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.