The Portland daily press., 1894-03-07
MURDERED AT THE POLLS.
A Young Republican Of Troy Shot
Down By a Ward Heeler.
THE DEAD MAN WAS AIDING IN AN
ATTEMPT TO PREVENT FRAUD.

His Brother Critically wounded-PoliticaI
Thugs Who Were Protecting Re-
peater, Drew Their RevOlvers and
Blazed Away Into the Crowd-A Prom
an Attempt Was Being Made to Saddle
the Crime on Him.
Troy, NY, March 6.-Never has Troy
Witnessed more exciting municipal
election than that which took place to.
day. At noon, one young Republican
was murdered and another seriously in
iured, and tonight the streets are
crowded with excited throngs. Robert
and william Ross were among the citi-
zens who gathered at the polls in the
Third district of the 18th ward to see
that the election law was not violated.
The voting had been spirited in this dis
trict, but not until the appearance of
gang of repeateIs was there ripple OF
Excitement. A man who had no right to
cast vote presented himself at the polls
and demanded ballots. The Repu blicans
who challenged him were elected. The
man was afterward pushed into the.
street by other Republicans. Then
bullets flew through the air and four
men were struck. Prominent among the
fighters were "Bat" Shea, John McGough
and Jerry Cleary They drew pistols
and so did others in the crowd. The by
ISLANDERS say that Robert Ross was
knocked down with club, and while he
was lying with his face down, the
assassin sent bullet into his brain.
causing almost instant death.
William Ross, the murdered mans
borther, was shot in the neck and his
condition is critical "Bat" Shea was
slightly wounded, the bullet having
caused scalp wound. The fourth man
shot reported tonight. He is John Nc
Cough. Shea was taken to saloon
where his injuries were. dressed. He IS
being closely. watched, and Will propaoly
be arrested. John Fl. Boland. promi-
late this afternoon on a charge OF being
implicated. Justice Furman refused to
take bail and Boland was remanded to
lail 1t is believed that Boland's arrest
is an effort to shift the responsibility
from those on whom it rightly belongs
Before surrendering to the police, Botand
made the following statement: I'M
pressed with the duty of every citizen to
do his all toward securing an honest
vote and a fair count, and wishing to
see the law upheld, was at the polling
place in my district all the morning.
During the morning word came that the
most fiagrant outrages were being en-
acted in the First and Second districts of
the ward. Repeaters were said to pc
operating in these districts almost with
ont moiestation. When Democratic
heelers began to arrive, the respectable
element was on the alert to prevent
fraud. At noon Shea,s John McGough,
Jerry Cleary and one or two others went
in to polling place with repeater, and
a watcher followed them into the polling
place and made a protest. against the
fellows voting. McGough, Shea and
their followers forced the watcher and
the crowd back. McGough drew a re-
yolyer and ordered the crowd to stand
back. Shea and Cleary did the same
All three began firing. Robert Ross was
struck under the ear. He never uttered
word after he was shot. He was
carried into a residence near by and ex-
nired before medical aid could be pro-
Cured. William Ross, seeing his brother
prostrated Y the bullet, rushed to the
rescue. Before he could reach ms
brothers. side, he, too, was shot IN the
| fell to the ground. John Ross, another
| brother, hastened to the rescue. The
| trouble was originated and the fight was
nrecipitated by John McGough, who IS
a Democrat heeler, drawing his revolver
and ordering the crowd to stand back,
and the firing by Shea and Cleary, who
| io1ned MEG ough. The firing was fast
| and furious for few moments, and 1t
| is wonder others were not injured.
| After the shooting. McGough went over
| toward North Fourth street and dis
appeared through a gangway Leading TO
| that street from the vacant loG where
the shooting took place. After McGoughl
disappeared through the gangWay all
trace of him was lost. | saw MeGougn M
| lieying that he had killed my friend
Ross II followed him with others and
endeavored to effect his capture.
.Iohn Ross said this evening: sit was
a deliherate murder, and it was premedi-
tated, Only short time before the
! shooting. Shea struck my brother Will
liam full in the face. | dragged my
brother away but did not think there
would be shooting.
| The Ross boys took an active part IN
| the recent movement in the loth ward
| for pure elections. When the Repuphcan
| caucuses were held in that ward and
trouble ensued, the dead man was one OF
the many who demanded far play. One
| of Ross's brothers was assaulted at ina.
time. s'Bat'' Shea is the man accused OF
| disappearing with the ballot box at the
regular Republican caucus in the 18th
| ward. McCough, it is said, was the man
| who first drew pistol at that caucus.
| Shea Arrested.
TROY. N. Y. March 6.-Returns from
| all districts show that Molloy, the regu-
| lar Democratic candidate for mayor, mas
| a plurality of 52S. 1t is likely contest
| will ha made hv Mayor Whelan on the