Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-12-15

house. She preached the subject of separa-
ton TO her husband a week ago, but was met
such contrite manner that she did not
press the matter to an issue. Patrick pledg-
et himself immediately to commence the
work OF reformation in his habits, and spoke
pathetically of the sad condition of the chill
dren, who would thus be left to grow up with
out mothers care. Mrs. Heating finally
yielded to his entreaties, and promised to re-
main.
For day or two Patrick was true to his
pledges to reform; but the temptations to a
| dissolute course of life were too strong for
| him to make successful resistance, and he
| soon returned to his old habits. The poor
wife was finally forced, in spite of herself, to
obey the instincts of self-preservation, and
declare her intention to repair to her fathers
house. Mrs. Heating, alter frankly stating
The nature of the case to her husband, said
| I,'at she could live with him no longer, and
,hat they must separate at once. The dec
iara.'oh was met with torrent of reproaches
ana abuse. Patrick danied her right to
| leave him without the warrant of a court
and asserted that he would use force if i. were
necessary, to prevent her departure, They
| INDUCED in wordy quarrel for few mo.
ments until, very much incensed, Heating
rushed out of the house. From thence
he repaired to the house of friend in the
village, where he procured some liquor, and
drank deeply, with the vain intention of
quoting his passions. But as is usual in
such cases, the liquor which he poured down
his throat, only served to intensity his rage
and caused him to be all the more firm in his
determination that his wife should not live
away from his home. Here it is thought
that he determined on the commission of the
crime for Which he is now in custody In
the excited state of his feelings, with the
recollection of his past misconduct crowding
upon his mind, and the dismal forebodings of
the future which he must have inevitably
have experienced, murder and suicide must
have lost all their terrors to his mind, and
were looked upon only as the speediest relief
from his personal troubles. lie was liter
ally halt-crazed with rum, and grew more
and more desperate as he thought over the
calanlites which he had brought upon him.
self by cours e of vicious conduct. At noon
he returned to his house, only to find that his
wife had packed up some Of her clothes and
was only waiting to bid him farewell before
going away.
He asked her if she was still determined to
leave him and the children to take care of
themselves. She replied that she had no
other alternative, whereupon Patrick drew
revolver from his pocket, and with this ex-
clamation, God forgive me- he discharged
it at her breast The murdered woman fell
unconscious to the floor, while a copius
stream of blood rushed from the wound.
Patrick gaZed a moment at the dreadful sight,
and then turning the muzzle of the pistol to-
wards his own body, discharged it again An
hour afterwards, neighbor entered the
house and found both upon the floor, welter-
ing in gore. The floor was covered with
puddles of blood and the dying ones, although
still breathing heavily, were in an uncon-
scious state. About the the bodies stood the
afflicted children of the family, struck almost
dumb by the calamity, and scarcely realizing
ing the extent of their loss. The body Of
Mrs. Heating was placed upon bed in an
adjoining room-and her husband was placed
under arrest and removed to the poor house
in the town for safe-keeping. 1t is scarcely
possible that either of them will recover
Boston Journal.