Part 36

In Sullivan's office the detectives found great quantities of advertising matter. This matter was thoroughly gone over in the search for evidence against the grain and stock broker. Pile after pile of Sullivan's "red letter" circulars were found.

Sullivan's "red letter" was issued daily, and printed in red ink. The circulars were written in a manner characteristic of all the advertisements, printed matter and correspondence to patrons.

In telegrams to patrons and the "red letters" Sullivan often made the proposition that he would make good all loss sustained by patrons while they were making purchases upon his advice.

The detectives were somewhat surprised when they saw at the top of the circular in bold, red type that "four exclusive offices for lady speculators" were being operated in Chicago, one in South Chicago and one in St. Louis. The addresses given for the Chicago offices were 225 Dearborn street, 159 LaSalle street, 260 Clark street and 84 Adams street. Women speculators of South Chicago had the opportunity of making their purchases at 9138 Commercial avenue.

Wooldridge was asked by the press what justification he had in making the raids, and by whose orders they were made. He said that he raided the Lincoln Commission Company at 115 Dearborn street, May 14, 1903, which was conducting a turf investment company, and found that George T. Sullivan was operating the same in connection with his bucketshop; that George T. Sullivan and 60 inmates were arrested, and eleven wagon loads of books, letters, papers and records taken to the Harrison Street Police Station. Wooldridge said that he had evidence to indict them on 50 charges, and he intended to deliver the goods, and he would not be pulled off by any man in the State of Illinois.

Wooldridge immediately took steps to get his evidence in shape. He called on John Hill, Jr., who had charge of the Board of Trade quotations and who was an expert on bucketshop methods.

Wooldridge, Hill and two clerks went to work gathering evidence for the trial; eleven wagon loads of books, papers, letters and records had to be gone through, which was done in the most careful, systematic manner.

They worked from 2 p. m. until 12 o'clock and the evidence gathered was placed in a vault.

After they had secured something to eat in a nearby restaurant and taken two hours' sleep, they resumed their work, which was carried on until 7 o'clock Sunday morning. This evidence which was secured was locked up in another vault for safe keeping. After they had eaten their breakfast they resumed work again and worked until 6 p. m. This evidence gathered was placed in another vault. After they had eaten their supper they resumed work again and worked until 1 o'clock Sunday night, when they succeeded in going through every scrap of paper which was seized in the raid. This evidence gathered was placed in another vault.

The placing of this evidence in different vaults was for the purpose of preventing George T. Sullivan or any of his friends from securing it on a writ of replevin.

Wooldridge slept until 5 o'clock, then went to the residence of Charles S. Deneen, State's Attorney. Arriving at his house and finding that he had not arisen from bed, Wooldridge pulled up a settee which he found on the veranda and placed it in front of his door where it would be impossible for him to get out of his house without first awaking Wooldridge.

Wooldridge laid down and went fast asleep and was found there when State's Attorney Deneen was making his departure next morning for his office. Wooldridge, upon being aroused from his sleep, told Mr. Deneen of the raid made and the evidence gathered and showed him some 10 or 15 telegrams from reputable Board of Trade men who were worth over $20,000,000 collectively. The substance of the telegrams was as follows:

"Officer Clifton R. Wooldridge: We are informed that you raided George T. Sullivan's bucketshop. You have done your duty and been criticised and assailed for doing it. My name is ---- and my attorneys name is ---- and we are at your service night or day, without any expense to you."

Mr. Deneen asked Wooldridge how soon he would be ready to present his evidence to the Grand Jury. Wooldridge replied that he had two cases already prepared before he made the raid and would be ready in six hours with a number of additional cases.

Mr. Deneen told Wooldridge to accompany him to his office, which was done. He called Assistant State's Attorneys Albert C. Barnes, F. L. Barnett and Howard O. Sprogle and instructed them to assist Wooldridge in preparing the cases for the Grand Jury and give him a clean road just the minute he was ready. They were further instructed to give him all the assistance and advice he should need in the matter.

