WALLER, Claude L. 1866-1894

WALLER

Posted By: Kathy Gerkins (email)
Date: 9/13/2013 at 14:54:51

Waller, Claude

LAWYER WALLER IS SHOT

Wounded by Leo Roeder in the
Latter's Office at 125 Clark St., Chicago

LOEDER SAYS IT WAS AN ACCIDENT

Wounded Man Reported They Had a Quarrel - His Recovery Doubtful.

From the Chicago Daily News

Claude Waller, of the firm of Patterson & Waller, attorneys, was shot at about 1 o'clock Saturday p.m. and seriously wounded. The revolver was in the hands of Leo Roeder, a young attorney and chief clerk for Brandt & Hoffman, in whose offices at 125 Clark Street, Chicago, the shooting took place.

The bullet entered at the lower left hand side of the abdomen and the wound is considered dangerous by doctors who were called, but the result cannot be predicted until after the bullet's course has been ascertained.

Two stories are told as to the shooting, Roeder claiming that it was accidental, while according to Waller's statement it was caused by a quarrel over the payment of some money by a client of Mr. Waller's.

No one was in the office at the time the affair took place. The rooms next to the courts of Justices Foster and Everett and a the sound of the report spectators and court rushed into the room, where Mr. Waller was found with his hands pressed to the wound and sinking to the floor.

'He shot to kill' said he. 'The trouble was over some money which a client of mine came to collect. I was with her and when the money was paid I told her not to give a written receipt. At that Roeder got mad and opened a drawer, and taking out a revolver fired upon me. He stood about eight feet away and pointed the revolver at an angle so that the bullet came slanting.'

Mr. Waller is a rather stout man, about 28 years, good looking, and well dressed. He has dark hair and a dark mustache. His home is in Charles City, Iowa. His parents live in that place, but he boards at 4355 St. Lawrence Avenue with his aunt, Josie W. Waller. The ambulance was called, and the wounded man was taken to the Poly-Clinic hospital.

Although suffering great pain Mr. Waller bore up bravely and was apparently the coolest and most collected of the crowd which busied helplessly about the doctor's little office. He dictated a telegram to be sent to his parents and gave directions as to where he should be taken and what doctors he called. He insisted on the room being cleared and the windows thrown open.

At the central station Roeder made the following statement: 'Waller' he said, 'came to the office with Mrs. Brienstein, for whom we had been doing some collecting. She was paid $8.50 and was asked to sign a receipt. I handed her the paper but on Waller's advice she refused to sign. Waller and I had some words about the matter and I drew a revolver from the drawer of a desk and shot him.'

RUSH FROM THE JUSTICE'S COURT

When the shot rang out that laid Waller low it brought every occupant of the big building to the office doors and for a few minutes there was great excitement.

Three justice courts on the second floor were in session and there was a scramble for the doors by officials and spectators alike, until it was known what was the trouble. Constables Lainey and Gibson of Justice Foster's court were among the first persons who reached the wounded man. The immediately placed Roeder under arrest and brought him to Justice Foster's court. The justice meanwhile ran up to where the man lay to take his ante-mortem statement in case death should occur.

Kneeling beside the dying man, the justice steadied his arm while he signed a legal complaint charging Roeder with shooting him with intent to commit murder. As he did so he muttered: 'He shot to kill me.'

The signature is in a trembling scrawl yet fairly legible. It was some time before the police learned of the shooting. Then Detectives Stone and Welbasky hurried over from the central station and took charge of the prisoner.

The police say that when first locked up, Roeder said that his victim had tried to rob him, but when seen by a Daily News reporter, he told a different story. He was cool and composed and spoke without the least hesitation.

'This was an accident,' said he. 'I cannot go into details but the weapon was kept in the desk and it went off by accident when I opened the drawer. I am a lawyer; was employed as chief clerk by Brandt & Hoffman and live at 1019 West 12th Street.'

Several friends made their appearance and offered to sign Roeder's bail bond in the sum of $10,000, but Justice Foster told them to wait until the result of Waller's injuries could be learned.
At the hospital this afternoon it was said that Waller's wound was very dangerous but he would probably live for several hours at least. His condition was considered so serious that a detective and stenographer were sent from the central station to take his ante-mortem statement in full.

Later: - Claude L. Waller died Wednesday. Leo Roeder, who shot him Saturday, was held to grand jury at the coroner's inquest. Waller was conscious up to within an hour of his death. He transferred his property to his father, signing the deed with a steady hand, and asked that messages be left to fiends be delivered after his death.

The body will be taken to Charles City, Iowa, by J. N. Waller, father of the deceased, and will be buried there. The faulty and the Alumni Association of the Kent Law School of Chicago yesterday passed resolutions expressing their sorrow over the death of Mr. Waller.

Claude Waller will be buried in our cemetery today. The funeral will be held from the M. E. Church under the auspices of the Knights of Pythias and Masonic lodges, of which deceased was a member. The sermon will be preached by Rev. T. M. Evans according to Mr. Waller's special request.

His untimely and tragic death, in the very prime of life, is one of the saddest events that has ever been our mission to record. He has lived in Charles City from early childhood up to within a few years which have been spent in Council Bluffs and Chicago. Claude had as many friends here as he had acquaintances, to each of whom his death comes as a personal bereavements. The family have the sympathy of all who new him.

Source: Newspaper clippings from the Floyd County Museum.
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NOTES:
According to the cemetery listing on IaGenWeb/Floyd:

Waller, Claude L. Aug. 30, 1866 -- Sept. 12, 1894