New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-07-19
KILLED IN A BRYAN MEETING
:. srRGEANT-AT-ARMs STABBED BY A
WARD HELLER.
rur MAN HAD PERSISTED IN DISTURBING THE
.ssr,s1AGE-IN The EXCITEMENT THE
MURDERER ESCAPED AND COULD NOT
BE FOUND BY THE POLICE
HIS IDENTITY NOT
KNOWN.

KNOWN.
,ocna.l Thornton. Of No 81 Herbert-st, a
1,onocratic politician. well known throughout
AZ. Fiehtcenth Ward. Brooklyn, was stabbed In
~. abdomen while doing his duty In the capacity
~ sergeant alarms Of a Democratic meeting
Mold IN the rear of Patrick Dunkns's saloon, NO
roo Humbodt-st.. last night and died In 81
Catherines Hospital in little more than an hour
o,,orvard His murderer ward "heeler' about
whose name even the police are not sure. dashed
,hroueh the saloon afterward and escaped At
midnight he had not been captured. and the
poce were securing the neighborhood for him.
The meeting a gathering OF Eighteenth
Ward Democrats called to indorse the nomina-
,on Of William j. Bryan for President. 1t
nroved to be noisy assemblage. and the ward
officials from the first had difficulty in keeping
order In all there were some 200 persons pres
ent Arthur Langdon elected to the chair
and the speech making began.
Interruptions were frequent, and Thornton
who had been appointed sergeant t-arms. had
N use threats TO several Of the men who were
inclined TO be obstreperous, in order to secure
even a semblance of order. One man who was
called alternately Dona dson and Thompson by
the few men present who seemed to know him.
made himself particularly Objectionable. and
Thornton after warning him several times to
be quiet at length put him out into the hallway
r,orr.on then returned to the meeting. closing
the door behind him, and leaving the nterrupter
on the outside
resolution indorsing Bryan and Sewall. and
anprov!ng the Chicago platform was intro
duced and ex-Fire Commissioner Ennis was
speaking upon il when the door was opened ana
the man whom Thornton had ejected appeared
at II. and attempted to force his way into the
meeting again.
,you,re crowd of Anarchists" he shouted.
Before ne had a chance to say any more
Thornton tackled him and forced him out into
the hall. In the scufle which followed between
The men at the door knife cleaned. and with
CRY Thornton sank down on the floor OF the nall
Blood was pouring from Jagged wound in his
abdomen. His assaiant dropping the jack-knife
which had been his weapon. dashed through the
hallway into the street and disappeared before
the few men who had seen enough OF the en-
counter ~ realize its serious nature were able TO
stop him.
No attempt was made AT first 10 pursue the
murderer Thornton's friends, seeing the dan
gerous character Of his wound. rushed for med
teal assistance A telephone call was sent In for
an ambulance. and a doctor from St GATHERINGS
Hospital was quickly on the scene. The stabbing
occurred about 9:45 o'clock shortly after ~
o'clock the injured was in the hospital
From the moment he reached the institution,
however it was seen that his recovery was i'm
possible and he became worse quickly expiring
barely an hour after reaching the hospital.
The police had already sent out a general
alarm for Thompson or Donaldson. giving as ac-
curate des, ription Of the man could he
gathered from the people at The meeting The
aasembage had broken up in confusion imlnedl-
stcly after the stabbing occurred, the majority
of those present volunteering to help the police
IN their search for the murderer So far as
could be learned, however, the murderers ad-
dress unknown. and the searchers had only
d more less vague description Of the mans
haunts 10 guide them In their pursuit.
At midnight the search still being kept
up but the police had no more ceW 70 the
identity Of the murderer or the direction in
which he escaped. than they had when they first
started on his trail.
The murder created great sensation In the
Eighteenth Ward. where Thornton was we'll
known and where he leaves a wife and five chill
dren. The tidngs spread like wildfre and
quickly reached Mrs. Thornton. who became
frantic when she heard her husbands fate.
None Of the police officials on duty last night
would tell what clews they possessed TO lead
them 10 the murderer. but confined themselves
10 expressing the confident hope that he must
fall into their hands in a short time