The special complaints were drawn, the telegraph wires became busy and at 10 o'clock Wooldridge and witnesses went before the Grand Jury and George T. Sullivan was indicted for keeping a bucketshop and common gaming house.

George T. Sullivan was also active from Saturday until Monday morning. He had prepared writs of replevin and warrants for larceny for Wooldridge and officers who were with him.

Wooldridge was called up over the telephone by Sullivan's friends and offered a bribe of $5,000 if he would release and turn over the books, letters and records which were seized in the raid, so Sullivan could resume business. This offer was refused by Wooldridge and the matter reported to the State's Attorney.

Sullivan then resorted to sending various friends and powerful politicians for the paraphernalia seized. Still Wooldridge turned a deaf ear to their requests and entreaties.

Wooldridge was a very busy man at the County Court Building on Monday. Before the George T. Sullivan bucketshop raid and the indictment before the Grand Jury, Wooldridge had the case of J. J. Jacobs, manager of the Montana Mining, Loan & Investment Company, which was a lottery, on trial before Judge Chetlain.

While in the courtroom he was informed by officers that they had a writ of replevin for the goods seized in Sullivan's bucketshop; that they also held warrants for Wooldridge and the officers who were with him, but if he would surrender the goods seized they declared the warrants would not be served and there would be no trouble.

Wooldridge called on the State's Attorney and informed him of the demand made upon him. State's Attorney Deneen called the officers in his office and told them that Wooldridge was there in attendance in the court and he would not permit the warrants to be served on him until after court adjourned. Further, he had instructed Wooldridge not to turn over any of the property.

Sullivan during the meantime had learned that there was an indictment against him by the Grand Jury and withdrew the order for serving of the warrants. He was indicted, convicted and paid a $500 fine.

After the police had secured the evidence, his books, letters and records were returned to him. He tried to start up in business again; also to get other parties interested with him who had money, but in this he failed. He was forced to refund $150,000 to his patrons who had advanced money to him to speculate in grain and stock. He expected financial assistance and hoped to resume business, but nothing materialized.

There were thousands of other creditors throughout the country who were not so fortunate in obtaining a settlement. These creditors combined and forced him into bankruptcy.

He was then cited in the United States Court for violating a federal injunction.

He quietly folded his tent at night and left Chicago without leaving his address. He was next heard of in England six months later. All traces of him were lost until, in August, 1907, at Pittsburg, Pa., he was arrested for running a bucketshop.

George T. Sullivan, of George T. Sullivan & Co., brokers, with offices in the Bijou Building, Pittsburg, and was arraigned before Magistrate F. J. Brady at Central Police Station, charged with a misdemeanor and violating a city ordinance.

SULLIVAN HAS RECORD.

The misdemeanor was based on Sullivan's doing business without being properly registered at Harrisburg, and he was charged with violating a city ordinance for running a brokerage office without taking out a city license. He was held, for court in $1,000 bail on the misdemeanor charge and was fined $25 on the other.

George T. Sullivan, the Napoleon of frenzied finance, cut a large figure in Chicago. From a telegraph operator in the pool rooms and bucketshops at a salary of $18 per week, he acquired enough in the short space of two years to own and operate the largest bucketshop in the United States.

He soared high in the money circles, but at last was brought crashing to the earth, a financial wreck. He was convicted of keeping a bucketshop and gambling house. He went bankrupt, hounded to death by his creditors, many of whom he had wrecked.

He was cited to appear in the United States Court for violating an injunction, and warrants had been sworn out by the postal authorities for using the mails to defraud the public.

He took his freight from Chicago to new fields of pasture. Wine, women and high financing brought his downfall.

DORA McDONALD.

MILLION-DOLLAR GAMBLER'S WIFE ARRESTED FOR MURDER.

