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BLOW IN THE DARK.
JOHN SHEEDY THE VICTIM OF A COWARDLY ASSUALT.
Assailed by Some Unknown Miscreant at the Doorway of His Residence Last Evening.

He Carries a Bullet With Him.
John Sheedy was the victim of a cowardly assault last evening. About half past seven o'clock Mr. Sheedy stepped out of the front door of his residence at the southeast corner of Twelfth and P. with the intention of strolling over to the Capital hotel. Just as he closed the door he was struck a heavy blow over the left eye by a blunt instrument in the hand of some unknown supposed assassen. Mr. Sheedy was momentarily stunned by the blow but quickly recovering himself, drew his revolver and perceiving his would be assassin fleeing away in the darkness toward the rear end of the lot, he fired five shots at him. The first shot startled Mrs. Sheedy, who came running to the door just as her husband fired the last time. The shooting startled the neighborhood and in a few moments a large crowd of people were gathered about the house, eager to ascertain the cause of the commotion.

After Mr. Sheedy had emptied his revolver he stepped into the house and remarked to his terror stricken wife that he believed that he had been shot. Drs. Everett and Hart happened to be close at hand and at once hurried into the house. Upon examination they found that Mr. Sheedy had been struck just above the left eye by a blunt instrument and a gash sit extending over an inch across and an inch downwards. The cut was almost [?] an inch deep, and it was necessary to put six stitches in it. Mr. Sheedy also received a blow over the back of his left wrist which caused it to swell to twice its normal size.

Shortly after the shooting Officers Otto, Kinney, Adams, and Bob Malone were on the premises and immediately began a search for traces of the assailant. On the porch just a few feet from the door Officer Kinney found a heavy leather case, the upper end of which was bent as if by a blow. Further investigation revealed a lot of blood stains on the south end of the porch, which were traced through the backyard to the alley, showing that Mr. Sheedy had hit his assailant. In the lattice work that divides the front yard from the back was a bullet hole within a few inches of the door out of which the fellow passed.

Mr. Sheedy's injuries are not of a dangerous character and he is in nowise alarmed as to the final outcome. He is of the opinion that the motive of the attack was robbery.