Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-11-13
POSTMASTER
OF NEW YORK
Is SHOT DOWN
EDWARD M. MORGAN VICTIM OF AT
TEMPTED MURDER BY LUNATIC
WHO KILLS HIMSELF.
BULLETS FIRED ON BROADWAY.
Assailant Felt Grieved Because Light
Was Turned Out in Postofice When
He Was Reading
TRAGEDY CAUSES A SENSATION.

| NEW YORK, Nov 9-Postmaster
Edward M. Morgan Of this city was
/ shot down in the street as he was leav-
! ing his house on West 10th street for
the postoftice this morning by Eric 81.
| 3. Mackey, a stenographer employed by
a down town law firm, who then shot
and instantly killed himself. The single
bullet which struck Mr.. Morgan enter
| the right side of the abdomen and
passed out at the left side without pene-
! trating the walls. There was not in
ternal bleeding and there is every like
lihood that the wounded man will re-
cover.
The only excuse known for the shoot
| ing was that Mackey had complained to
| the authorities at the postoffice in Wash
ington that his mail had been tempered
with and that some one turned out an
electric light when he was reading by it
in the corridor of the postoftice. Mackey
had received a reply that there was no
evidence of tampering with his MAIL
and that the incident of the electric
| light was an accident
AssaiIant Was Insane.
Mackey's employers, the firm of Hunt,
Hill & Belts, declared they could ac-
count for the tragedy only on the theory
that Mackey was insane. Besides re-
volver, it was found that Mackey car
ried dagger and a slung shot.
Eric H. 3. Mackey was son of II.
W. B. Mackey Of Cambridge, Mass,
who is engaged in literary work. He
| formerly lived in Cambridge, where he
was employed at the factory Of the Bos-
ton Woven Hose & Rubber company.
He was born near Dublin, Ireland, and
was about Is years old when his parents
came to America. About six years ago
he shot a fellow employe because Of a
fancied grievance and after trial was ad-
judged insane and committed to the
Worcester asylum from which he es-
caped in 1904.
Girl Sees Shooting
The shooting took place in the presence
of Miss Dorothy Morgan, the 14-year-
old daughter of the postmaster, who was
accompanying him to the subway sta
ton on her way to school. Mackey had
been pacing up and down the sidewalk
near the corner of Broadway and 14Oth
street for two hours before the shooting.
When Mr.. Morgan and his daughter left
their home and walked toward Broad
way, Mackey turned down the side street
and met them. Evidently he had never
seen the postmaster before, for, as he
met Mr.. Morgan he asked: care you
Postmaster Morgan" At Mr.. Morgan's
affirmative reply, Mackey drew his re-
volver and fred one shot into the post
masters abdomen. The wounded man
! fell to the sidewalk, and as two witness
es of the shooting came running up,
Mackey lay down on the sidewalk,
opened his vest and sent one bullet into
his head and another into his heart. He
was dead when the first man reached
him.
Never Saw Mackey Before.
Mr.. Morgan was carried into his own
home. physicians were hastily summoned,
and it was found that the bullet had
merely passed through the feshy por-
ton of the abdomen for eight inches, in
hicting superficial wound. Mr.. Nor
gan declared that he did not know
NIackey and never saw him before the
shooting. 1t was learned that a man an
SWeTlQS Mdchey D ueSCAIplAoA Aio Sdh0o
at Mr. Morgan's home three times during
the past ten days in his absence.
Suicide Fires Thrice.
For an instant after the shot had been
fired at Mr.. Morgan the assailant stood
looking down upon his victim. Then he
raised the still smoking revolver and,
pressing it against his forehead, pulled
the trigger The bullet did not cause
fatal wound and once more and then a
third time the man sent bullet crashing
against his skull. The third ball pene-
trated the brain and the man fell dead.
AS he lay there, with the revolver still
clenched in his hand, several persons
who had witnessed the double shooting
rushed to the assistance of Mr.. Morgan,
whom some of them had recognized.
While the surgeons were working over
Mr.. Morgan at his home in an effort to
save his life, the body Of the man who
fred the shot and then killed himself,
was lying on the sidewalk where he had
the scene, but a detail Of policemen who
had been rushed to the place Immediate
ly after the shooting stood over the body.
They were directed to guard it and pre-
vent it's removal until the arrival Of
coroner.
Is Prominent Republican.
Mr.. Morgan has been connected with
the postal service in New York for more
than quarter of century. he began
his career as a letter carrier thirty-two
years ago and worked his way to the top.
Last year hewas promoted from assistant
postmaster to the position of postmaster,
to succeed William r. Wilcox who be-
came a public service commissioner. Mr..
Morgan is the Republican leader in the
Washington Heights Assembly district"