Webster Guerin Murdered February 21, 1906--The Arrest of Dora McDonald for the Murder by Detective Clifton R. Wooldridge and J. F. Daugherty a Few Minutes After the Tragedy.

Spectacular Case--Battle Bitterly Waged.

Important Dates in Mrs. McDonald's Life Tragedy.

Important dates in the trial of Mrs. Dora McDonald:

February 21, 1907--Webster Guerin shot to death in room 703, Omaha Building, where he was closeted with Mrs. Dora McDonald.

March 5, 1907--The Coroner's jury returned an open verdict, failing to find Mrs. McDonald responsible for Guerin's death.

March 30, 1907--Mrs. McDonald released from the County Jail under bonds of $50,000.

August 9, 1907--Michael McDonald died, reconciled to his first wife through the efforts of the church.

August 12, 1907--"Mike" McDonald's funeral, one of the largest ever known, held.

January 20, 1908--Mrs. McDonald placed on trial before Judge Brentano.

January 25, 1908--Jury completed and sworn.

February 11, 1908--The jury returned a verdict of not guilty.

The murder of Webster Guerin occurred on the morning of February 21, 1906, at his office, room 703 Omaha Building, 134 Van Buren street.

Detectives Clifton R. Wooldridge and J. P. Daugherty were on their way to see Guerin about a complaint made against him when they ran into the shooting. They had been there before, but were not able to find the man. Under the name of Fisher, Guerin had another office in the same building. The complaint was from Mrs. G. Boynton, 903 East Fifty-fifth street, who said she had been forced into buying a picture frame through the promise of the managers of the Harrison Art Studio that they would enlarge the picture free of charge.

Upon reaching the building Detectives Wooldridge and Daugherty heard a pistol shot ring out which sounded as if coming from the upper story of the building. Springing into the elevator, they soon reached the top floor, where they were directed to room 703, where a number of the tenants of the building had already gathered. Stretched upon the floor lay the body of Webster Guerin with the blood oozing from his mouth and a bullet wound from a 32-caliber revolver on the left side, just above the heart; the bullet had passed through his lungs and caused a hemorrhage; from his mouth came nearly one-half gallon of blood.

When Wooldridge and Daugherty reached the side of Guerin he was past human aid.

NO WITNESSES OF KILLING.

There were no witnesses of the killing of Guerin. He was in his office with Mrs. Dora McDonald. Several persons heard a shot, and a moment later the glass door was broken and the head of Mrs. McDonald came out.

The condition of the studio, in room 703 of the Omaha Building, shows that a violent quarrel took place between Guerin and Mrs. McDonald. Mrs. McDonald left her residence shortly after breakfast. She arrived at the building about 11:45 o'clock. Guerin expected her, for he told his office boy, Thomas Hanson, who lives at 265 West Ohio street, to leave the room and not come back until 1 o'clock. Before the boy left the room Mrs. McDonald entered and the two immediately began quarreling, it is said. Guerin shouted to Hanson to leave and nothing more was heard until the shooting at 11:50 o'clock.

Lorenzo Blasi, who lives at 73 West Ohio street, and who is employed in room 608 of the same building, heard the shot and the sound of breaking glass. He was in the corridor on the seventh floor. He hurried to the scene and on the way heard the glass breaking again and a woman screaming: "He shot himself! He shot himself!"

WOMAN CUT BY BROKEN GLASS.

When Blasi reached the studio he found Mrs. McDonald with her head partly thrust through the broken glass. Her face was bleeding from cuts. In her hand she held a revolver. She was trying to break more of the glass with her revolver and escape.

A moment later Eric Allert and Charles B. Williams, who work across the corridor, rushed out to Blasi's aid.

Mrs. McDonald was pulled through the door and the revolver was secured. In the office, men found Guerin lying dead in the room leading off from the main part of the office.

A torn picture and some hatpins were on the floor. There were finger marks on her throat.

