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.
| Judge Theodore Brentano | ||
| Webster S. Guerin | Detective Clifton R. Wooldridge | |
| Assistant State's Attorneys Edwin S. Day and William A. Rittenhouse | Col. James Hamilton Lewis and P. H. O'Donnell | |
| Sam Berkley | 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.