The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-23
SWEENEY WILL DIE.
He HAS ONLY ONE CHANCE IN 4
HUNDRED FOR RECOVERY.
Doctors rnsuccessful I'm Extracting
the Bullet which Mrs. Alwyn
Fired Into His Head-Suggesfion

Special Dispatch 20 the Pos.-Inteltgencer.
TACOMA Oct 2-The physicians at
tending Peter Sweeney. the street railway
conductor who was shot wednesday night
hy Mrs. Alwvn have but little hope OF
saving his life. They stated this afternoon
( that his chances OF living were one In a
hundred. The sigh; OF the right eye was
destroyed by the shot. which. should Swes-
ney recover, will serve as reminder OF
the terrible deed and also furnish moral
not 20 triie with the affections of the
gentler sex.
All day long he has been in seni-con-
scioss condition. and save the single state
ment made last night that Mrs Alwyn
had fred the shot. he has said nothing
in regard TO the circumstances leading up
to the deed. His long confinement in the
vacant room. without medical aid and
without nourishment OF any kind. has
tended to make his condition worse than
IL would ordinarily have been had he been
given medical care Immediately after the
shooting. Twenty-Five hours in an empty
room with gaping wound in the head and
without attention Of any kind is in Itself
enough TO kill any ordinary man, but not
wtthstanding all OF this Sweeney is stu
alive and has 3 remote chance OF pulling
through.
The friends OF the unfortunate woman.
who ended her life after leaving her lover
thing in regard TO the reasons leading up
TO the awful affair. More than one Of
them are of the opinion that Mrs. Alwyn
was demented TO a slight extent, a condi-
ton which she inherited from her father.
who at the present time Is an inmate OF
the insane asylum at Fort Steiiacoom- i
neighbor stated this afternoon that Mrs.
Alwyn had acted In a queer manner for
several days prior to her death. more than
once rushing into the street without her
hat and In other ways doing things that
looked queer. They argue that in one OF
these fits she decided TO take the life of
the man whom she had learned 10 love.
and then, after brooding all night in her
cot at st. Joseph's hospital turned the
gun on herself and ended her existence.
In speaking of the affair. the friends Of
the deceased. some of whom are also
friends or Sweeney. deplore the fact that
the infatuation which evidently existed
on the womans part, had ended so disas-
tronsly. more because Of the feelings of
Mr. Alwyn. who. to every outward appear
ance was a good husband and an excel
lent provider. The request that the pub
lie be not allowed TO view her dead body.
made in the letter that was left for the
husband has been strictly adhered TO by
the undertakers who have charge OF the
remains. A number OF morbidly curious
people expressed a desire TO view the
pDu9 tONdSs out IN every instance tney
were denied.
A number Of people were found today
who say that they heard the shot last
night. AT the time they paid no atten-
ton to It, and probably would not had not
Sweeney been discovered in the vacant
building. One man who would not give
his name, said he saw the couple near
the Gallagher block on and Tenth
streets (where Sweeney was found about
fifteen minutes to 8. He said he recogniz-
ed Sweeney, TO whom the woman was
talking in an apparently earnest tone.
He paid no especial attention to the
couple and passed on.
Quite a sensational report 10 the effect
that Sweeney had been arrested was
quietly circulated about the streets today,
which, on investigation. was found TO be
totally untrue. Mr.. Alwyn was as much
surprised at the terrible news as anyone
and in consequence is bowed in grief.
DIR. Warren Brown. assisted by DIR. Nc
Kone, operated on Sweeney this afternoon.
They succeeded in removing several pieces
Of the skull bone, but were unsuccessful
IN extracting the bullet. II was found
that the skull was fractured in the vicinity
OF the frontal bone, which makes the re-
coyery Of the patient extremely doubtful