Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1858-11-04
rFrom the New York Evening Post.l
Horrible Tragedy in New York.

dies which ever took place III thlS cHg WAS
enacted at 2l7 West Thirtieth street, last
night Francis A. Gouldy young man
twenty years old, literally butchered the family
undoubtedly killing his father and one servant
girl, inHicting injuries which may prove fatal
TO his stepmother. two brothers, and another
servant girl and crowniug the terrible crime
with selfmurder. s- -- ...,
The family consisted Of Francis GouIdy,
Jane A., his second wife, three sons, Francis
A, the homicide Nathan fourteen years old;
Charles Wesley, FIVE years old daughter,
Mary Eliza fifteen two small children, two
and four years o.d and two servant girls Eliza
beth Carr and Joanna Murphy.
1t appears that the young man Francis had
contracted some habits which diSpleaScd his
father lie was ont too late at night and
wanted too much money. His father refused
to give him night key but would getup and
let him in when he came home of nights and,
perhaps rebuke him for his unreasonable hours.
1t is stated also, that Frank, as he was called,
yesterday took bank book from his fathers
drawer, which the gentleman pronounced no
better than stealing.
Whatever the provocation or cause, Frank
went home about ten o'clock last night The
family had retired with the exception of the
father who was sitting in a front room on the
second floor. His wife was in bed in the room
adjoining in the rear, and the two small child
ren were in crib in the room with their
mother
Mrs Gouldy says that as Frank came in she
was just retiring, and he said to her, " Why,
mother, are you up vet 2" " Yes, Frank, was
the reply, am up yet" He then passed
tl. ll,, lu1,o
heard some unpleasant words pass between the
two, and finally heard a heavy fall on the
floor She had just cot into bed, and thought
10 herself. e" Is it possible Frank has struck
his father +" and at that moment Frank came
into her room, partially raised the netting from
around the bel, and dealt her a heavy blow
on the head with a hatchet. She screamed
and sprang up, and he repeated the blow twice
when she fell heavily to the floor, breaking
down the netting as she fell.
The murderer then passed through the hall
bedroom, where his two brothers slept. They
had both got up hearing the noise, and he
struck each a murderouS blow on the head
with the same hatcbet be had used upon his
father and mother He left them both PROSTATE
and covered with blood, and passed on to the
stairs and ascended to the third floor.
The apartments on the third floor were Oc
cupied by himself, his sister Mary and the
two servants. The servants had heard the
noise and were in the hall of the upper floor as
he went up stairs. He Immediately attacked
them with the same fatal hatchet pTostFating
each with a frightful blow upon the head
Mary, hearing the struggles and screams
of the servants, opened the door and, looking
out saw the girls covered with blood but did
not recognize her brother. Believing it to be
a burglar, she locked her door and remained
in her ROOM Had she known it was her
brother, she would have rushed out, in which
case she would probably have been murdered
After committing this series of atrOciOus
crimes, it is believed the homicide went down
stairs, pulled off his boots and coat, and donned
slippers and morning gown, in which costume
he returned to his room.
But Mary meantime, had not been idle
She had raised her window and cried "mur-
der J" And officers Morehouse and Hull, Of the
Twentieth Ward Police who were standing on
the corner of ninth avenue and Thirty-frst
street, heard her cries.
They Immediately went to the house, but
the door was locked, which delayed their en-
trance for some time but they succeeded with
some labor in forcing the door.
1t is probable that Frank heard them and
found that he was detected. Be this as it may,
before they found him he took three. shooter
which was heavily loaded, and placing the
muzzIe to his head fired The ball entered
above the right ear and passed out just over
eye, causing instantaneous death.
The alarm having been given, the neighbors
rushed to the spot and beheld scene of blood
and horror too painful to describe.
The father lay upon the floor entirely nncOn
scious with his face and head hathed in blood.
In the next room the mother lay helpless, and
in the hall bedroom the TWO boys were pros
trate, and one of them senselesS, and in the
upper hall the two servants lay also covered
with blood, one Of them tossing her arm in
delirium while the author of the appalling
tragedy lay lifeless on the floor cf own room,
still grasping the fatal pistol in his right hand.
The two small children and Mary were the
only ones unframed. AS the affrighted neigh
borS passed through the room in which the
crib was, the little girl, two years old, sprang
up and said pleasantly, am not hnrt."
The carpets and furniture in every room
through which the murderer had passed, were
stained with blood.
Mr.. Gouldy the father, was strnck upon the
left side of his skull in two places, the axe en-
tcring into the substance Of the brain. The
patient is wholly unconscious, and all pFobabil-
lity cannot recover Mrs GouIdy, the mother,
who is enociate, received three wounds upon
the head, two of which were scalp wounds
from one to two inches in length. The third
wound penetrated the substance of the brain
about two inches above the right ear Hopes
are entertained Of her recovery.
The boy Nathan received a blow on the
right side of his head cutting up the scalp for
three inches and detaching large piece Of the
temporal bone. His condition is also extreme
ly critical. Consciousness however, is perfect.
Charlie the boy of eve, received blow
about an inch and a half from the median line,