New-York tribune., 1900-05-18
MURDER IN A BIG STORE.
REJECTED sUIToR SHOOTS A SALESGIRL
AND WATTS TO BE ARRESTED.
pa1rc AMONG THE CUSTOMERS AND
CLERKS, MOST OF WHOM WERE
WOMEN

Murders are not uncommon in this city but
seldom is the crime committed among such
nacpIiar surroundings marked the shooting
=, Miss Mary Brannigan yesterday in a crowded
4snar+r7ent store by rejected suitor. Business
,-os proing on as usual. the three hundred or
e,,,- hundred employees. mostly female. were
,.-at,,-- an customers: Miss Brannigan. a sales
frl was in her accustomed place behind the
Tsbbon counter and a wen dressed man stood
on the opposite side Of the counter, immediately
.n --ont Of her. apparently pricing the goods.
euddeplv the man drew a revolver from his
nocket and pointing il al the breast of the girl,
fred.
In an instant the peaceful store was hlled with
rcmuotion Shrieking with pain and terror,
Miss Brannigan ran along her side Of the
counter toward the rear door OF the shop, and
al the same time the bloodthrsty man raced
after her outside the barrier Which separated
him from his victim The other saleswomen fell
hack horror stricken. 70 give her room TO pass.
MANY of them tainted. others became hysterical.
The customers scattered like scared sheep before
the pursuing murderer. Most Of these were
women also and their frightened screams for
relp we're heard clear across the avenue. IsidOr
Weisbader. one Of the proprietOrs of the store,
made a motion To stop the murderer but the
man pofuted the revolver at Weisbader's head
and exclaimed: Don't touch me or III blow the
top Of your head off, Weisbader stepped aside.
BY this time the wounded girl had reached the
rear Of the store. She was just about TO escape
when her pursuer raised his revolver and fred
again. The bullet struck Miss Brannigan in the
back Of the head. and she fell TO the floor and
died in a few Hinutes.
All this happened in Renhardt's department
store, az Eighty-sixth-st. and Third-ave. about
$50 o'clock in the morning. II was Edward
Hall of No 103 East One-hundred-and-tw I wenty-
third-st. who did the shooting He has been
bartender al Lenox Music Hail No. 1915 Third
ave. for several years. and had lorg courted
Miss Brannigan. He is twenty-five. she
twenty-four. on Wednesday night he asked
her 10 be his wife. She refused Hall became
furious and gave her till yesterday morning 70
change her mind. When he called at the store
she refused him again, and he shot her After
she fell he put the pistol back IL his pocket lit
a cigarette and waited 20 be- arrested. 4 dozen
clerks haC run for a policeman As the officer
came up 10 Hall, the murderer said coolly:
I've waited for you. Mr.. Officer Rather long
in coming" Then Hall took another puff at his
cigarette ard blew out few wreaths of smoke
and smiled. oh she knew what was coming.
and she ought TO have expected it, It wasn't
so sudden. he adG-d
or the way 10 the East Eighty-eighth-st. po-
lice station Hall said to the policeman: I want
i distinctly understood that that girl q
pure girl. Il there ever was one
Hall was taken from the police station to the
C0roner's office. accompanied by Abraham Levy
and George FIEstOn. his counsel. Coroner Hart
committed him 70 the Tombs, and fixed May 24
FOR the inquest Hail would make no statement
District Attorney Gardner announced MS IN
CenriOn of making this a record case, and hav-
ing the prisoner brought to a speedy trial He
told Coroner Hart he would go before the Grand
Jury to-day and ask for the prisoners indict-
nent. and that ne would endeavOr TO bring him
TO trial next week
The body Of the murdered girl vas sent TO
the home Of her people, at No 9l3 East Nine
resnth-St-