Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1869-06-02
VOL. TX.
FEARFUL DOMESTIC AFFRAY.C
A Man Commits Deadly Assault on
his Wife and Daughter, and then
Shoots Himself.

From the New York Herald, Z4tn.)
About four o'clock yesterday morning, as
officer Frederick Bohle, of the Tenth Pre-
cinet police, was patrolling his post IN the
vicinity of Suffolk and Rivington Streets
he saw a little boy, halt clad, running down
Suffolk street. The officer, not knowing
what could have brought the little fellow
out into the streets at such an early hour,
ran towards him, and as soon as the boy
caught sight of him he seized him by the
coat and begged him to go home with him
as his father was numbering his mother.
Where the boys iome was the officer was
unable fo learn for some time; for the child
was so excited, and was crying all the time
SO piteously that he could not make him
self understood The officer finally reeog-
nized him as the son of German named
Philip Keaben,, who resides at 159 Stanton
street, and at once set out on run towards
the place, bidding the boy to follow him.
The child needed no bidding, however, and
until the house was cached kept at the side
of the policeman, as though anxious to
reach the place in advance of him.
BLOODY SCENE.
As soon as the house was reached the boy
conducted the officer into the basement,
and the two, cropping their way rs best they
could through narrow and dark passage
which led to the rear, entered a smallroom.
There was small lamp with broken
chimney on rickety table IN one corner OF
the apartment, which threw a sickly glare
over the surrounding objects in the place;
one or two chairs, a stove and a bedstead.
Taking the lamp in his hand, in order the
more clearly to discern the objects around
him, the officer, at the instance Of the
child, who still continued to cry as though
his little heart would break, approached
the bed. and there beheld a sight which
seemed to confirm the boy story that muir
der had been done. Across the mattress,
with her feet dangling over the bedside
and her arms thrown back over her head,
as though she had raised them to
protect herself from some danger,
Law Mrs. Keabell, a woman about forty
five years of age, her form Scantlly COW
cred bv loose and ragged gown. just
over the woman's left eye was ghastly
wound. from which the blood was slowly
oozino. and from which it had no doubt
been flowing for some time, judging from
the clotted mass that stained the bed
clothes and the upper part Of the dress.
To her right closely nestled at her side, as
though the little one had crouched under
the mothers arms for safety, lay a fair
haired little girl about six years Of age,
also with an ugly wound IN the forehead.
from which the blood had spurted over the
clothes about her and along the bed, near
the foot. where the blood of mother and
child mingled in one common pool. A
| hasty glance about the room showed the
officer that there had been no deadly strug-
gle for life. There were, it is true, but
few articles of furniture in the room, but
they were all seemingly in their proper
places, if one or two chairs, lounge and
( L. - .,.L, L..
place in an apartment not much larger
than an ordinary sized hall bedroom.
Bohle at once OWNED the whole state of
affairs, and, on inquiry, learned that Kea-
bell had just left the house. The officer at
once went out in pursuit of him, and met
him IN Norfolk street looking for police
officer, to whom he said he wanted to give
himself up. He was at once arrested.
THE ORIGIN OF. THE TRAGEDY.
| It would appear that for some months
past Keabell, who is about fifty years Of
age, his wife Catharine and several children
have occupied the rear basement in the
house 149 Stanton street. It is said that
owing to KeabelIs idle, incorporate and
dissoute habits much trouble has existed
between him and his wife, he charging
her with infdelity and other crimes, while
she alleged he was in the habit Of beating
her. drinking to excess, and doing little or
nothing towards the support of their fami-
iy. In this state of infelicity Keabell and
his wife continued to live up to nearly two
months ago. when she caused his arrest on
a charge of assault and battery, and the
court sent him to the Island for six months
! After serving a trife over two weeks of his
sentence, Keabell prevailed upon his wife
| to ask for his discharge, and, although sUf-
| tering from injuries received at his hands,
| the woman relented, and requested the
committing magistrate TO release her hus-
band, and her request was complied with.
It would seem that the Imprisonment he had
suffered, instead of rendering him better
disposed toward his wife, served to increase
| the hate which he entertained for her.
| Thus matters continued between them till
four o'clock yesterday morning Accord
ing to the statement of Keabell's little son,
who brought officer Bohle to the house,
and who, it appears, was awakened from
his sleep by his father moving about the
room, just previous to his murderous at
| tack ON his wife-the wretched man, who
| is undoubtedly of Unsound mind, arose
from his couch, where he had been sleep
ing alone, and proceeding to the bed
where lay his wife and little daughter, for
a'few moments quietly gazed upon without
!
seized a heavy hammer and dealt the limo
cent child powerful blow on the forehead,
| Immediately over the left eye, thus reducing
/ her to insensibility. The mother was not
awakened by this murderous act of her
villainous husband. Immediately after
/ striking the little girl he brought
| down the hammer with tremendous
! force upon his wife's forehead, directly over
/ the left eye. The boy says she uttered a
piercing shrek, and Keabel1 believing he
/ had killed b 9th his wife and daughter, de-
| termined to sacrifice himself. Accordingly,
with q heavil y loaded double barreled pis-
tol, with which he had provided Ehimself,
he deliberately proceeded to the third act
1 in this bloody tragedy. Placing the weapon
| to the left breast above the nipple, he dis
charged botE chambers, the bullet passing
upwards and outwards. The discharge OF
! firearms aroused the people in the house,
and soon afterwards Officer Bohle arrived
at the house. as has already been mention
! ed and had Keabell-who, as has been
stated, had been arrested with his wife
and daughter, removed to the care of War
den Brennan, of Bellevue Hospital, with all
possible haste.
DR.. Mclean, one of the hospital sur
/ geons, took charge of Mrs. Keabell, under
the impression that she had been shot, but
on examination found the wound she had
received had been inflicted with a blunt in
strument. and in his opinion it might have
been done with hammer. 1t was also ap-
parent to the doctor that his patient had
received compound fracture of the skull.
which makes her case an extremely critical
one She subsequently rallied and became
quite rational
The little girl, according to the opinion
of Doctor Bosworth, also received a com
pound fracture of the skull, and her re-
covery is regarded as very doubtful.
Although Keabell has two bullets in his
body he bears up wonderfully, and is able
to sit up and walk with ease. He remains
in charge of DIR. Graham, another of the
hospital surgeons, and, according to present