When Dora McDonald recovered consciousness she shrieked: "Oh, God! Get a doctor; he has shot himself."

Where the revolver may have been at that time it was difficult to say. Several witnesses said that it was lying at the right side of Guerin, who was dying. Others said that the woman held it in her hand, waving it above her head as she screamed out: "He has shot himself."

Who this strong, handsomely garbed woman was who had either witnessed a suicide, committed a murder or participated in an accident no one knew, but she was hurried off to the police station by Detective Wooldridge.

"Daddy, oh, daddy, forgive me!" she kept screaming out. She was recognized, however, and it was found that "Daddy" could be none other than the big gambler and political boss, Mike McDonald. So they sent for Mike, and he gathered into his arms the woman who in that moment broke his heart and sent him to his grave in sorrow.

An inquest was begun before Coroner Peter J. Hoffman in the Harrison Street Station on March 1, 1906. After five days an open verdict was returned, in which the jurors declared themselves unable to determine the cause of the death of Guerin.

The Coroner's jury consisted of the following named persons:

Joseph Willis, 43 Cass street; Frank O. Borhyar, 6142 Madison avenue; William Merker, 263 Seminary avenue; William C. Hollens, 6418 Rhodes avenue; David A. Smith, 3843 California avenue; George F. Cram, 4166 Drexel boulevard.

On March 16, Municipal Judge Newcomer went to the jail hospital, where Dora McDonald, still in bed, was formally arraigned and held on a charge of murder. Two weeks later she was indicted by the Grand Jury.

All of the evidence so gathered was embodied in the report of the Coroner, and the names of the witnesses were thereto attached, all of which were made public at the time. The State and the defense secured a copy of the same.

MYSTERY TOO MUCH FOR CORONER.

All the additional evidence and the preparation of the case was made by the State's attorneys, William H. Rittenhouse. Edwin S. Day, Frank Comerford, City Police Attorney, and other officers. All the names of new witnesses (some twelve or fifteen in number) and the evidence were concealed from Detective Wooldridge, and at no time was he present, or did he hear to what the witnesses would testify. Therefore, he had no knowledge of any new facts when the case was called for trial.

The mystery of Guerin's death proved too much for a Coroner's jury. More than two weeks after the artist was slain the Coroner's panel returned an open verdict. It merely found that Guerin had died from a bullet wound in a manner which the jury was unable to determine. This same verdict Colonel Lewis sought to introduce at the trial in Judge Brentano's court. Such a move was new in criminal annals, and it was some time before the court decided that it should be ruled out.

Mrs. McDonald was meantime transferred to the County Jail from the Harrison Street Station. She was broken in health and a confirmed invalid. Two persons, however, were faithful to her, Mike McDonald and Miss Amanda Beck, her nurse.

FRIENDS GET BUSY QUICKLY.

A few hours after the tragedy of Webster Guerin all the influences and machinery at the command of Mike McDonald were brought to bear to save the life of Dora McDonald. A. S. Trude, one of the greatest criminal attorneys in Chicago, was employed, besides several other noted lawyers, to defend Dora McDonald. Mike McDonald's political friends soon became active. Everything was done to gather evidence in Dora McDonald's case, and everything was done that could be done to suppress any evidence that was injurious to her.

There was one witness who was greatly feared, and that was Detective Clifton R. Wooldridge, who made the arrest.

Several days after the shooting A. S. Trude, Mike McDonald's attorney, met Wooldridge in the Criminal Court and shook hands with him. He said that he was very glad that Wooldridge was interested in the case for one reason, for he knew he would get a square deal. He also stated that there was another reason why he was sorry that Wooldridge was in the case, because he had too many eyes and too many feet to be on the opposite side of any case in which he (Trude) was interested. This view was shared by Mike McDonald and his friends, who became active to get Wooldridge out of the way.

