Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1865-11-09
THE HARTFORD TRAGEDY.
An Insane Man Murders His Wife and
Commits Suicide.

Commits suicide.
lFrom the Hartford Courant, November 81
One of the most terrible tragedies that
we were ever called upon to narrate occur
red in this city at half-past nine o'clock
last night, at the residence of b. w.
Greene, late President of the Connecticut
Fire Insurance Company. MIR. Greene
having caused h edeath ofhis wife by cut
ting her throat with a razor, then attempt
ed his own life. The facts as brought out
before the c%oroner's jury are as follows:
-Mr.and Mrs. Greene were in the house
alone, their daughter and nephew having
left there about halfpast seven, and there
being at thattime nothing unusual in the
appearance Of. Mr.. Greene. At half-past
nine Mary johnson, Diana Foster and
Robert Gibbs (colored), Henry Kennedy
and S. +. Cummings, on their way from
church, were within a few rods of the resi-
dence, when they heard the cry of murder.
Mr.. Kennedy said that as soon as he
reached the front of the house he
saw Mrs. Greene standing by the front
parlor window, which was open, the blood
streaming from Ket neck. He ran into
the room and said, "Mrs. Greene what is
the matter?" She replied, "Mr. Greene
has killed me; he has escaped-you won't
find himr' At her request Mr.. Kennedy
ran for DR.. Beresford, who came immedi-
ately: but she was dead on his arrival.
Mary Johnson an intelligent colored wo-
msn,followed Mr. Kennedy into the house.
Mrs. Greene remarked that her husband
had cut her neck, and asked to be helped
up stairs. Mrs. johnson and Miss Foster
helped her up stairs to her room. and as
she passed inside the door, remarked, ~
am faint" and fell to the floor when she
soon expired from loss of blood. The in
terror Jugular vein on the right side of the
neck was cut, the wound being very deep
and extending from the ear to the chin.
Mrs, Greene remarked to Mary johnson
that she had been afraid to stay with Mr..
Greene all the evening, but none of the
members of the family were knowing to
this fact. Search was made for MI. Greene
about the premises, but it was supposed
that he had escapAd.
While waiting for the coroner. Officer
Mott summoned a jury, consisting of JOIN
b. Eldridge, ]. N. Clark, Collins Stone
OlcotEAllen, S. a. Hubbard and S. Math.
or, who we're about attending to their du.
ties, when it was stated that the door to
Mr.. Greene's room was locked and the KEY
on the inside. This was u quarter before
eleven. The room was entered by a side
window, when a terrible sight presented
itself. Mr.. Greene was lying on u sofa
with his right arm resting on a chair, with
IN open razor by his hand, and still alive
but with scarcely any hope that he could
live but a short time. He had cut a deer
cash on the right side of his neck into the
tricoid cartillary, making in opening into
his mouth. There was another cut on the
left side of the neck and one across the
left arm. He had bled ~profusely, was par.
tally sensible but could not articulate in.
telligbly. Drs. Berseford and Russell
dressed his wounds, and when we left al
twelve O'clock he was still alive, but with
very little hope that he could survive.
1t appeared that Mrs. Greene was sitting
by the centre table reading the "Knightly
Soldier when her husband came up be-
hind her and cut her throat with a razor
then ran up stairs, locked his door, Law
down and deliberately made the attempt
at his own life. Mrs. Greene ran across
the parlors, opened the front blinds and
window and cried murder" as we have
previously stated. Blood on the leaves OF
the book indicated that it was open al
chapter seven.
Ever since the death of Mr.. Greene's
daughter he has been very low spirited,
and for months has given evidence of in
sanity, and his friends have had fears that
he might do himself Injury, but did not
anticipate injury to others. He attended
church yesterday, and after service in the
afternoon walked some distance with his
~son-in-law, Mr.. Day, conversing relative
to his own matters and the state of his
health but there WAS nothing III his ap-
pearance then or at the time to indicate
thi thought of harm to himself or friends.
The finding ofthe jury was in accordance
withthe facts above narrated. Mr.. Greene
was u man about sixty-six, we should
judge, and was possessed of considerable
wealth. He leaves two daughters, one
married. We have no heart at this time
to comment on this awful tragedy-the
most terrible, in all its aspects, that it was
ever our lot to witness.