The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-12-14
The Littleton Tragedy.

The Traveller gives further particulars of the
tragedy at Littleton, Mass, pointing to that
prolific cause of nine-tenths of such crimes-in-
temperance s.. s.. r ,s-.st
Patrick Heating has for some years resided in
the southern portion of Littleton, long enough
to be the parent of four children, and to have
earned very fair reputation for good behavior
among his friends and associates. Patrick was
a day laborer in the town, working steadily at
his business and providing as well as limited
means would allow for the comfort of
his family.
Until within a few months, too, he has been
man of steady habits, seldom, if ever, indulg-
ing IN the use of intoxicating liquors, and gem
orally behaving himself as good husband and
later Lately, however, his conduct has
changed. He become more and more addicted
to strong drink, and was morose and irritable
in in his treatment of his children and his wife,
There were hard words on both sides, frequent
examinations and recriminations, until the So
cial condition of the family had become de-
graded to very lowsebb. Every day decreased
the sum OF their happiness, until the mother,
who was in a delicate situation felt that If
would be impossible for her to longer remain in
the house. She preached the subject of separa-
ton to her husband week ago, but was met in
such contrite manner that she did not press
the matter to an issue. Patrick pledged him
self Immediately to commence the work of re-
formation in his habits, and spoke pathetically
OF the sad condition of the children, who would
thus be left to grow up without mother care
Mrs Heating finally yielded to his entreaties,
and promised to remain.
For day or two Patrick was true to his
pledges to reform; but the temptations to a dis
solute course of life were too strong for him to
make successful resistance and he soon re-
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. This
occurred yesterday morning. Mrs. Heating,
after frankly stating the nature of the case to
her husband, said that she could live with him
no longer, and that they must separate at once.
This declaration was met with a torrent of re-
proaches and abuse. Patrick denied her right
to leave him without the warrant of a court,
and asserted that he would use force if it were
necessary, to prevent her departure. They in
dulged In wordy quarrel for a few moments
until, very much ineensed, Heating rushed out
the house. From thence he repaired to the
house of a friend in the village, where he pro-
cured some liquor, and drank deeply, with the
vain intention of quieting his passions. But as
Is usual In such cases, the liquor which he pour
ed 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
ne must nave inevitably have experienced, muir
der and suicide must have lost all their terrors
to his mind, and were looked upon only as the
speediest relief from his personal troubles. He
was literally haf-crazed with rum, and grew
more and more desperate as he thought over the
calamities which he had brought upon himself
by a continued course of vicious conduct At
noon he returned to his house, only to find that
his wife had packed up someof 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 the exclamation,
"God forgive me-" he discharged it at herr
breast. The murdered woman fell unconscious
to the floor, while copious stream of blood
rushed from the wound. Patrick gazed mo-
ment at the dreadful sight, and then turning the
muzzle of the pistol towards his own body, dis
charged it again. An hour afterwards, a
neighbor entered the house and found both up
on the floor, weltering in gore. The floor was
covered with puddles of blood and the dying
ones, although still breathing heavily, were in
an unconscious state. About the bodies stood
the afflicted children of the family, struck al
most dumb by the calamity, and scarcely real
izing the extent of their loss. The body of Mrs.
Heating was placed upon bed in an adjoining
room-and her husband was placed under ar
rest and removed to the poor house in the town
for safe-keeping 1T is scarcely possible that
either of them will recover.