Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-07
1T COST TWO LIVE S
The Fight at the Polls at Troy Yester-
day.
Robert Ross, a Republican Watcher,
Dead and.JOhn McGOugh. Demo-
crat, MOrtaIly Wounded.

At midnight 1t was ascertained that John
McGough was MORALLY wounded at the
election riot tragedy at Troy, n. Y, yester-
day. John McGough, one of the alleged
gang of repeaters who participated in the
bloody fight, is at his home suffering from
the effects of a bullet wound. The ball
penetrated his kidneys and he cannot re-
cover. He is insensible now, but before he
became unconscious he stated that he did
not have a revolver and did not do any OF
the shooting. He says that he felt the bull
let and started to go home, but fell by the
roadside and was carried home by friends.
In darkened room in his family resi-
dence lies the body of Robert Ross, who
lett his nome in the morning to aid in the
election of the candidate that the republi-
can party had Endorsed. In a room in the
same house lies his brother William, serious
ly. perhaps MORALLY, wounded, and in an
other part of the city lies wounded a noto-
rious rough and ward heller, Bat Shea.
The following is the account given by
bystanders of the tragedy at the polls,
more briefly described in yesterdays Star:
About l:3O O'Clock a gang Of at least fif-
teen strangers stood waiting to vote, while
men whose names were on the poll list,
both democrats and republicans, were
crowded away.
Robert Ross objected to this and had
some words with Bat Shea. These two
stories of the affair must both be told, be-
which one is true.
The police say, from what they can gath
er. that John Hayner. candidate for ward
constable on the Whalen ticket attempted
to enter the polling booth OF the thirteenth
ward shortly after II o'clock. He was
stopped in the doorway by John McGough,
Molloy man. who told him he had no
right there. McGough said that Hayner
drew a billy and attempted to hit him, the
weapon being an iron stove-mounter's
wrench, which was found by Detective
Markham and is now in the possession Of
the police.
McGough said that as Hayner struck at
him he clinched him. and at that moment
felt sharp pain in his back, and, turning,
saw smoking revolver in the hands of
John Ross, brother of the dead man. The
Rosses then pitched onto him. and as he
struggled to his feet John Boland began to
fire from a revolver.
The police say that there Is every indica-
ton that Boland is the man who fired the
deadly shots. The revolver taken from him
had four empty chambers. corresponding in
number to the shots fired.
Bolan, who was Immediately arrested,
was Whelan watcher.
The story told by the surviving Rosses
is to the effect that Bat Shea was the
man who killed Robert Ross. and acting
upon that statement the police put him
under arrest, although he is badly wounded
They say that the trouble began in the
polling booth, where a crowd of Molloy
repeaters, headed by jeremiah Cleary and
Shea, attempted to vote. When the vote
was challenged the men went outside and
Immediately started an argument with the
RosseS.
Suddenly the crowd surged forward and
in an instant revolvers were drawn and
shots fred.
saw Shea lire the shot that killed his broth
er, but he is not sure that the firing was
commenced before that shot was fred.
When the shots We're fired Robert Ross
hiS frAth ar
lam cried I'm shot
Then the firing ceased as suddenly as it
had commenced. Excitement was so in
tense that no effort was made to arrest
anybody.
Robert Ross was unconscious, and men
carried him into a house. DIR. Rogers was
summoned. but before he reached the scene
the wounded man was dead He lived about
five minutes after he was shot The bullet
entered the brain from the back part of
the head.
William Ross brother of Robert. was
cared for by friends. who took him TO the
residence of Rev. Joseph Zweifel on 9Th
avenue. There he was cared for by DIR.
Webster, who said that the bullet entered
the neck just below the base of the skull.
and had imbedded itself in the muscles
He coui not say whether or not the wound
would be fatal, but was positive that 1t was
dangerous one. Mr.. Ross is weak from
loss of blood.
Bat" Shea was wounded. a bullet grazing
the skull and making an ugly scalp wound
Shea made his way unaided to Dunlop's
saloon. corner 9Th avenue and Dow street
where he was attended by DIR. Fisher Shea's
wound is said not to be dangerous.
a regularity about the wounds of the
men is that each one was shot in the back
of the head.
McGough, as has been stated, was shot
in the back and is very badly hurt He in
sisted that John Ross and Bcland started
the shooting.
John Ross said: II did not fire pistol
1t was murder-deliberate murder-an6 IL
was premeditated. Only about an hour and
half before this man struck my brother
William full in the face. l dragged William
away and told him to take the blow and
say nothing; the blow would not hurt him.
did not think at the time that they would
start in and use their guns
Mayor Wheelan said last night: 1T is only
the natural result of the determination of