The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1894-07-13

Ion IS not entitled TO consideration 4 ne
belief is practically unanimous that the
assassin Is and was in October last sane
enough to come within the legal defInl-
tion of sanity.
The crime and the criminal were alike
extraordinary. Patrick Eugene James
Prendergast, a newspaper carrier about
% years Of age, took great interest in
politics During the mayOralty cam
paign year ago, which resulted in the
election of Carter IL Harrison, he was
active in political circles, and spent
much of his time electiOneering and
working for Mr. Harrison. He was also
an ardent and enthusiastic advocate of
the single tax theory. He was in the
habit of attending meetings of the Sin
gle Tax club, and took part frequently
IN the debates.
Thus he gained smattering of know
ledge about various matters and among
his fellows was regarded as a prodigy of
learning. He regarded himself in the
same light and treated the other carriers
with superciliousness and evident con-
tempt, which they were disposed rather
to encourage than to resent for Prender-
gast was IA brutal and cruel youth, who
had d disagreeable fondness for beating
and tOrturIng his younger and smaller
co-wOrkers.
Last summer he grew tired tired of
his featureless existence What he
wanted more than all things. what was
more necessary than everything else to
his happiness. was to be talked about.
He longed to see his name in the news
papers. to know that he was filling the
public eye. He lusted after distinction.
no matter whether it was good or bad
He felt that to enjoy the sensations of
nOtOriety. he would risk much. But he
was a coward and would not risk his life.
He would risk his liberty for the delights
he dreamed of. but not his life.
At last it occurred to him il would
create comment if one in his station in.
life, a humble newspaper carrier, should
apply for a high Office in the municipal
government The idea, once admitted,
took complete possession Of his mind
lie appeared in Corporation Counsel
Adolph hraus' Office one day aud an
nounced that he desired to succeed Mr..
Kraus in the position. Mr.. Kraus
laughed at him and took the announce
ment as joke, and Prendergast sneaked
out.
With what eagerness he looked for
the papers the next morning! How anx-
iously he hoped they would contain an
account of the visit TO Mr.. Kraus! If
they ad, probably Mayor Harrison
would have been alive today If they
had Prendergast Ould probably have
been satisfied. He would have seen his
name IN print. He would have lorded it
over the Osher carriers of whom the pub
lie had never heard
But unluckily for Mayor Harrison, and
for him, he was disappointed The
newspapers contained no mention of the
incident he had carefully planned
Exasperated by his failure To secure the
nOtoriety he craved Prendergast deter
mined to make another attempt At last
he selected Mayor Harrison. He called
upon he mayor, and, with all the gray
ity he could master, stated his desire to
be appointed corporation counsel But
the mayor was in good humor and he
ludicrousness of the affair struck him.
He chatfed Prendergast good naturedly
and speedily forgot him. At any rate he
did not think it necessary TO notify the
newspapers and again Prendergast failed
of his object
ever to attain it. He resolved that he
would get his name into the newspapers
even at the risk of arrest He called
again upon the mayor and limited il his
request did not secure prompt attention
it would be the worse for the mayor
But his cowardice prevented him from
making the hints ominous enough 70
frighte or even startle the mayor. Mr..
Harrison did not fear, and he treated
Prendergast's threats as lightly as he had
treated his request This time he order
ed Prendergast out of the office. but in
spite of that he did not think the matter
important enough to mention it.
Prendergast determined to write the
mayor. His letters were not only I'M
answered but he could not be sure they
had ever been delivered. Again he
called on Mayor Harrison. This time he
was received brusquely and was warned
to keep away and trouble the mayor no
more.
Desperate with his determination to
secure the longed- for nOtoriety and en-
ragged at his repeated failures Prender-
gast atlast worked himself into frenzied
mOmentary courage and committed the
frightful crime for which he died today.
On the night of October %. 1898. Carter
H. Harrison, mayor of Chicago, was
seated at dinner with his son and daugh-
ter, in his residence on Ashland boule-
ward. The doorbelI rang and low
brOwed shambling. ill-clad fellow asked
the mayor was at dinner he turned away
and said he would return later. When
the man called again the mayor was
quietly doing on a divan. 1t had been
american Cities day at the Worlds
fair and he had made the best speech Of
his life TO the vast throng of people. He
was awakened by the sound Of voices
and came toward the door
The man approached the mayor, said
something which was not overheard by
the servant, and then pointed a revolver
at MIR. Harrisons breast and fired The
assassin ran into the street and after dis
charging a bullet at the pursuing butler,
disappeared IN Jackson street Shortly
afterwards he surrendered himself to the
police. about the same time that Mavor
Harrison expired in the arms of Miss
Anna Howard, of New Orleans. to whom
he was TO be married in a few days.
TO GO A-HUNTING.