The New York herald., 1869-05-15
The Brooklyn Tragedy.

AuO DrOOAJu Iru8euy'
The detailed account which we gave in
our columns yesterday of the terrible tragedy
In real life which has just been enacted in the
neighboring city of Brooklyn will be carried by
telegraph and mail not only over the length
and breadth Of this Continent, but everywhere,
all over the world, where the English Ian
guage is spoken and where English or Ameri-
can newspapers are read. So far as we know
no event of a precisely similar kind has, In
recent years, occurred ln any part Of Christen-
dom. We have had, certainly, shootings and
poisonings enough. The use of the knife and
the pistol is thing of daily occurrence in the
midst Of us; but the facts and surroundings of
this case are so peculiar as to invest it with
the character of novelty.
Sympathy with the young woman, who has
yet be considered in danger, and regard for
the feelings of the respectable family in
whose house the horrible tragedy was
enacted, prevent us from dwelling on
the shocking details. The picture already
described in the columns of the HERALD is
one which no reader will ever forget while
memory lasts. We see the miserable Talbot,
his heart already black with crime, the de-
structive drug in bis pocket, vending his way
to this house of peace and quietness, this home
Of honor, order and respectability We see
him as he has just entered-the house quiet
and the inmates all retired for the night
calmly and deliberately preparing himself for
the execution Of his foul purpose, minutely
calculating every chance and carefully pro-
viding for every contingency. We see him
soak the handkerchief with chloroform. We
see him laying it aside as if not yet quite
equal to the work before him. We see him
with stealthy step, oat-like, wandering from
room to room until he has found the
loaded pistol. We. see him, with the
chloroform- handkerchief in hand,
enter the bedroom of his innocent
and unoffendlng victim. now fast asleep
and dreaming OF no danger. We see the
handkerchief applied to the sleeper's face. We
hear the shrek, see the struggle and rejoice in
the fortunate escape. We see the baffed
demon retiring to his room, his intended vic
tim trembling from fear and shrieking for help
in another part of the house. The loaded
revolver is now in his hand, and we see him
rush from his room down stairs in the direc-
tion whence the shrieks and sobs proceed.
Having failed in his first purpose he Ia deter
mined to carry out his second The poor
trembling girl in an agony of grief and excite
ment is again before him. He fires, but fails to
accomplish his murderous purpose. Pursuing
bis bleeding victim and approaching so close
as almost to be able TO touch her, he, In spite
OF shrieks and screams aud piteous cries for
help, fires again. Believing that his victim
had received her death wound be retlres to his
chamber. Another shot resounds through 1
the dwelling, increasing the alarm of the
inmates, who are yet ignorant Of the cause of
all this commotion, and Samuel d. Talbot, the
would-be murderer, has perished by his own
hand. Such is the story, and, considering the
characters of the individuals more or less i'm
concerned and the society in which
they lived and moved, we feel warranted to
repeat what we said at the outset-that 1t Is
a story almost, If not entirely, unexampled.
1t is In some respects consolation that the
man who could conceive and attempt to exc
cute such a deed of darkness aud of blood
has passed away from the scenes of the living
and that society can receive no more hurt
from his brain or hand. II is q consolation
also to know that, though he has plunged
family in misery and permanently injured a
young, virtuous and beautiful woman, he failed
In all his purposes, except so far as his own
life entered into the calculation. Mr.. Flint
and family ought TO be assured of public SYM
pathy. Miss Scribner is an object of general
and tender regard Her safety
md future welfare will be rejoiced in by thou
sands who have never seen or known her. Il |
s earnestly to be hoped that the ordeal through |
which she has passed may not prove fatal.
That such an event can occur In such |
Iociety is a subject for serious study and re-
lection. Our dangerous classes! Who are
'ur dangerous classes? We fear that public
opinion is very much at fault on this subject.
Dur dangerous classes are not to be sought
My In the lower strata of our social life.
hey exist and they are to bs found as well
n palatial mansions and cushioned splendor
nd luxurious ease as among the filth and
qualor Of our lanes aud alleys. The passions
vhich prompted and the principles which
uided Talbot are not 80 uncommon as some
nagine. Our age, In spite Of all its advance
lent, is irreligious. In the absence OF the
esIraints which religion alone imposes is TO be
,und the secret Of this and all similar crime 9.
aganism has much 10 do with our Christian
utilization.