The Detroit times., 1909-07-17

the tirst victim, kissed her 5-year-oid
son as he sept and sent a revolver
bullet into her. breast
Now, as she lies between life and
death in hospital, this city Is De-
ginning 10 take account OF one OF the
most remarkable clashes ~ the history
OF ward politics.
During The lat campaign Constable
Sam Young was the Democratic Lead
er in the fifteenth ward. and Fred
Mohrle was his neighbor and his POI
litical foe.
The Sunday before election Young
and Mohrle met by chance. Both drew
reyolvers. A dozen snots rang out.
and Young fell dead.
Mohrle and VIM Wright. a friend.
were arrested for the kill, Ig.
When they were arraigned the next
day police bad TO force a way for the
prisoners through crowd.
AS Mohrle stood covering at the
dock a small, dark haired man pushed
his way beside him.
Never Fear the law" he whisperet
and Mohrle smiled. At last he had
found friend.
Why" he whispered back.
Because" the stranger Kissed.
well get you before the law has q
chance at you" This was on April 3.
June 7 he trial came. The same
crowds that had watched the two mea
arraigned 4 month before were there.
The election had been decided aud
the gangs fiat OF revenge was seald.
Heard Crowd Murmur.
Mohrle and Wright could hear tho
crowd murmur above tho clang OF
their prison doors as they were led
out Mohrle came first. AS the turn
key turned TO lock the ioor Michae'
Kane. Young's friend, faced Mohrie.
Without a word, Kane raised a revo!-
yer and shot Mohrle dead. The re-
port echoed through the dingy old
Four Courts building where Folk hal
sent boodlers 10 the pelitentiary.
Mohrle fell into the arms or po-
liceman who was there to protect him
Wright, trembling and pale. was rush
ed back TO his cell.
When he shot echoed on the
judges ears upstairs he knew what Il
meant Before the crowds wonder
had been satisfied the oa.liff raped
loudly
Court IS adjourned" the judge
cried.
Then Mrs. Mohrle went out with her
son and saw an ambulance taking ner
husbands body away. Well might
Wright, the only one alive who was
involved in the original feud. tremble
ONLY few days before The death OF
Mohrle. Wright. out on Donds. heard
someone call him. Thinking the
gang had got" him. he opened fire
on two men and shot Alfred Nelson,
t a bystander.
Last week. when he finally was ac-
quilted. Wright accidentally shot Chas.
Tozer in he home OF the widow Of
Mohrle. He had gone insane.
Life for Life.
The life or one or the gang hal
been takeh, and life nad paid tho
forfeit. The gangs score was wiped
out.
But day after day little woman in
black was trying to comfort her son.
who was crying for daddy" Hostile
neighbors pointed to her veil Of crepe
and said:
she wouldn't be wearing that, only
her man got Sam Young, and he just
had to die. too
A diary found under her pillow
after she shot herself showed her
thoughts She kept this diary beside
the revolver that she used.
Everything Is gone she had
written in a trembling hand.
! Every thing is gone-my sweet
heart Is dead, The gang is after me.
think / had better kill myself before
they kill me. They would not shoot
me like they did sweetheart They'd
! drag me into an alley and choke me to
death before | could scream"
Seven violent deaths In the Fiji
teenth ward in the last few years the
police aScribe to the .eud feeling that
caused the latest political outbreak CT
murder. A secret organization grimly
called the Jolly Five" was headquar-
tiers a few years ago OF what the po-
lice called a school OF crime. Two
cardinal principles III conduct were
taught there.
One was get your man."
Don't peach" was the other.
An old church was the clubhouse.
Nightly orgies saw the rafters which
once had echoed to words OF prayer
and the music Of hymns. resouuded
with coarse jokes and drunken songs
Shot As He Spoke.
One night policeman who went In
and ordered the noise to stop was shot
as he spoke.
Chief OF Police Creecy the next day
Investigated the shooting In person
They showed him the spot where the
bluecoat had fallen. His blood still
stained the floor.
Suddenly the sun came out from
behind a cloud and ito rays blazed into
the reeking room through the stained
glass windows OF the old church.
The largest window had a figure OF
the crucifx In its center. and as the
chief looked at the blood on the floor
suddenly the outline OF the cross was
shadowed under the chiefs eyes. In
It's center were the bloodstains. Even
TO the hardened crime hunters the
scene was dramatic,
AS Chief Creecy left in horror he
said: THAT place never opens
again" He kept his word and the
/ Fifteenth ward feud spirit slumbernd
until Young fell.
where will 1t stop" the city now
asks.