New-York daily tribune., 1858-11-04
4 DOUBLE TRAGEDY.

Between and . CLOCK lhsl evening NVNuS ihdH,
aged - wears named Richard Dillon, was smothered
10 death in a chimney of n house of bad character
known as Mrs. Prices," in Shippen street, q lew
doors below Fourth, north side. Ills death was the
result of his own recklessness ana passion ana occur
red in the following mannsr near as the facts could
BE- cleaned from the people about the house. VINO were
unwilling 10 give any Information 10 Tue Isp5I'gts'
thus forcing them 20 gather their facts from 'c us
iointed aud contradictory statements and converse
tiors which went on in the room where The young san
Law dead: g.,
Dillon is a plasterer. His mother and sister reside
near Fifth and Carpenter streets. For quite long
time Dillon had been living with woman as bis ms
,ress. We heard her name mentioned at the scene
the accident, coupled with the remark uttered ny
fippant young girl, that "A Annie - would not be
back from the theater in time TO see Dick; but we
do not know that she is in any way blameabe for
the occurrence of last night Dillon iaafr.leo
with hs mistress and she left him not long SINCE out
he was aware that she resided at Mrs. fr,s Us
terday afternoon he had been drinking with com
panion and they went out and bought two " black
Jacks" This was about O'Clock. Drlon was mex,
seen between and O'Clock, at Mrs frlce :, anu
he declared that bis mistress was up M
another man, and he would see her. Rushing up
the narrow steep stairs from the front room on the
lower story (where there is barl Dillon forced Tue
door of the third story rGom wnsre ne
while and then climbed the ladder leading 10 the root
for the purpose of getting down into the room by the
chimney. In the dark, or in his drunken rage ne
dropped into another chimney Just beside the thnu-
story ue but stuck fast when his body was lust "p-
posiie the third-story landing. Here his cries were
heard as well the noise OF the detached bricks ana
mortar which fell the fireplace in tho lower story
Efforts were at once made to rescue him by the mis-
tress Of the house and by nelghbOr but although ne
once held on To rope which bet down to him, he
could not be drawn up, and was nnally rescued Dy
breaking into the brick k-work of the chimney. hole
about three feet long made, and he was drawn out
alive but he died after being carried INTO the
room into which he had tried get. Here we saw his
body and his sister, good-looking young woman OF
on ,taxl,, Ia hQ "a
Young men and women discussed the affair as cooy as
II hehsd only been asleep instead OF dead The Coroner
was quickly sent for but did not arrive there up TO
nearly midnight.
During the entire evening, the house was surround
ed bv a large crowd of people, who knew very little
about the affair but discussed it quite warmly Tor all
that An officer remained in charge OF the house dur
ing the night, and kept the crowd from entering we
are obliged to him for all the information IN his pos
session, which was cheertully accorded.
Through some misunderstanding, the Coroner was
not informed of the until early this morning. when
be at once proceeded to the spot and held an inquest
The evidence elected sustained the statement given
above and verdict to the effect that the deceased
was accidentally smothered was rendered. 1t seems
that the girl OF whom he was in pursuit had gone to
the theater at the time he was IN the house
This event was only the first act in the drama II
seems that Dillon had another mistress, whs lived IN
in Pine alley, and who went by the name OF Anne
Smith, an assumed name. Diinon had qiarreied
with this girl and threatened to kill her, and she had
declared her intention of drowning herself IN conse-
ouence of his threats. She declared her intention to
commit suicde to several persons during Tue erenS,
and had gone so far to give away her few effects TO
different parties when intelligence Of the death OF
Dillon was brought to her. She then said good Dye
10 those who were about her, and went away. This
morning at daybreak her body was found tioatng IN
dock in tbe Delaware, between Lombard and South
streets The Coroner sent for to hold an inquest
aud we accompanied that official to the spot;
The body Of the wretched woman was tied to boat
IN the dock and the water as II rpped over her lace
waited her scarcely disheveled hair about upon IT
surface Upon the wharf hundreds Of curious gazer
were gathered, and among the throng there were
many females who belonged to the same abandoned
class as the poor suicide, and who seemed drawn to
the scene by some irresistible attraction. Mothers
were there too, with their little children, all pushing
and struggling to look upon the body ofthe
- One unfortunate,
Weary of breath,
Rashly imporunate,
Gone to her death"
The body was finally dragged ont of the river and
laid upon the wharf until the deadcart should arrive
A Jury was summoned and proceeded TO a house near
by where an inquest was held. The frs, witness
called WAS William Barclay, who was sworn aud test-
fed as follows:
| knew the deceased, but not by name about =
o'clock last evening saw her sitting upon chair on
the sidewalk in Pine Alley, whore she lived she
called me over to her; went ana she told me rhe
was in trouble / asked her what her trouble was,
and che said that had threatened to lick or Kill
her; she said she was going to drown herself; told
her would not do that she said II was the only thing
enC could DO, this was before Duioh was Tue
deceased was not in hquor at the time, that could
zee: she did not tell NE who the was who threat
ened to kill her,
Maria Welsh sworn: keep the house where the
deceased lived; the only name l know for her ~
Anne" she was sometimes called Anne Smith, but
that not her proper name she live with me four
weeks she would not tell her name she was an Irish
girl che nineteen or twenty years Of age; the
man who threatened TO kill her was Dick Dllon he
said he would cave her head in with black jack she
said he shoud not have ehauce; she gave away her
clothes tie deceased not the woman Dillon was
after when lie got stuck in the chimney; the woman
he was after had gone TO the theater az she
heard about Dick being smOthered in t1e chimney
she said Good bye" and went away; the deceased
had sister who is well of, who lives somewhere in
New.Jersey.
The Jury rendered verdict that the deceased had
committed suicide by drowning.
Dillon seems to have been bent upon mischief at the
time he met his death and the sacrhce Of hs life pro-
baby prevented the commission Of a serious crime.
The af1irts singular one, and il has caused very
great excitement in the degraded portion OF the city
where the parties were best known.
Dillon had black jack sung to his wrist al the time
be ives extricated from the chimney hue. Matters
have been somewhat complicated by the arrest OF "a
named W illam Berry, who was taken IN custody
last night, the charge OF having thrown The woman
overheard. The hands on vessel declare they heard
Berry threaten the woman before ttey beard her IAN
into the water. Berry was held tor iarther heer-
ios.
POLITICAL