Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-11-05
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY IN NEW
YORK.

son NUMBERING HIS FATHERS FAMILY.
There was horrid massacre ir West Thr-
tieth street. New York, last Tuesday night,
owing to an attempt of the Oldest son of Fran
els Gouldy to murder his fathers family CON
sisting of ten persons.
The family consisted of Francis Gouldy;
Jane A., his second wife, three sons, Francis
A., the homicide, Nathan, IA years old, and
Charles Wesley, years: daughter, Mary
Eliza, Is years, two small children, 2 and 4
years old, sleeping in crib in their parents
bedroom; and two servant girls, Elizabeth Carr
and Joanna Murphy.
The murderer, Francis A. Gouldy, is
young man 10 years of age, Of somewhat dis
sipated habits, which displeased his father;
he kept late hours, and as was supposed evil
company, but was never known to be much
addicted to liquor. His father had often
protested against his wishes to spend money,
and thought it necessary to limit him closely
in this respect. 1t appears that the lad, in
order to crafty what he considered his
wants, went to his fathers drawer on Tues
day and took out bank book which repre-
sented a deposit of $50 in Savings Bank
Tin the sons name for pocket money! and
drew $40 of the same. This the old gentle
man told him was no better than stealing
and gave him sharp rebuke. He had fire.
quently rebuked him for keeping late hours
and refused him a night key, but always
got up and let him in. The provocation for
such murderous attack could not be ac-
counted for except in the above reasons.
Young Gouldy was let into the house at II
o'clock Tuesday night by his father. He
Immediately went to his bedroom on the
third floor, and took off his coat and boots.
Then, seizing a hatchet which he had kept
in his room, he crept down stairs. The faith
er was about to retire when his son entered
the room unnoticed and split his skull open.
Mrs Gouldy received the next attack, and
her skull was fractured and face bruised
most frightfully.
Mrs Gouldy says that as Frank came in
she was Just retiring and he said to her,
"Why mother are you up yet| ''Yes
Frank" was the reply, II am up yet" He
soon passed into the room where Mr.. Gouldy
was, and she heard some unpleasant words
pass between the two, and finally heard a
heavy fall on the floor. She had just got
into bed, and thought to herself, is it possi-
BILE Frank has struck his father. At that
| thought, Frank came into her room, parti-
| ally raised the netting from around her bed,
and dealt her heavy blow on the head with
a hatchet. She screamed and sprang up,
/
fell heavily to the floor, breaking down the
netting as she fell.
The murderer then passed through the hal
to the bedroom where his two little brother,
slept They had both got up on hearing the
noise, and he struck each murderous blow
on the head. lie LEFT them both PROSTATE anc
covered with blood, and passed on to the Stair
and assembled to the third floor. The apart
ments on this floor were occupied by himself
his sister Mary, and the two servants. Tn,
servants had heard the noise and were in thc
hall of the upper floor as he went up stairs
He immediatly attacked them, prostrated eicl
with frightiul blow upon.the head Mary
hearing the struggle and screams of the ser
wants, opened her door and looking out saw
the girls covered with blood, but did no
recognize her brother, Believing it to be
burglar, she locked her door and rename,
in her room II Had she known it was he
brother she would have rushed out, in which
case she would probably have been murdered
After committing this series of atrociou
crimes, it is believed the homicide went dow
stairs and donned his slippers and morning
gown, in which costume he returned to hi
room and committed suicide with n thre
shooter. Only one barrel was discharged
The other two were heavily loaded when tn
weapon was lOunu. AS drawer OF TN
bureau in his room was open, it is su RINSE
that he took the pistol out after entering hi
room for the last time, His sister says h
has had a pistol for several years, The ba
entered above the right ear and passed OF
just over the left eye, causing instantaneor
death
The report of the pistol attracted the a
tention Of the police who broke into Il
house and ascertained the condition of a
fairs. The scene of blood and horror Is tc
painful to describe. The father lay upo
the floor entirely unconscious, with his fac
and head beathed in blood. In the nel
room the mother lay helpless in the ha
{ bedroom the two boys were PROSTATE and oil
, of them senseless and in the upp
hall the two servants lay also covere
Q with blood, one of them tossing her arms
delirium. The author of the appalling tn
i gedy lay lifeless on the floor OF his own be
I room, still grasping the fatal pistol in h
right hand
I DR.. Sewell who was called to the seen
gives the following statement of the condlti,
t of the sufferers Mr. Gouldy, the fathe
# was struck upon the left side of his skull