St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1895-05-14
MISTRESS OF PETER r.. MORRIS.
SEY TERMINATES HIS CA
REER.
MEETS DEATH WHILEASLEEE
MAUD LEWIS, THE PERPETRA.
TOR, IN A FRENZY OF
FEAR.
EFFECT IN MISSOURI SENATE.
MOrrissey,s Vacancy VIII Have an
Important Bearing Upon the
Status of Democrats.

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, May 1S-State
Senator Peter r. Morrissey was shot
and instantly killed at $3.50 this
morning by Maud Lewis, his mistress.
The tragedy was enacted in her
room at 2719 Wash street. Morrissey
went to the house at very late
hour and had retired when the crime
was committed. The woman had been
mentally unbalanced for some time,
according to the statements of her
neighbors. She is supposed to have
been. insane at the time. The first in
formation the neighbors had of the
tragedy was from the woman'S
screams. They ran in and found her
in a frenzy of grief and terror, bowling
over the body and calling on Pete"
to come back" The first witness on
the scene could gain no information
from her as to the exact manner in
which the murder was committed,
but everything indicated that Norris
sey was asleep when he met his
death. The weapon used was an
American bulldog revolver of SO
caliber. Two shots were fired, one
entering the mouth and the other
penetrating the brain through the lefc
eye. Death was instantaneous. AS
soon as the neighbors ascertained that
Maud Lewis was the principal in the
tragedy they sent word to the Four
Courts and Detectives SmlHi and
Howard were dispatched to IT, place.
They were unable to get a coherent
statement from the woman, whose
rawlings became more violent every
minute. They had her sent to the
city hospital, and permitted an un-
dertaker to take charge of the body.
THE DECEASED
was born in ST. Louis Aug. Ia, lS19' ana
was educated at the st. Louis uniyer-
sity. In 1885 he was elected to the
municipal assembly, and at the tune OF
his death he was member OF the MIS-
souri, state senate. His business was
that of saloon and lodging house keep
ar. Morrissey lived with his father,
mother and sister In rooms over MS
saloon. southeast corner of Eleventh
street and Clark avenue. He was a
single man, about thirty-flye years. OF
age At the city hospital, soon after
Maud Lewis was received there, IL
was stated that she was violently
crazy. though whether her condition
was due to remorse for her act, or
antedated the crime could not then De
ascertained. The Lewis woman is
twenty-five years old, and was born
and reared in st. Louis. She Is said
to have come of a good family. She
was in the city hospital from Aug. 28
to Sept 10 of last year, suffering from
hysteria.
Morrissey was notorious as a crooked
worker at the polls. Ten years ago he
was indicted for ballot box stuffing,
but the influence of the leaders of the
party kept him out of the penitentiary.
Two other girls, Lillian Moss and
Emma Lewis, inmates of the house,
and the colored porter were arrested.
The women in the house said that I'M
mediately on Morrissey's arrival, he
and the Lewis woman had quarreled,
but they had not considered their diff
feronces as serious. Morrissey had
started the alteration by telling Maud
Lewis that "he had another woman
on Twenty-frst street" She had an
swered that she knew 1t, and that she
supposed Morrissey would marry that
woman, adding, according to the state
ments of Night Chief of Police Reedy's
informants. Il don't care If you do
marry her; and you can bring her
here and l will give you my room,
but tell you this-there will be
DEAD FRESHMAN
around here" The woman, Maud
Lewis, was later taken from the city
ffo1 nd r,Jo IN
-Four Courts. She processes innocence.
Morrisey had intended leaving this
morning for Cincinnati, in response
to message received from his sister,
stating that her husband was dying,
and asking thax some member Of
her family come to her at once.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo-, May 13.-
The killing of Senator Peter r. Nor
rissey created profound sensation
among the senators who are here.
The question at once arose, What
effect will it have on the senate? It
leaves the Democrats with only
eighteen senator's, just enough to pass
a bill If all of them are in their seats.
Ten days notice of special election
must be given, so that 1t seems i'm
possible that his successor could be
elected in time to take his seat this
session. Before leaving for st. Louis
last Friday Senator Morrissey left in
structions with Senator Raskett, chair
man of the committee on labor to
send him word whenever he was need-
ed, and ne would return Immediately.
Jim Mutt Is Cracked