The San Francisco call., 1899-11-19
George Ferris MurderOuS AS
SauIt on a Rival Bartender. .
After Being Taken to the Receiving Hos
pital He Vainly Attempts to Swallow
a Large Quantity of Opium.

q ECAUSE he had lost his position
Il II and believing that the man who
IN had supplanted him was his
w enemy, George Ferris, bar
tender, last evening shot James
Cuddy, and was himself wounded in the
throat by bullet fired by the individual
whose life he sought.
The shooting occurred in a saloon kept
by Charles Johnson at 543 Howard street,
where Cuddy is employed as bartender.
Shortly before o'clock last evening
Ferris. who is said to be an opium fiend.
visited the saloon accompanied by man
whose identity is at present enshrouded
in the deepest mystery. Cuddy was be-
hind the bar, and as the men entered he
saluted Ferris and asked him II he de-
sired a drink. Without offering a reply
Ferris closed the front door. while his
companion passed on 70 the rear. sur
prised at the action Of Ferris in shutting
the door. Cuddy, after ordering him TO
open il and meeting with no response
started from behind the bar Instantly
Ferris drew a revolver and fired at the
bartender The bullet struck Cuddy in
the left forearm and emerged near the ell
bow.
Realizing that Ferris intended TO muir
der him Cuddy seized an old-fasnloned
bulldog revolver which was lying under
the counter and promptly returned the
fire. The first shot struck Ferris in the
throat. the bullet lodging in the back OF
his neck. AS he fell TO the floor mortally
wounded Ferris again raised his revolver
and fired at his hated rival The bullet
grazed his cheek, and running from pc
hind the bar Cuddy, after taking ceilo-
crate aim. attempted to forever silence
his murderOus assailant. 10 MS sur
nrise mis- revolver refused 10 work and he
retreated, expecting that Ferris would
continue 10 empty his piston at MIN.
lust then Ferris, with blood moving
from the wound in his throat, arose from
the floor and staggered from the saloon.
After placing a handkerchief TO the
wound. hoping TO stanch the now OF olood'
Ferris walked up Howard street TO New
Montgomery and along the latter street
TO Mission With the assistance or a
friend whom he had met in his futile
Aight TO escape the consequences OF his
! crime Ferris managed 10 reach MS room
| at GAL Mission street.
In the meantime Police Officers Laws
and Saw Of Captain Spillane's division.
who had heard OF the shooting, started
| after him After considerable trouble
they traced him TO the lodging house
! where he roomed and took him into Gus
todv. He was found lying on the floor,
surrounded by a number Of sympathizers,
him from the police. After having Ferris
removed TO the Receiving Hospital the
policemen arrested the men who were in
the room with him. They were taken 10
the CITY Prison and charged with va
grancy.
Ferris. when placed on the operating
table. refused 10 discuss the snootlng.
81 have nothing 10 say" he vehemently
remarked, when asked why he had at
tempted 10 murder Cuddy. Il got the
worst of it, and 1 don't intend to squeal'
see?'
While the surgeons at the hospital were
preparing TO dress the wound in Ferris
throat the latter secretly took from his
pocket sufficient opium to kill three ordi-
nary persons, and placed IL in his mouth.
The act was witnessed by a visitor 70 the
operating room, who promptly notified one
of the doctors Ferris vigorously en-
deavored 10 swallow the opium and re-
sisted the attempt of the surgeons TO
force open his mouth. With the aid Of a
"screw" his jaws were finally unlocked
and the opium removed from his mouth.