The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1913-09-16
NAN IN DRUNKEN
| FRENZY SHOOTS
WIFE, SON AND
BABE WITH GUN
Attempts to Kill Boy Because He
Takes Mothers Part in 4
Quarrel.
FIRES ON WIFE as SHE RUNS
SCREAMING FROM THE HOUSE
Has Threatened to Take the Lives
of Many Residents of .
Mound City. ;.
FIRES ON WIFE as SHE RUNS
SCREAMING FROM THE HOUSE

William Fitzgerald, 65 years old,
a ship calker employed at the Ma
rine Ways and who lives on Elm
street in Mound City. shot his wife,
his fifteen year old son and his
eighteen months old baby while In
drunken frenzy at noon yesterday.
According to residents OF Elm
street, Fitzgerald went home at
noon yesterday and asked his wife
Tor money. She refused to give II
to him because he had been drink
ing. and he started 10 beat and kick
her, His son, Richard, i6 years old,
attempted to Intervene, but he was
thrown aside and the drunken man
turned his attentions from his wife
to the boy,
80 you'll take your mothers part,
will your" no shouted. 'l'll fix
YOU" Then going to the corner
where the shot gun stood, he pick
ed it up and aimed it at the boy.
Richard turned to run, but his faith
er shot him, and he fell to the
floor. Replacing the shell. he fred
twice more at his wife, who had
picked up the baby and started to
run cut Of the house.
often Beats Wife.
Nelghbors heard the shots and
saw the wife run screaming down
the street with the baby in her arms.
and rushed to tho house. They
found Fitzgerald standing over his
son with the shotgun in his hands
and repeating over and over Il wish
had another she'll | would kill
you. They took hold of the man
and started to walk toward the jail
with him. On the way they met
Sheriff Charles Werenberg, who
placed him under arrest and took
him to the county Jail, where he is
being held pending the outcome of
the shooting.
Or. Simon Willard was called to
attend to the woman and two chill
dren He dressed the wounds, but
will not attempt to probe for the
bullets for a few days.
When seen by reporter for the
Bulletin, Dr. Willard said the
wounds arc not necessarily serious,
although they may become infected
and blood poison may develope.
He said there are thirty or forty
shots In the boys back. which for
ntuately did not penetrate very far,
two shots in Mrs. Fitzgerald's back,
and one shot in the baby's scalp.
The doctor was not able to ascertain
on first treatment whether or not
the shot penetrated the baby's skull.
| but fears that as the skull is thin, 1t
may have caused a fracture.
Neighbors Heard Shots.
Sheriff Werenberg said the man
had been drinking, but was nearly
sober when placed under arrest.
He said he had often had trouble
with Fitzgerald. who is drunk near
ny every day, and continually beats
his wife.
The shotgun with which Fitz-
gerald did the shooting was a twelve
guage gun which had belonged to
his son, Edward, is years old, who
was accidentally killed last spring
while on a strawberry picking ex-
pedition in Pulaski county. Ed
ward. with a number of other boys
was sitting in the piekers shanty
playing cards when one OF the boys,
returning from hunting trip.
reached through the window and put
his gun against the wall. 1t fell to
| the floor and was discharged, in
stantly killing Edward Fitzgerald.
It is reported that Fitzgerald has
made numerous threats to kill sew
eral residents of Mound City, and
on several different occasions has
drawn his revolver to shoot. but
his attempts have been frustrated
by bystanders.
| Fitzgerald has one wooden leg,