The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1917-03-08

Doctors J. 1T. Clearly and George i.
Ross, both well known to the medical
profession in Kenosha, had the most
exciting incident of their professional
careers on Tuesday afternoon just be-
fore half past four o o'clock when
Samuel Leonette, an Italian, crazed by
the death of his fve-year-old son
opened fire on them with revolver.
They escaped without being hit and
Leonette was afterward arrested.
Little Frank Leonette, five years of
age, died with diphtheria few min
utes before the shooting took place and
death came to him while the two ply
sicians were engaged in an operation
for intubation in hopes that they might
prolong and save the life Of the child.
When the father found that the child
was dead, he became distracted. He
locked the doors of the house and
placed the keys in his pocket.
Women members of the family
sought to attack the physicians and
one of them approached them with up
lifted chairs while Leonette made an
effort to strike DIR. Cleary. Then he
rushed into the bed room of the house
and secured the revolver. The two
doctors recognizing the peril of their
position had made their escape from
the house through window and it was
just after they had left the house that
Leonette rushed to the window and
began firing. Leonette was confined in
the county jail and booked on charge
of attempted murder.
DIR. Cleary had been called to attend
the little italian boy on Tuesday night.
He found him very i'll and when he
returned to the house on Wednesday
he diagnosed the case as one of diph-
liberia. He told the fact that the only
hope of saving the life of the child lay
in placing a tube in his throat The
father mad no objection to the intu-
baton and DR.. Ross was called to aid
DR.. Cleary with the operation
Leonette had shown deep grief
over the condition of the child and he
stood near as the physicians worked to
save the life. just about the time the
operatio~ was complete, the child col
lapsed. Immediately the house was in
an uproar.
Although it was supposed to be quar-
antined, there were half dozen men
and women in the room in which the
little child had died and the men and
women at once became threatening.
Double doors separated the front
roo. OF the house from the room in
which the little boy had died and when
nent he closed these doors and placed
his foot against them to prevent the
onslaught of the angry Italians. Then
he directed DR. Ross to get their
clothes and the grips in which they
had carried the instruments and make
for the window. DIR. Ross had COM
pleted his part of the plan and had
made an exit from the window when
DR.. Cleary let the doors be opened and
he rushed for the window. He and
DR.. Ross were standing under the win
dow when Leonette appeared with the
revolver and began firing. Cleary ran
in one direction and Ross in another
and it is thought that the italian was
so excited that he was unable to direct
the fire at either OF the physicians.
AS soon as they got away from the
house the physicians notified the police
department. and the patrol wagon was
sent to their relief.
With the officers the doctors returned
to the house and secured their over
coats and their grips and left. Leon
cite made no opposition when he was
taken into. custody by police officer
Emil Clausen.
We had no reason to fear such an
outbreak on the part of the father of
the little boy" said DR.. Cleary some
time after his fortunate escape. 81
had told him that the child was very
i'll and chat it was doubtful if his life
could be saved, but that the only hope
was intubation. The man was much
worked up over the condition Of the
child bus he showed every desire to
have everything possible done for him