Kansas City journal. [volume] (Kansas City, Mo.) 1897-1928, 1898-11-30
BLOODSHED At A CHICAGO REPUE.
LICAN CLUB MEETING.
RIVAL FACTIONS cLAsHE[
PITCHED BATTLE WHEN ONE FAC,
TION DEMANDED ADMITTANCE.
One Man Instantly Killed and Three
Others WOunded-Outsiders,W With
rawn RevOIvers, StOrmed
the Hall and Firing
Was General.

CHICAGO, Nov. 29.-An attempt to break
up the annual meeting of the Eighteenth
Ward Republican Club at Bricklayers' hall,
at Peoria and West Monroe streets, this ev-
ening, resulted in the death of one of the
attacking party. and the wounding of sew
eral of those who participated in the
fight.
Charles Lattimer, a bricklayer, was in
stantly killed. The wounded are:
William Mahoney, policeman at the Des-
PLANES street station. shot in both arms
and in the side: will recover.
John W. Landers. laborer. finger shot off.
John Prince. janitor of the building. shot
in the left leg; serious.
The club held its annual election tonight,
and there was much rivalry between fac
tons. headed by Coroner Berz and John
Rogers, an ex-member of the city coun>
Gil. over the offices.
sometime ago it became known among
the Rogers sympathizers that the Berz
faction intended putting through its ticket.
1t was then decided to ignore the regular
convention announced for Bricklayers' hall.
Accordingly a meeting of the Rogers sup
porters was held this evening and it was
decided to visit Bri%cklayers' hall and de-
mand representation.
A large crowd accordingly left the Rogers
meeting and marched to Br~icklayers' hall.
The greater number of them remained in
the street. but Butch Smith. Frank Ma
tuska, William Haines, George Callahan
and a few others entered the hall.
Stories differ as to what followed. but
the members of the Berz faction in the
hall. and the two police officers who We're
stationed at the door of the room in which
the meeting was being held. assert that
the men of the Rogers faction came noisily
up the stairs. holding revolvers in their
hands. Officer Maloney commanded them to
halt, but they paid no attention to him and
just as they reached the door someone fired
a shot. Instantly pistols were drawn on
every side and the firing was promiscuous.
Berz was one of the first to fire when the
trouble started. Almost at the first shot
Lattimer threw up his hands and rolled
down the stairway dead.
His companions continued to fight only
a short time. and then fled down the stair
way. AT the first shot a crowd of the Berz
faction came pouring from the hall, intent
upon attacking the intruders, but the fight
was over in an instant, and the Rogers
sympathizers were gone.
The story told by the Rogers crowd is
manded admission. He attempted to force
followed.
A wagonload of officers was quickly at
the door of the hall. coming from the
Desplaines street station, which is only a
short distance away.
Details were promptly sent after the
flying members of the Rogers party, but
up to midnight none of them had been
caught.
Prince, the %janitor. was put under arrest.
1t being charged that he had %connived at
the attack. When it was found. how
ever. that he was wounded in the leg, he
was sent home. After the excitement had
died away. the Berz faction re-entered the
Fail, called the convention to order and
elected the club officers without further
disturbance.