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.
[Illustration:
Judge Theodore Brentano
Webster S. Guerin
Assistant State's Attorneys Edwin S. Day and William A. Rittenhouse
Sam Berkley
Detective Clifton R. Wooldridge
Col. James Hamilton Lewis and P. H. O'Donnell
Michael C. McDonald
Dora McDonald]
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.