Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1871-07-13
WHAT RUM DID.
A Triple Tragedy-A Father
Cuts the Throats of His Two
Children and then His Own.

[From the N. Y. Herald June l9l
The Ninth Ward Of this city was yes
terday afternoon the scene of one of the
most revolving, heart-rend;ng cases of
child-murder and subsequent suicide ever
known in this city, for 10y it whole
family, save the wife and mother OF very
respectable people, are swept into cter-
nifty
DIR. J. J. Connolly, a well-to-do and
very respectable physician, together with
his wife and two beautiful little children
one, Mary Agnes, two years and seven
months old, and the other Clara Regina,
babe seven months old-have for some
time past been living at 143 West
Eleventh street. Oflate the Doctor has,
unfortunately, been greatly addicted to
strong drink, and was in the habit of re-
turning to his home very much
UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF LIQUOR;
But, so far as can be ascertained, was al
ways kind and affable to his family, not
withstanding his condition. Yesterday
he was not observed by any of the neigh
bors to 90 out, as was his custom: fact
which they took no heed of at the time,
or if they chanced to think of it at all, at
tributed it to the dreadfully stormy con-
dition of the weather. 1t now seems that
some time during the afternoon he took
the two children and went up stairs
to the second story, and there, in the back
chamber, locked himself and the little
ones in. About four o'clock the people
living next door heard Mrs. Connolly
crying and calling out to her husband to
give her the children So frantic and per-
sistent were her appeals, and so bitter
were her sobs, that those who heard her
were persuaded something serious was
transpiring there among the little family,
but yet never once dreaming of the ter
rible character of what that something
eventually proved TO be.
One of the neighbors, who could no
longer withstand the plying appeals of
the poor mother for her babes, hurried
Precinct station-house, where he informed
the Sergeant on duty of the condition of
affairs, and urged him to send an officer
to the house. Accordingly two patrol
men were dispatched to the doctors resi-
dence, but upon their arrival there they
were
REFUSED ADMITTANCE
by Mrs. Connolly herself, who came to /
the door in answer to their call. She, in /
a very excited and determined manner, /
ordered the officers to leave her door, at /
the same time assuring them that there
was nothing wrong within. They knew
from all indications that something unu-
sual had taken place, despite the lady''s
assurance to the contrary, and therefore
urged her by all the means in their power
to admit them, or to tell them where the
doctor was. To neither of these requests
would she consent, but stoutly refused to
tell them anything at ALL They hurried
ly returned to the stationhouse, and re-
ported to Captain Washburn the state of
affairs, and their conviction that some
thing of a serious character had transpired
at the house. The Captain at once set out
for the place, accompanied by the two
officers, and on their arrival were, as at
first, summarily refused admittance. Mrs
Connolly appeared in great grief, but still +.
refused to admit that anything was wrong.
In answer TO the Captain sinterrogatories, ]
she said her husband and children were
upstairs; but so far from allowing either S
Captain Washburn or the officers to go I
up to them she again peremptorily order c
ID them to quit the house. Notwithstand- i
ng this Captain Washburn ascended the i
stairs and tried the door leading into the s
pack chamber, but it was locked. He n
,alled to the doctor repeatedly, but no {
nswer came. Not knowing exactly what g
o do under the circumstances he returned a
o the street and several of the neighbors b
vho live next door, on each side of the A
octor's residence, and after consulting n
nth them and hearing their statements, h
etermined to go back and break into the d
oom. This he did, and the sight which Ii
here met his gaze beggars all tlescrip- n
ion. o
Policemen long in the service, like the W
eterans of hundred battle fields, become IN
lured to revolving scenes of blood and b,