The San Francisco call., 1897-04-22
Duel Between Prisoners
in the San Quentin
Penitentiary.
The Rat" Kelly Attacks and
Fatally Stabs Frank
Wheeler.
Receives in Return Cash on the
Throat Which Results In
His Death.

SAN QUENTIN. CAL. April 21.-An
awful tragedy was enacted within the pre-
cincts of the States prison at an early
hour this morning. w. r. Kelly, con-
vict serving fourteen years sentence for
burglary committed in Sacramento
County, stabbed fellow prisoner in the
abdomen with dirk. The attacked con-
vict. Frank Wheeler, notorious charac-
ter known as "Ohio Fatty" drew a razor,
and with one stroke siashed Kelly's neck
from ear to ear, severing the artery.
Kelly died to- night and Wheeler cannot
recover.
The affray occurred at $50 o'clock.
The 1855 prisoners confined at San Quen-
tin are released from their cells at 6
o. clock, and according to the rules of the
prison each man must empty his bucket
and clean his cell. The convicts marched
out as usual, and when they were in the
yard Kelly made the assault upon
Wheeler. He stabbed him with a weapon
which he had concealed about his person,
and Wheeler protected himself with q
razor which he had. How the men came
into possession OF these weapons the
prison authorities do not know. Both
worked in the jutemIll, where they
handle knives, but neither weapon was
obtained there.
DR.. Lawlor, the resident physician, when
seen this afternoon said that the row oc-
Cured just outside the hospital and with
out loss of time the men were carried il.
Then it was found that Kelly's injuries
would prove fatal, while there was hope
for Wheeler's recovery. When stretched
nr1f ahtos in he Va1l "A
Wheeler:
Say, didn't I come up to you ike a
man? l didn't strike you in the back
Wasn't it square? Say, to show that
there's no bad feeling between Us, give
me bali and let me die like a man."
Kelly was an opium fend and referred
ball"
Frank Wheeler is one OF the most des-
perate criminals in the country. He
gained considerable notoriety some years
ago by escaping from San Quentin. That
was in 1888. He was located in Iowa
in 1892 and was confined in the Joliet
and Sing Sing prisons, but escaped from
both. He vas captured in Los Angeles
and is serving time for burglary. Il was
Wheeler who last year stayed hidden
in the iutemlll for sixty hours in an
effort TO escape from the pri on.
W. H. hcAiy w dS huO6u ds ue nat
and Little Shanahan." He was con-
victed of burglary in tho first degree. For
some time past he and Wheeler had been
foes. Last Sunday they commenced to
fight, but were separated by guards.
The dirk with which Kelly tabled
Wheeler was of rude construction, with a
blade abolt five inches in length The
razor which Wheeler welded was without
q handle.
Warden Hall said to-day that the men
had quarreled about opium anu it was prob
ably dispute over the drug which led to
tae assault. However, it is known that
Kelly said the night before that he would
''do up" Wheeler in the morning, and he
took the first opportunity, for the prison.
ers had not been out of their cells ten
minutes when the stabbing took place.
The prisoners III the yaro did not create
any disturbance anu the men were taken
to the hospital without excitement or
commotion.
Kelly admitted that he was the assault
ing party and that Wheeler only protected
himself. He died this morning at 1880,
thirteen hours after his jugular was
severed. DR.. Law,or made every effort 10
save the prisoners life and the artery was
tied above and below the cut. II is not
expected that Wheeler will survive the
terrible wound that he received at the
hands of Kelly.