Mike McDonald first paid a visit to John M. Collins, then General Superintendent of Police, and one of his warm personal friends, and Frank Comerford, City Police Attorney. What occurred in that office will never be known, unless Collins chooses to make a statement, as McDonald has since died.

Detective Wooldridge was called to the office of John M. Collins, General Superintendent of Police, and told not to talk to any newspaper men or anyone else about the McDonald case. He was further told not to make himself too officious, and not to be too active in the case.

Several days later he was again called to Chief Collins' office and told that Frank Comerford, then acting as City Police Attorney, and a warm friend of Mike McDonald's, was to take charge of the case, so that he need not bother himself further with the matter.

Mr. Comerford became very active, securing the names of all the witnesses and all evidence to which they would testify, together with other facts. All this matter eventually found its way into the hands of the defense long before the trial.

Mike McDonald and his friends thought that Wooldridge would become active again in the case. Therefore Mike proceeded to get busy himself. No one seems to know the ins and outs of the case, but it is nevertheless a fact that soon after the election of April, 1907, Wooldridge was transferred from the office of the General Superintendent of Police, where he had served since 1889, to the Cottage Grove Avenue Station. No reason was assigned for this transfer.

GUERIN'S LIFE STORY.

Webster Guerin, who lived at 655 West Harrison street, was well known on the West Side, where he was born thirty years ago. He kept a haberdashery on West Madison street a few years before the murder, but left it to go to California. On his return he went into the picture business. Guerin was a tall, splendid-looking fellow more than six feet in height.

Guerin was known at the offices in the Omaha Building as Louis Fisher, and it was under that name that he operated the Harrison Art Company.

DORA MCDONALD DIVORCED WIFE OF "SAM" BARCLAY.

Dora McDonald, 35 years old, was the divorced wife of "Sam" Barclay, a former professional ball player and Chicago saloonkeeper. They had one son, Harold Barclay, who was later legally adopted by "Mike" McDonald, and who was at school in Florida at the time of the murder. He was 15 years old.

She had separated from Barclay shortly prior to her divorce and had been on the stage for a short time under the name of Mme. Alberta. She was married to Mike McDonald a week after her divorce and was taken by him to his home at Harrison street and Ashland avenue.

BEAUTY OF WEST SIDE.

Dora McDonald was one of the beauties of the West Side in her day, and many admirers hovered about her threshold. The lights of the midnight hours charmed her then, and she dashed off to marry Sam Barclay, a professional baseball player.

Into that home came Michael Cassius McDonald. He was a gambler and a politician and a man of great wealth.

For the second time his wife had left him; run away, people said, with a man who had been a guest at their home.

Mike was lonesome. He saw the bride of Sam Barclay and loved her. He dined with her, and perhaps he paid for her divorce trial. At least she separated from Barclay and when Mike went a-wooing again he won this pretty woman.

In a west side home of some pretensions Mike established his new wife. He thought so much of her that he sent his sons away when she could not agree with them. He gave her money and finery and servants and carriages, and thought that she ought to be happy.

BOY OF 14 ENTERS.

Webster Guerin lived across the street. He was a boy of attractive manners and he won the affection of Dora McDonald.

Slander gives one reason for that affection; the woman gives another.

STOLE HIM AS A BOY, SLEW HIM AS A MAN, SAYS ARCHIE GUERIN.

Archie Guerin, Webster Guerin's brother, told how Mrs. Dora McDonald had taken a violent fancy to Webster when he was a boy of 14, and Archie 13, or thereabouts; how she would meet them on their way home from school and whisk Webster into the mansion, keeping him two, three or four hours; how she used to waylay Webster on his way home from church; how she followed him through the years until she got the notion that he was falling in love with Avis Dargan; how she put detectives on the boy's trail and sat for hours in a cab opposite the Omaha Building to see whether Miss Dargan entered; how she threatened to shoot him; how she would break out into wild and vehement declarations of her love, wailing that she "worshiped every hair of his head," and that she would kill him before she would lose him.