The record-union., 1896-01-27
A BALL ENDS IN HOMICIDE.
Hugo KlaSS, a Saw Filler, Shot and Killed
by Jack Hurley.
Joe Hedeger has a Hole Through His
Leg-Hurley Claims he Acted
in Self-Defense.


wounding of another, as the result of a
dispute that should have been settled
with fists, at the very most. 1t all hap
pened at New William Tell House on J
street, near Ninth, shortly before z
o'clock yesterday morning.
There had been masquerade ball in
the hotel during the night, which was
kept up until very late hour, and the
bar had been we'll patronized by the
male dancers. At the hour named a
row occurred in the saloon and a man
named Hugo Klass was fatally shot by
Jack Hurley and another named Joe
Hedeger received bullet through the
calf of one of his legs.
It was difficult to get a very clear
story yesterday of the affair. That told
by John Steiner, one Of the proprietors,
is substantially as follows: He said he
was behind the bar when party Of
young men whom he did not know
stepped up and one of them ordered
drinks. He filled four glasses with
beer, and they were emptied. Then
someone asked for another round, but
he refused to fill the order until the
other had been paid for.
One of the party, he said, took out
some money, but another told him not
TO pay the until he drew
more beer" He (Steiner) told the man
not to talk in that way, and they had
scme words. when the other challenged
him to come from behind the bar.
Steiner did, however, go out and was
at once hit in the mouth. He returned
the blow. and a general fight ensued,
some of the men in the saloon taking
a hand and ejeeting the visitors.
Steiner says he had returned to his
place behind the bar when three shots
were fired outside the door, where scuf-
fling was still going on. Then Klass
was brought in with a bullet wound in
his abdomen, and it was found that
Hedeger had been shot in the leg.
Klass, he said, was a boarder in the
house He had arisen about o'clock,
complaining that he could not sleep
because of the music and dancing, and
was sitting about the barroom when
the trouble occurred.
Steiner did not mention the names of
anyone connected with the affair, ex-
cept the injured men, saying that he
did not know who they were.
The young men referred to were Jack
Hurley, G. w and H. Hilbert, Bert
Ripley, Fred Storer and - Duhain.
All are well known about the city and
have not been concerned in any trouble
or disturbance heretofore. They tell
quite a different story from that re-
lated by Steiner, and to some extent
it is corroborated by the condition
some Of them presented when officers
Logue and Higgins escorted them to the
police station.
According to their version of the af-
fair, Steiner was the aggressor, and he
and some of his friends gave Hurley
and Ripley a very rough deal. Hurley's
face was badly bruised, and there is a
slit on one of the legs of his trousers
and another in his shirt bosom which
he insists were made with a knife. Rip
ley's coat is slit down the side-also
claimed to have been done with some
sharp implement-and oneN side of his
body is said to be black and blue from
the kicks and blows he received.
The young men say they had been
at the Swiss ball in the William Tell
Eease, and went out to the bar, on the
invitation of friend, to drink. While
they were drinking their friend was
called to the other side of the room, and
the bartender asked Hurley to pay for
the drinks Hurley refused to do so,
saying he had not ordered the drinks
and in fact had not had his yet, but that
if the party who ordered them did not
pay for them he would.
Some words passed between the bar
tender and Hurley, and then the former
either threw, or threatened to throw.
a beer-mug at Hurley. He followed
this up by rushing from behind the bar
and assaulting Hurley. Several of his
friends took up his fight, and after
overpowering and beating the visitors
succeeded in ejecting them.
When they reached the sidewalk Hur-
ley managed to get his pistol from his
pocket, but some of the hotel party
tried to get it away from him. Hurley,
however, fred three shots, one of
which struck Klass in the stomach,
another entered the open door and hit
Hedeger, who sat inside. and the third
buried itself in the door-frame, nearly
seven feet from the floor.
In the meantime the Hilbert broth
ers had got out of the muss and started
up the street, but on hearing the shots
they returned and persuaded Hurley
to give them his pistol. Then they all
went down to Eighth and K streets,
where officers Logue and Higgins
found them and took them to the police
station.
This is substantially the story re-
lated by one of the young men, and
Hurley's friends claim that he shot in
self-defense and only after he had been
severely beaten by several men. The
hotel people, however, contend that il
was the other way.
Klass, the injured man, was taken
to the Sisters of Mercy Hospital, where
he fingered until about / o'clock. 1t Is
NOT known that he made an ante-mor-
tenn statement-at least to any Of the
law officers
The deceased is said to have been a
very quiet man and good citizen. His
occupation was that of saw-filer, and
his place of business was in the Masonic
building. at Sixth and K streets. He
was about 40 years of age.
A very sad feature of the affair Is
that he was engaged to be married, and
his intended bride is said to be now on
her way from Kansas City. Mo-, to join
him here She win attend funeral
however, instead of a wedding.
Hurley had been detained at the City
Jail, and after Klass died a charge OF
murder was placed against him. his
mother and several friends passed the
day with him. He feels very bad over
the result of Klass' wound, but con-
tends that his act was justifable