The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-05-18
First Shot Was Fired With a Revolver
Almost Against Victims Side.
Mr. wEISBACkER WAS THREATENED.
Tod That II Hs lnishsrsd Rs Wsu.d Bs Killst.
The Murderer Followed Bleeding Girl and Sent
Another Bullet Into Her Nsot

heartlesS murder was committed yes
terday in Rhenhardt Sons & Co.'S de-
partment store at Third avenue and
Eighty-sixth street, when Aaron Hall.
a bartender out Of a job, shot and
killed Mary Brannigsn, a clerk at the
ribbon counter. The young woman
she was "a years old-was tall and
handsome. She was known to her en-
ployers as a good employe, and was
popular with her associates. Hall is 25
years old. After killing the girl. Hall
seemed as little moved as though he
had merely stepped on a fly. No one
knows just why he killed Mary Bran
nigan. The only explanation offered
was that she threw him down." Hall
is locked up in the East Eighty eighth
street police station now awaiting the
action OF the law.
The woman he killed was the daugh-
ter OF a widow, Mrs. Brannigan, who
keeps a livery stable at 5l3 East Nine
teenth street. Before her mother be-
came the widow Brannigan she was the
widow Mccarthy, and Mary was one of
the children by the first marriage.
Mary did not live with her mother.
however. but roomed with Mrs. Mar
garet Goldsbury at 65 East One Hun
dred and third street. She had been
employed at Rheinhardts for year
and a half or more. and besides her at
tractive appearance was commended to
her employers by her faithful atten-
tion to business. Hall had, until re-
Gently, been in the habit of waiting
around outside the store in the eve-
nings and escorting the girl home after
the store closed. The ribbon counter
is about 10 feet from the Third avenue
entrance. TO the right as one enters.
and Hall would take up his stand on
Third avenue across the street. Some
OF the employees of the store who liked
the young woman and did not like
Halls looks protested against her hav-
ing anything TO do with him.
SCREAMED AND FELL
He went into the store at $3.50 o'clock
yesterday morning, when the place was
well filed with customers, most OF
them women, and when the 225 en-
ployes, less than half Of them men,
were busy attending TO the wants of
buyers. Hall walked to the ribbon
counter leaned over ii and entered into
conversation with Mary Brannigan.
They talked only few minutes. and
what they talked about no one knows.
Suddenly Hall drew 32-calibre re-
volver out OF his pocket and fired
shot into the young woman's right side,
the revolver almost touching her. She
screamed and fell. As the shot rang
out the customers and employees near
by backed away, some screaming. lsa-
dore Weisbacker. member OF the
firm. Jumped at Hall to take his pistol
from him. Hall turned on him fiercely
and shouted:
IF you touch me I'll kill you"
Weisbecker stood still and Hall start
ed after his victim, who had crawled
from behind the counter, and was run
ming staggeringly toward the back of
the store down the aisle now cleared
of buyers and sellers. Louis Rhein-
hardt, one OF the firm, had heard the
shot and had run out of his office. The
wounded woman was coming toward
him and Mr.. Rheinhardt hurried To
meet her. She was hardly 10 feet
away front him when Hall levelled his
revolver and fired second shot. The
bullet struck the woman in the neck
and she dropped in heap with groan.
MURDERER CALM.
Mr.. Rheinhardt was on Hall in an
instant but the murderer was satis-
fed with what he had done. He stood
still and calmly sad: Send for po.
liceman. I'm ready TO give myself up.
Then he added, as he took cigarette
from his pocket and lighted IL:
"She knew. II was coming she
should have expected it,
pJr. Rheinhardt and some OF the men
employed I'm the store gathered ABOUT
Hall to prevent escape. Then police
man came and took him away. num-
ber of women tainted. A clerk of the
name of Nettie Lehman held the head
of dying woman i'm her lap, and Drs.
Bauer and Hirsch hastily called IN,
said that there was nothing 10 40
Halls bullets had done their work.
The young woman died in 10 minutes
after the second one struck her.
They had to close the doors or the
store. So great was the rush of curious
and excited persons TO get in, so great
was the panic and commotion amor9
those within when the shots were hred.
All the rest OF the day the clerks were
distracted and nervous.
REFUSED TO TALK.
The murderer gave his revolver to the
policeman who came after him When
arraigned before Captain Frers in the
East Eighty eighth street police sta
tion, the prisoner refused 10 talk. He
had consumed cigarettes furiously all
the way TO the station house and said
nothing. The captain. as he looked
him over. saw a man dressed I'm blue
serge suit man " medium height.
light weight. with black hair and eyes
and rather heavy moustache. He
looked neither good nor bad: just one
OF the Indifferent appearing persons
who commit some OF the me-, brutal
crimes. Capt. Frers handcuffed him
self to him and took him down to the
coroner's Office.
The prisoner sat unconcernedly I'm
the office OF Coroner Hart and talked
for a considerable time with his law
yer. Abe Levy. On the advice OF his
counsel Hall refused to make any
statrmen. Coroner Hart. committed
the man to the Tombs without bail
pending the inquest. which viii be held
next Thursday District Attorney
Gardiner and Assistant District At
torney Mcintyre We're on hand when
Hall was committed. Mr.. Mcintyre
said he would take the case immediate
~ before the grand jury.
Capt. Frers took his prisoner back 20
the poiice sfafion and locked him un.-