Delaware inquirer. (Wilmington, Del.) 1859-18??, 1859-07-30
A Woman Shot by her Lover,
he Attempts to Kill Himself!
HISTORY OF THE PARTIES.

A terrible tragedy occurred in Canal street
near broadway, yesterday, which has set the
city in a ferment. About 5 o'clock in the
afternoon, gentleman was observed making
up Broadway, from Taylor's in company with
a lady, with whom he seemed to be engaged
in warm and excited conversation. Turning
down Canal street few steps, the gentleman
suddenly stopped, and drawing a revolver,
discharged one barrel at the head of his COM
panion, who gave one agonizing shrek and
fell, dying, upon the steps of the Brandreth
House. The murderer was instantly surroun-
ded by crowd of men, among whom were
officers Roberts, OF the 8th, and Latta, Of the
9th precinct. As they came up he suddenly
raised he weapon again, as they supposed to
shoot them, when one of them struck him
upon the head with his club, while the other
wrenched the pistol from his grasp.
Meanwhile, the wounded woman was raised
tom the ground and carried into Rushton's
drug store, in an insensible state. Here res
toratives and stimulants were applied under
the direction of young surgeon who hap
pened to be in the crowd, and under their in
fuence she became sufficiently conscious to
| give her name, and to answer questions in
monosyllables 1t was ascertained that she
had been shot in the forehead, the ball pass
ing through the skull about two inches above
the outer angle of the left eye, and burying
itself in her brain. A considerable quantity
of brains had issued from the wound.
Several physicians were sent for but he
fore they arrived, it was discovered expedient
to remove her to the City Hospital. A car
riage was procured, into which she was pla-
ced, and accompanied by two lady friends and
the young doctor, she was at once sent to that
institution, and placed under the skillful
house surgeon, DIR. Quimby.
Her assassin was by this time in the Eighth
Ward Station House. As usual in all cases,
he was searched for weapons, when a large
two-bladed, eight inch bowie knife was found
upon his person.
He was not disarmed without severe strug-
gle, and when the officers handed his reyol-
yer to their superior officer, he sprang for it,
with the desperate intent of ending his Ca
reer by his own hand. In this attempt, how
ever, he was foiled. He freely admitted his
guilt, aud declared that the woman urged him
| on to do il. She has been his bane and his
ruin, he declared, AMI he did not wish to sur
vive her. Seeing how desperately he was bent
on suicide and il being evident that he was
in highly excited, if not deirious state of
mind, he was Invested of his neolserchief and
everything that he would be likely to attempt
to use against himself. He was then securely
locked up in cell, and precautions taken to
| guard against his doing any violence to him
1
THE HISTORY OF THE PARTIES.
Tho murderer is Robert G. Mcdonald, a
wel-to-do cotton broker of Mobile, Alabama.
He is evidently a man of loose appetites and
great recklessness of character. His relatives
are nabobs in the region from whence he came
and he himself has been extremely wealth |;
but dissipation has scattered no small share
of his fortune. In person he is tall and COM
manding, with long, flowing beard, and
southern air. He appears to be about thirty
five years of age.
His victim is Virginia stewart a Massachus-
etts girl, about twenty-five years of age.
Among her companions she is called Jennie.
She has been from youth up, woman of
pleasure. In person she is of medium height,
full, round face dark hair, plump in form,
and extremely good looking. In her attire
she was neat, chaste, and very taseful.
These two people first became acquainted
with each other in Mobile, about eight years
ago, while she was boarding in house kept
for women in her walk of life. Mcdonald con-
ceived a very great regard for Jennie, and she
became his MISTRESS and as such he kept her
at the house in which he found her for sew
eral years, during which period she bore him
two children, both Of whom are now in the
grave.
Being prudent woman, she accumulated a
4
ago, to buy the house in which she had lived
so long, and engaged in the bushes on her
own account. During this time, Mcdonald
was constant in his visits to her but al
though extremely affectonate while sober, he
unfortunately had fierce appetite for drink,
and while inebriated he frequently visited his
mistress and used her very roughly, some
times drawing his knife or pistol and threat
ening to take her life. In order to save her
self from violence, she was on several occa-
sions, obliged to have him arrested.
His Incorporate habits grew upon him so
rapidly that, although he continually prom
sed to use her better, he as frequently broke
his pledges. At length, 10 get away from his
jealousy and violence she resolved to come
North and about three weeks since arrived in
this city, having left Mobile without his
, knowledge. After remaining at the Smith
sonian for few days, she went with some OF
, her old friends to live with Mrs. Livingston,
at No. 179 Marion street, where she no doubt
"did as other wicked women do" No sooner
: had Macdonald discovered the flight of his
mistress than he Immediately followed her,
arriving in this city only day or two after
her.
For some time he was unable to discover
her whereabouts, and he gave himself up tc
the widest and most Incorporate excess. The
Messrs. Leland, of the Metropolitan, where
he was stopping, cautioned him repeatedly
against tine terrible consequences Of such {
course, as did also his numerous friends and
acquaintance in this city, but all to no pur
pose. The only effect was to make him SCI
off to Georgia, where he remained a little
a while, but without moderating his course.
, Returning from Georgia, he made brie
e stay at the Metropolitan, and then off fo
$ Boston, all the while continuing in his deli
' rum of dissipation. Yesterday morning hi
4 returned from Boston, and Immediately sough
: for his fugitive mistress. He visited a mum
her of her friends but they would not Civ,
i him satisfaction. In the afternoon he met he
y at Taylor's, as stated above. She was in com
r pany with two lady friends at the time. |
e was evident that she wished to shake hin
r off, and she fatty told him, in reply to hi
entreaties to return, that she would neve
live with him again. So saying, she aros
, and endeavoured to leave the saloon. He fol
9 lowed her to the door, when she told him t
, leave her, or she would call an officer. H
h said he would shoot her first. They walker
down Broadway together, and growing wear.
Q of his drunken maudling, Jenny, upon reach
ing Canal street, ordered him to leave her
+ when he drew his weapon and shot her, a
Q already alleged.
i = EXPLOSION OF A LOCOMOTIVE BolLgR.-o
:, = Tuesday afternoon, the boiler Of Engine No
So, on the Pennsylvania Railroad, attached
i freight train going East, exploded with ter
i rifc force, near Pittsburg, Pa, scalding ant