The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-25
WOUND NAY Be FATAL
WILLIAM O'DONNELL SHOT AND
SERIOUSLY WOUNDED WHILE
TRYING TO ESCAPE
RYDER FIRED THREE SHOTS

But One of Them Took Effect, LOdg-
ing in the Mans Left Lung-When
1t Was Discovered That He Had
Been Hit, O'DOnneII Was at Once
Taken to the City HospitaI-Sev-
eraI Conflicting Stories.
William ODonnell, a railroad switch
man, living at Sixth and Willius streets,
was dangerously wounded by officer Ry-
der, of the Ducas station, while attempt
Ing to escape arrest yesterday morning
Three shots were fired at the fugitive by
the policeman. One of the bullets struck
ODonnell midway in the back, on the
left side and entered the left lung. The
wound is serious and the physicians say
there is a possibility of it proving fatal,
although hope for O'Donnells recovery is
at present entertained.
There seems to be little doubt but that
O'Donnell was trying to escape arrest
when he was shot, but stories differ as
to the nature of the alleged offense for
which he was arrested. According to
Officer Ryder, O'Donnell was trying to
dispose of a gold ring. The policeman
says citizen came to him and informed
him that O'Donnell had tried to dispose
OF the ring to the citizens daughter. Of
ficer Ryder hunted up ODonneH and
found him at Fillmore and Eaton av-
enues. After questioning O'Donnell, Of
fcer Ryder says he placed the man under
arrest and started with him for the pa
troll box. At almost the first step, officer
! Ryder says, O'Donnell broke away and
ran. Officer Ryder says he called to
ODonnel several times to stop, but that
| the fugitive paid no attention to him.
! ODcnnell ran down to the Great Western
! railroad tracks ana turned east O1icer
| Ryder continued In the chase and drew
! his revolver. When near Fairfield aV-
| enue, Officer Ryder says he fired a shot
J in the air to frighten O'Donnell and then
| hred again into the ground The shots,
! the officer says, had only the effect of
| increasing O'DonneIl's speed. Seeing the
man understanding him, Officer Ryder
says he then aimed at the fugitive and
fired. This was the shot that struck
! O'Donnell, although that such was the
| case was not known at the time, as the
man continued his flight. Meantime, Of
Ulcers Mckinley and Burns took a hand in
| tho case and O'Donnell was finally cap
| tufed near State street, nearly mile
! from the place where Officer Ryder
winged him.
| When it was seen that ODonnell was
| wounded, the patrol wagon at once con-
| Veyed him to the city hospital. The ply
s1c1ans made an examination of the
wound but did not deem it advisable to
probe for the bullet Later it was discov-
cred that the bullet had lodged in O'Don-
neli's left lung
ODonnells story is that he was not
peddling jewelry, as the police claim, but
simply offered a ring for sale as a joke.
He says he purchased two rings from a
stranger on the Wabasha street bridge
and after getting over on the West side
offered one of the rings for sale, partly in
fun, and partly to see If the rings had
any value.
Acting upon advice from the city hospi-
tai, County Attorney Bigelow last even
ing visited the hospital and took O'Don-
nelFs statement regarding the shooting
The police last evening came into pos
session of eight rings alleged to have
been thrown away by O'Donnelly while
Officer Ryder was chasing him. The
rings were found near the Great West
ern round house, along the route taken
by O'Donnell. They were found by Tony
Kelly, twelve-year-old boy living at 25S
Custer street, and turned over to Lieut.
Cook, of the DucaS station.