The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1901-03-22
SHOT TWO MEN.
Young Man Creates a Panic in
Pabst Hotel.
Began by Making GOO-GOo Eyes
at Minnie Seligman.

New York, March 22-Two men were
shot at an early hour this morning in
the rathskeller Of the Pabst hotel, by a
man who is believed to be insane The
injured men are John B. Lef1ngwell, 40
years of age. of the Broadway theater,
who is wounded in the left side and
Alexander f Dingwa1l, general manager
Of Jacob Lifts theatrical enterprises.
The man who it is alleged did the shoot
ing gave his name as Richard Hayden
Morris. % years old and said ne is stu
dent and a native Of Tennessee not in
any business and a guest of the Criter-
ion hotel. He was placed in. JAIL
About 1:45 o'clock Morris entered the
rathskeller where probably rs men and
women were eating and drinking and it
is said began to talk abusively- The men
present resented this and Morris, it is
alleged, drew his revolver and fired five
shots, WOunding two men. Morris was
held till officers were called. He con-
tinually exclaimed, What have I done 90
and IS believed to be of unsound mind.
The wounded men were removed to hos
pitals where their wounds were pro-
nOunced not dangerous.
When Morris was arraigned in police
court he said he was Robert TT. Moulton
OF Springfield, Tenn, and that he had
been a student for three years at Colum-
bia university. He was held in S., 900
bail for examination on Monday next
shooting says:
Some time after midnight Minnie
Seligman. the actress. and another wO-
man, members of the Broadway theater.
cOrted by Mr.. LefHngwe0 and an elderly
gentleman They had been seated only
a few minutes when Morris entered, and
seeing Miss Sellgman, seated himself
where he could see her every movement
Just what Morris did to annoy the
actress is not known, but she com
plained to Mr. LefingweH and that
gentleman arising went to Morris and
told him he would have to behave him
self or move his seat
Morris reply was to draw his revolver
and start shooting. The first ball struck
1-efingWen in the side, and he reeled
back his companion ran to his assist
ance, ana grappled with the young man.
For his pains ne received giancing
wound in the back Morris kept on
shooting. his revolver being 1eveled at
Miss Seligman and her companion.
Meanwhile the crowded cafe was
turned into a bedlam- The flying crowd
swept the walters Off their feet as they
charged toward the wild young man
with the revolver. Finally the head
waiter and a detective reached him and
disarmed him
Moulton says he was a user of NOR
phine and that he took a good deal Of
the drug yesterday. He said he remeIn-
bers going to the Broadway theater. and
remembers the second act of the play
membered coming out, but asserts he
does not remember anything that hap
pened from that time until he found
himself in the patrol wagon.
Tt was said atIthe hospital that Ding
wall was resting easy.
BOTH THEATRICAL MEN
Chicago, March 22-George Warren,
treasurer of McVicker's theater, said
when told of the shooting of DingWan
and Leffingwell:
Mr. Dingwan, believe. has a. family
in Milwaukee He has been with Mr..
Lift about fifteen years acting as gen
eral manager for him. well man
ager of the Broadway theater Mr.
LefnngWeH was an advance agent for
Mr.. Lift and at various times has acted
in that capacity for Madame ModJeska
and for Otis Skinner. understand that
he was wealthy in former years, enjoy
ing an annual income of $4,000. He
spent his money with the greatest free
dom and was very fond of yachting He
son in his own craft. At one point in
his life he owned a newspaper IN Hart
ford Conn He is known in every i'm
portant city in the country. DingWa11
was also a newspaper man in his young
er days and worked on a Milwaukee
paper.
WAS BORN IN NASHVILLE
Nashville. Tenn, March 22-Robert NJ.
Moulton. the young man held in New
York on the charge of shooting, is the
youngest son of the late Frank AIoul-
ton. at one time a well known grain
dealer in this city. MoultOn was born in
this city and resided here until about
ten years ago when his father moved to
Memphis. Moulton is about "A years of
age and has been at Columbia college
several years qualifying himself for an
architect.