The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-08-26

The Philadelphia Ledger Of yesterday has
the following account Of the late tragedy In
that city,
II is rarely that more lameutabie AFFAIR
comes under the notice Of Newspaper re-
portors than occurred yesterday morning, al
Tenth street. Mr.. Thomas L. Evans, an old
and respectable citizen Of Philadelphia, fos
number Of years In the boot and shoe busi-
ness at Ridge avenue and Spring Garden
street, was shot by his son, Marshall X.
Evans, and 30 badly wounded that he died
very soon AFTER. Mr.. Evans, the father, with |
his daughters, resided with Mrs. Belcher.
The son, who has been several years mar
ried, at times lived with his wife, and occa- |
sioually took up his residence at Mrs. Belch-
er's. lie had for long time been suffering
from inhammatory rheumatism, which |
almost untitled him for business, and seemed
to render him quite unhappy. For a month
or two no had exhibited unmistakable evil
dcnccs Of insanity. He appearedto be labor
ing under the hallucination that members Of
his own family were seeking au opportunity
to poison him, and often spoke Of 1t.
Only few days ago, he visited the house
Of q relative Of the wife at Riverside, where
she was stopping, and remained during the
night. In the morning the wife stated TO
members Of the family that he had sat at
her bedside all night with dirk In his hand,
talking ramblingly, and that she was under
constant fear Of him, believing that he In.
tended to murder her. The next day he
talked wildly, and when he left was In no
better frame of mind. lie came TO Philadcl-
phia and went to Mrs. Belcher's, and since
then up to yesterday morning behaved like
maniac. His father did not seem 10 have
much apprehension OF his doing harm to
him, yet thought 1t advisable TO have him
placed under restraint, and had taken steps
10 remove him to the Pennsylvania Hospital
for the Insane.
DR.. Van Dyke had visited him, and was
fully satisfied that he was proper subject
for that institution. On Monday night he
remained with his father, and was violent at
times, exhibiting knife, while he talked In
an incoherent way. At a late hour he rose
from the bed, seized a pitcher and declared
| that men were In tho room, and that their
purpose was TO kill him. The father tried
to reason him out of his halluciuation but
could not. Once he raised the pitcher In a
threatening manner, and cried out, "Ds not
move, or nj kill you"
| Mr.. Evans was kept In bed a good while
by this threat, and when his daughters en-
tered the room they were driven out by The
son. The father left the chamber early and
mentioned to a member of the family that
he intended Immediately after breakfast to
call on DR.. Van Dyke for q certificate Of
Marshall's insanity, and then to remove him
TO the hospital. The father and his daugh-
tors took breakfast together, but the son did
not come Into the dining-room until they had
nearly finished. He was asked to take seat
at the table, but declined He stared wildly
about him, aud walked about the room In an
excited manner. The father left the table
and went up stairs TO change his coat, and
upon his return, as he was passing out the
entry, the son discharged a six-barrelled re.
yolyor at him, wounding him In Eve places.
None OF the other inmates witnessed tho
shooting, but as soon as they heard the report
OF the revolver they rushed into the entry
and saw the old gentleman staggering, and
attempting to hold himself up by a door
jamb, aud the son q few PAGES distant with A
pistol In his hand. Policeman Freeman was
attracted to tho house by the discharge of
the revolver, aud took the son into custody.
He asked the prisoner If he had done the
shooting, and he replied that he had. After
ward he was taken to the Central station.
The father was carried into the parlor, and
DIR. Amos X. Thomas was summoned to his
aid, but he was already In the agonies of
death. All the words that he uttered after
the shooting were, "Takc care Of the boy;
don't hurt him."
Upon the son reaching the Central sta
tiou he expressed a wish to see Colonel Col
lis, who was sent for. In an Interview
which took place there, tho prisoner talked
wildly, rs lie had done before, aud yet he
seemed to be entirely conscious OF what had
taken place. Snow, that the old man ID
out Of the way" he said, "the property can
be divided between the girls and myself, and
there Is enough Of II to mako us all com.
Portable" He told whom he had married
mentioned the name of q relative Of the
wife doing business in the city, and stated
what he Is now engaged in. The most Of
this was uttered In rambling, incohereni
way. Subsequently he was committed BY
the coroner to await the result of the In
! quest, which will take place this morning al
II o'clock.
: A post-mortcm examination OF the bod,
Of the father was made yesterday morning
by DR.. Shaplelgh, who discovered FIVE pisto
shot wounds, as follows: One, three lnchei
above aud to the left OF the navel, the bal
having passed through the stomach and
, spleen and reached the skin on the back; Q
second ball had passed through the liver u
I the skin Of the back; third wound was 81,
inches below the left arm-pit, but the bal
could not be traced; a ball was found Ia tn,
, back, a half inch to the LEFT Of the spine, i'm
, bedded In the spinal column; q flfth wount
, was In the iustep of the left foot. Two o.
three Of these wounds were sufficient to pro
duce death.
, The revolver was purchased on the 4th o
July last, aud 1t was presented to the fathe
by Marshall about two weeks ago. 1t wa
kept In bureau drawer In the bed room
and II Is supposed the sou obtained Ii yester
day morning after the father went to break
! fast. Mr.. Thomas l.. Evans retired severa
) years ago from the shoe business, In com
D Portable circumstances. He had acquired
: competency BY his enterprise aud industry
. and supplied his son with ample means I,
{ support himself and his wife. Latterly tn,
: father had an Office at No. 43l1f Waluu
Q street, as real estate agency.
: Foreign Intelligence.
: FOURTEEN persons lost their lives by
: | cnllIarv axploslnn nj al tntlaa frnn