The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-06-25
Two Tragedies In New Orleans.
A WOMAN SHOT Ely HER HUSBAND-ATTEMPT TO "

DER A MAN AND HIS wIFE-THE ASSASSIN SLAIN.
From the New Orleans Picayune, June 49,
Between II and II O'Clock on saturday night two
shocking yet wholly disconnected tragedies were COM
mtted in the Garden district Of our city, the details OF
which we proceed to give
Michael Higgins, cotton sampler, who resides on
Eighth street, Nayadcs, home from neghbor-
found his wife in bed with her child He at ordered
her in harsh Tone to get up ana give him water,
the table, and he could help himself At this he threat.
ened to shoot her and seized double barrced gun,
which he always kept loaded in the house, and she
ing that in his Incorporate madness he would put his
threat into execution sprang from the bed and
the house closing the door behind her. lie then
placed the muzzle Of the gun near the panel OF the
door and fired, and the charge, together with spnters
from the door, passed into the lower part Of the poor
womans abdomen, tearing the intesnes in frightful
manner.
The report of the gun ana the shrieks Of the victim
brought some OF the ncghbors to the spot Of whom
asked Higgins to 60 for DOCTOR He started but turned
in moment and told the person who had made the re-.
quest to go himself Afterwards he went out for whskey
and returned in about an hour, attempt having been
made in the meantime to arrest him, Subsequently he
advanced towards his bleeding wife and offered to kiss
uel, pu. snc rePuseu hn anu charged MN WITH having
murdered her Thereupon he turned towards his child
and kissed 1t in maudin manner His brother, who had
by this time arrived, observed to him. II wish yon and
the gun were in heli' He replied, stake care, it
might send you there p While the doctors were attend.
ing to the wound in the poor victims body he made
dents " to the medical fraternity.
Finally watchman arrived and the murderer was
arrested and IL half an hour afterwards the wounded
woman died. When in the lookup, Higgins confessed
that he had done the deed, but claimed that was an
accident Before the jury OF inquest it proved that
ne had previously chased his wife out into the yard with
the gun cooked and before she died. his wifcsated that
he had long been in the habit when drunk of frighteu
70 kill her
Decea. ed native OF England and but twenty one
years Of age. Higgins is an Irishman.
The other tragedy enacted after this wise-About
two months ago, Captain Joseph Gibson had slight diff
Guilty with an lrishman named Edward Wisely, because
the latter Lad gone to his residence OF Apollo and
Fourth streets to quarrel with servant GIRL the
same time abused his (thc Captan's wife. Since then
he has frequently observed Wisely skuikng after him at
night, and watching around his premises in suspicious
manner AS soon as seen, he would, however, always
disappear.
On Saturday night the Captain was visiting neighbor
Apollo street. at which place he met Wisely. Wishing
20 settle their former difficulty, the Captain spoke to
Wisely in friendly manner and proposed to let bygones
be bygenes. The latter, however, rejected these pro-
poals in sury manner and shortly aiterwards-it be-
ing about II o'clock-Mrs Gibson TO the house for
her husband. Capt g., his wife, and Mrs. E. P. Phillips
then left together and as they approached the Captains
residence, it was observed that Wisely hirryng af
ter them with large bowie knife in his hand. Phillips
and Mrs g. asked him what he wanted and he told them
with oath it none Of their business lie then i'm
mediatey sprang at the Captain and wounded him se
verely in his right arm just below the shoulder With
second thrust he cut him in his left Mrs. Gibson
then ran between husband and the assassin and re-
ceived stab in her abdomen which Is expected to result
fatally BY this time Capt. q. had drawn knife and
though so severely wounded, he plunged it with fatal
groan. The Captains avengng knife has on its blade
these peculiar words, ''Ncver draw without reason
nor sheathe me without honor.o
On Sunday, Deputy Coroner Mitchell held an inquest
on Wiseys body, and after post mortcm examination,
which showed that the dagger had nearly severed the
third rib, and pierced the right lung, percardum and
arch OF the Sorts verdict in accordance with the
fact to the effect that death caused by said wound
and that the wound inflicted by Capt Gibson in de-
fence Of his life and that OF his wife Wisely twenty
nine years Of age and married. His wife stated before
the Coroner that he had to bed but that after lying
there awhile he got up, dressed, and went out, If
ting under sudden impulse for which she conld not
count.
4
OF not been arrested II is thought that he Will
lose the use OF his.right arm.
When the Coroner went 10 hold the inquest, the dead
assassin had his bowie knife tightly grasped in his red
right hand.