie SAID he had shot the Mayor because
the latter had broken faith with him in
failing to appoint him Corporation Coun-
sci
Irendergast was indicted. tried and
On Dec. 20 1873. convicted of murder in
the first degree. Insanity was the sole
defense.
lie was sentenced by Judge Erentano
to be hanged on March %, 1884. Under
an Illinois law, providing that n court
may cmpancl Jury to mold hearing to
determine the sanity or insanity of a
defendant, at amy time before execution
and after sentence, Prendergast's coun-
sci obtained from Judge Chetlain, on the
eve Of the day for the execution, a stay
of Proceedings for two weeks, or until
April i last.
This decision brought upon Judge
Chetluin the general censure of the
press and public. Various legal steps
death on the gallows, but he was finally
declared sane by Jury of experts, and,
as Gov. Alleged refused to interfere. his
doom was scaled.
The assassination Of Carter II. Harri-
son was one of the most notable crimes
of the century.
Prendrrgast had not the vcstige OF IA
grievance upon which to base his at
tack The dastarliy character Of the
Grim" aroused such intense iudiguatio
i'm Chicago, ani, In fac' throughout the
country, that there was At lirst talk of
lynChiu% nr'ulcrGdsi. AMI the long de
lay In bringing him to the SCaffOd was
CONDEMNED at home and abroad as an
out age upon the nam" of tEc law.
carter Harrison was on" of tie best
known men in the United States. and
had been Cor years picturesque figure
i'm politics.
His ASA ssination cast shadow over
the closing days OF tn" great Worlds
Fair, towards whose success, as Mayor
aud dS "A business man and citizen, NJ.
Harrison had largely contributed. No
man in Chicago was moro popular with
the people generally
lie was selected as Cook County
Commissioner IN 1871 and served i'm that
capacity until ls1i H." represented hi
uuls in the Fprty-fourth aud Forty
nrth congresses Il" was first selected
Mayor Of chicago in l,1A ANA served
fivc consecutive terms, running on the
Democratic" ticket
In 1880 he ran again FOR tho MdyOrd't y
hat as an Independent, and Was de.
rnt'"i. ~ 1882 ne MAS once more
cauIidat" and va@ elected. lie was
,rrgnra'h mcG;jrHpI as a possible Demo-
r.lii, rIiilila;r COY President.
PrgndergaSt Wds born la ireland, hut
came To this country when five years
old. and wac reared in Chicago. The sin
Gle tax theory wvs one of his hobbies
and he Was a close student of Henry
GEORGES writings. He also imagined
that he was 4 m InicIpal reformer. and
thought IL made Corporation Counsel
he could abolish grade crossings In Chi