The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1899-08-25
WOUND MAY 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 I'm the Mans Left Lung-When
1t Was Discovered That He Had
Been Hit, O'DOnneI Was at Once
Taken to the City HOspitaI-Sev-
eraI Conflicting Stories.
William O'Donnell, 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
O'Donnell midway in the back, on the
left side, and entered the left lung. The
wound is serious and the physicians say
there is possibility of it proving fatal,
although hope for O'DonnelTs recovery is
at present entertained.
There seems to be little doubt but that
ODonnell 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, ODonneH was trying to
says citizen came to him and informed
him that O'Donnell had tried to dispose
OF the ring to the citizens daughter Of
hcer Ryder hunted up O'DonnelI and
found him at Fillmore and Eaton av-
enues. After questioning O'DonneH, Of
f1cer 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, ODonnen broke away and
ran. Officer Ryder says he called to
O'Donnell several times to stop, but that
the fugitive paid no attention to him.
O'Dcnnell ran down to the Great Western
railroad tracks and turned east. OIdcer
Ryder continued in the chase and drew
his revolver. When near Fairfield av-
enue, Officer Ryder says he fired a snot
in the air to frighten O'Donnell and then
fired again into the ground. The shots,
the officer says, had only the effect of
increasing ODonnells speed. Seeing the
man understanding him, Officer Ryder
says he then aimed at the fugitive and
fired. This was the shot that struck
ODonnell, although that such was the
case was not known at the time as the
man continued his flight Meantime, Of
| ticers Mckinley and Burns took a hand in
the case and O'DonnelI was finally cap
IufeO n6at state street, nearly q mile
from the place where Officer Ryder
winged him.
When it was seen that ODonnen was
wounded the patrol wagon at once con-
Veyed him to the city hospital. The ply
| sicfans 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-
nelfs left lung.
ODonnells story is that he was not
peddllng 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'Donnen. 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.