The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-05-18
TRIED TO KILL.
Ex-senator MCPHERSON
Had a Narrow Escape.
Assaulted in His Office by a
Man Armed With Pistol.
The Timely Interference of Mr.. Low
Saved Him From Death.

New York, May lS-An attempt was
made today to Kill ext. ;. Senator j.
II. Mcpherson in his Office in the Aldrihge
building, this city. William B. Van
AIKEN, who made the attempt is partly
blind, and is said TO be Interested In
suit in.which the senator is also involved
Van AIKEN had an accomplice in tho
matter, whose name Is unknown, hhu
who escaped. Van AIKEN was arrested.
Senator Mcpherson, who represented
New Jersey IN the Senate OF the united
States for Is years, Is now president on
the Western Stock Yards Company with
offices In the Aldridge building TINS clly'
The ex-senator occupies an inner oIlce
while the outer Office is for his secretary,
Edward L. Low. Both men were In
thor usual places about III O'Clock TINS
morning, when two men entered. one
was Van AIKEN, "A we'll built man, about D
feet 10 inches in height. The othor man
WAS somewhat smaller. Both men walked
through the secretary's Office, past Mr..
Low and into the inner Office, where Mr.
Mcpherson sat The ex-senator was look
ing over some papers at his dosk anu sdu
with his back 10 the door
Both men walked up 20 him and spoke
to him. just what they said cannot be
ascertained, as the ex-senator, who Is
almost 50 years OF age, has not quite re-
covered from the shock and cannot yet
tell what really happened. He Is SO weak
that "A nurse always accompanies him 10
his office.
Mr.. Low, the secretary, says that he
heard Van AIKEN say something TO Nc
Pherson about wanting To SETTLE SUIT.
Mr.. Low says that both men seemed 10
have an interest in suit over stock
farm i'm New Jersey. Mr. Low remembers
hearing Senator Mcpherson tell Van
AIKEN ne could not tell him anything
about the matter
Then the private office door was sud
denly pushed open With n cry of alarm
the aged ex-senator came quickly out
into the front office. Cropping his way,
Van AIKEN followed. His companion was
endeavoring to guide him through the
doorway but Van AIKEN hurried ahead,
putting his hand out in front Of him TO
feel his way. Before MIR. Low could rise
from his seat Van AIKEN clutched the ex
senator with his right hand and fumbed
with his left behind his back. Van
Aken's companion mt this junCture hur-
ried out of the room.
When Mr. Low caught Van Aken's arm
the half blind man had succeeded in pull
ing revolver from his pocket He had
raised it until the muzZle was almost
against the trembling old mans heart.
With "A quick movement Mr.. Low knocked
the weapon upward. In doing so he man
aged 10 get his finger caught in the trig-
ger. Van AIKEN still clutching tho ox-
senator, who was shouting for assistance,
pulled madly at the weapon, which was
now pointed Mt the ceiling. IN answer
to shouts other tenants came orowding
in. After n short struggle Van AIKEN was
disarmed and ovorpowered. Before po-
liceman arrived he desisted in his strug
giles and remained quiet He-was taken
over to the Centre street police station.
He Is well dressed man and gave as his
address Central Avenue hotel in this
city. After Mcpherson had somewhat
recovered from the shock he said that he
had not before seen Van AIKEN or his com
panion.
The ex-senator had been told, however.
that Van AIKEN had made threats that he
would shoot him at the first opportunity,
but the ex-senator had paid no attention
TO the matter. When the men came into
his Office and began 60 talk excitodly
about some suit, Senator Mcpherson says
he asked them to leaye. Van Akens
companion violently twisted around the
chair Senator Mcpherson was sitting in,
until he directly faced Van AIKEN. As
Senator Mcpherson got UP, Van AIKEN
made an attempt TO hold him. Then
the senator quickenod his gait and rushed
into the front Office where he was so
nearly shot