The Montana plaindealer. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1906-1911, 1908-11-27
SHOT TO KILL F. J. HENEY
Great Lawyer Hit In
Head by Pistol
Bullet.
MURDERER HAD BEEN RELIEVED
FROM JURY WORK on AC-
COUNT OF RECORD.

The san Francisco bribsrygr graft
eases had a dramatic climax last Fri
5av. when Assistant Distrie. Attorney
Francis J.. Heney. who has been il
charge OF the prosecution during its
course Of two years, was shot and seri-
51s.y wounded in the crowded court
room BIZ Norris Haas. The shooting oc-
cured during q bret recess in the
third trial Of Abraham Ruef on the
charge Of bribery. which is now in its
eleventh week.
The would-be assassin was a saloon
keeper. who was drawn upon the jury
panel in the second trial Of Ruef, and,
after having been temporarily passed
bv both sides. was exposed in a dra-
matt. manner by Nr. Heney as an ex-
convict and discharged from the jury.
Haas declared after the shooting that
Heney had ruined his life by this eI-
p0s1re and that he had determined TO
kill him for that reason.
Struck Crowd With Horror.
For a moment everybody seemed
stunned and Paralyzed. The would-be
assassin, whose revolver was within
"a foot and q half Of Heney's head
when be pulled the trigger, stepped
back. his arms By his side, one hand
still clutching the smoking pistol, as
if hesitating what 20 do. In a frae-
tion Of a second an impressive silence
followed the report, while the smoke
Of the shooting leisurely hoated away.
Then followed a dramatic scene. Some
one shouted ''Aly Cod He has shot
Heney-' Exclamations Of horror burst
from the crowd. Half Of the spectators,
evidently fearing further shooting,
made a frantic rush for the doors.
Before the assassin could raise his
pistol again Foley and f. J. Wiskot.
chill, a special policeman, were upon
him, had thrown him to the floor and
wrested the weapon from his grasp.
AS the man who had fred the shot
stepped back from the assistant dis
trict attorney, with the weapon in his
hand, he kept his eyes on Heney, as if
to see bow effective his aim had been.
Mr.. Heney arose out Of his chair, put
his hands to his head, the blood stream
ing through his fingers and reddening
the table in front of him, leaned over a
moment, and was caught as he began
to fall.
Heney Asked for His Wife.
He was laid on the floor. He then
said: ''Send for my wife"
Mr.. Heney was perfectly composed,
the peculiar smile for which he is
known still lowering over his lips. Evil
IDENTIFY he also believed that he was
fatally wounded. Turning his eyes to
Mr.. John O'Gara, his assistant in the
trial, he said:
Statement by Heney.
81 want to make a dying statement.
| believe l am going to die. 1 was sit
ting at my table when l felt what l
though was a blow. l do not know
who shot me. l was doing nothing to
any one"
Ruef and his two attorneys, who
were out on the sidewalk, were startled
by the report and started for the court
room, but were forced down the steps
by the GROVE rushing out.
Heney Has Had Notable Life.
Francis Joseph Heney was born of
an Irish father and a German mother
in Lima, New York, on st. Patrick s
day, March II, 1859. He was taken by
his parents to San Francisco when he
was but I years of age, and grew up a
street gamin, fighting his way up
through the youthful outlawry.
He has had a remarkable career in
Arizona, California and Oregon. After
leaving the University Of California he
studied law and later worked as a COW
boy and miner in various portions of
the west. Finally he went to Tucson,
Ariz., where he was noted for his fear
less disposition. He was the only law
yer in Tucson who dared take the case
of Mrs. Handy, who was suing her hus-
band, a prominent physician, for di-
vorce. DR.. Handy had announced that
he would shoot on sight any attorney
who took the case.
Heney Killed a Man.
Heney became Mrs. Handy s lawyer
and was one day attacked by DR.. Han
dy, Heney's superior in size and
strength. In the struggle that ensued
Heney drew a pistol and shot Handy
dead. He was exonerated by a cor
oner's jury.
Later lIeney came to San Francisco
and practiced law. While well known
here because of his aggressive methods,
it was not until he had been appointed
special prosecutor in the Oregon land
fraud eases that he became a national
character.
Heney for Cabinet.
1t has developed that Heney's name