The St. Louis Republic., 1900-06-25
Henry Wilson, an Ex-Cenvict. In
der Arrest, Confesses That He
Fired the Fatal Shot.
VICTIM A RIVER CHARACTER.
Engaged in Liquor Business Before
the War on the Levee and Was
known to All Shippers
in Those Times.

Thomas Mooney, who was shot by a
aegro highwayman in his saloon at No. a5
North Levee Saturday night. died at the
City Hospital shortly before noon yester-
day Last night Henry Wilson, negro,
was arrested and he confessed 10 the police
that he did the shooting. Mooney, who was
an old man, kept a saloon On the I.evee for
more than forty years and his death marks
the passing away of one OF those rare
characters that are known the length OF
the Mississippi.
Mooney came to America when he was
only IS years old. He was born in County
Galway. and there received a modest edu
cation through the tuteiage of his sister,
who was a school teacher. His brother,
John Mooney, man very much older than
he. had emigrated to the United States
many years before. and Thomas started
afterward at his brothers Invitation.
The elder Mooney was already I'm the sa-
loon business on the Levee, and he took
his younger brother into his establishment.
He was an enterpristng youth and remained
in a subordinate position but a short time.
In 1859 he had saved sufficient money TO
start business of his own.
In the sixties his place was ore of the
swe1lest IN this part of the country. The
aristocracy of that day hovered around the
river. as that was the artery of trade. The
Levee was the Broadway of to-day and
was crowded by metropolitan throng
Among all the people MONEYS was known
as landmark OF the Levee. Among the
river men themselves Moneys was an in
tfmate. One of his nephews said last night
that from 1860 until the present time there
was not or Is not river captain, mate or
steward who cid not know the old man
ND xr-tx n G.
hasten TO greet him. His saloon was then
between Market and Walnut. but he later
moved to the present location at No. 205
North Levee
MONEYS personality was somewhat Pc
culiar. and It is likely that his saloon was
operate. 1t is true that he was dispenser
Of drinks. bat he had an absolute. abhor-
drank a drop. Nothing. 1t has been said of
him. would more invoke his wrath than a
drunken man. He would never sell liquor
knew TO be a -drupkard. Never in his life
did he give drink away, yet the times are
numberless that he gave supper TO a
hungry man. tramp could have his fill
at the free lunch counter but IL he asked
for drink he would be summarily elected.
In his long stay on the Levee Mooney
made considerable money, and In later
wears his relatives. among whom are Jim
Mooney. who keeps a saloon AT Tenth and
Chestnut; Sn tn o;,o John Mooney who has place at
Illus H. Mooney. bookkeeper of the Whalen
Sanitary Plumbing Company, and Martin
6haughnessy. the proprietor of the Lindell
Hotel. were unit in trying to persuade
the old man to leave the Levee. 1t was ar
zued that the old days were gone. and new
had come in which the river had lost its SUI
premacy, but Mooney had made his money,
and spent the greater portion of his life i'm
the river atmosphere and ne would not
leave.
The police worked hard TO find the robbers
yesterday. and early In the day Ben Nc
Gowan of No. 5l2 North Levee was taken
to the Four Courts and identified by
Thomas Durkin, a nephew of Moneys as
one Of the robbers. McGowan admitted he
was implicated in the robbery, but denied
firing the shot. =
Later in the evening Henry Wilson, a
roustabout, who lives at No. ef2 Virginia
avenue. Memphis, Tenn, was arrested BIZ
Detectives Gaffney and Flynn. at Nc. $40
North Twelfth street. Wilson at first de-
MED any connection with the crime but on
being "sweated" in the Chiefs Office he
broke down and confessed that he was
one OF the highwaymen who entered
Moneys saloon, and that it was he who
fired the shot.
Wilson asserted that two other negroes
had been urging him to join them in hold
ing up Mooney for a week. and that he
finally consented. His description Of the
shooting was similar to that made by Dur
kin and others. which was printed In yes
terday's Republic. Wilson, only q few
months since, was released from the Ten
neesee Penftentiary. where he served .
term for grand larceny.