The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-24
wife MURDER and suicide.
A Man Kills His Wife aud then
Cuts His Throat.
Extraordinary Conduct Of the Attending Physi-
clans Tho Dying Woman Twelve Hours
Without Surgical Aid-No Attempt
to Alleviate Her Suferings

IN this city to-day. Hitherto Massachusetts, has
Deen the scene OF OF this description, Of least
Tor the past four weeks; put now New Hampshire
has put In an appearance for share OF the dis.
honor, and the murder here to-day, with the
suicide OF the murderer, was moro
than any OF those which have
recently preceded 1t. In Ltttleton three weeks
ago Patrick Heating killed his wife, and then
made a fruitess attempt at suicide, because OF
the maddening influence OF intoxicating drink.
Az Lynn, Mrs vanner was killed by her husband.
and he IN turn suAered o speedy death at tho
hands OF the police authorities. But the causes OF
the wife murder and suicide OF to-day have not
yet been ascertained, unless, indeed, they were
both the enects OF sudden and unex-
pected paroxysm Of insanity. The particulars.
a. learned them at a late hour this evening" may
be gwen thus:-Denns Snea, an industrious an0
respectable man, OF about nfty years OF age. with
his wife and four children, came to reside In
Manchester several years ago. they were
natives OF Ireland Shea was laboring
man. and his wife, healthy, good.natured woman
of comely aspect, looked after the domestic
affairs OF the household while the chill
arsn all worked IN the factories TT; the ~, family
and general good behavior acquired the respect Of
THE MuRDERnR's FAMILY.
The city authorities have nothing TO allege
they were all Industrious anu temperate IN every
respect. Dennis some months ago mad laid up
since. No change was exhibited In his manner.
indugent husband and father and. there were no
ioreb0dlngs OF the terrible calamity which mas re-
return, however, Shea mas been unable to obtain
work, and perhaps there may have been de-
soas and d se eldest Of Whom Is nearly
twenty years OF age, earned money enough to drive
away the wolf from the door; still there might have
been feeling Of serespect on the part OF Mr. Shea,
which led HIM to feel reluctant at accepting assist
ance from sucn q source, but there were no out
ward signs OF this; on the contrary Mr.: shea has
been very FREQ In his manners lately. More blithe
ana jolly, II possible, than ever, the causes OF his
sudden change OF mind eau only be matters OF con-
lecture. This morning he got up, as usual. at an
early hour, and assisted his wife in nIling the wash
s wch sS So @
He jOked and chatted In an unusually merry man.
aHe wahng sSeS % eS
oflae she has suffered from illness which produced
species OF melancholy. seemed to have recovered
from the wen for washing, and prepared the beef
ss''s se 81 her to h% Ss sSok. ana
Auburn ana Elm streets. and purchased two quarts
OF soft soap 10 facilitate her afternoons work. but
traced ner steps and recntered the store with q
demand for "A hand OF tobacco
FOR MY OLD MAN."
Her husband had not been since early morning,
but 1t has since been learned that he was busying
SossF EbssS 3 srS SS9s Sa' half ten
Mr.. Keeltey, ncxt-do6r neighbOr, and the land.
lord from whom the house was hired, was standing
"o n,' %Sp""T On "% my y "oS. T "on' he
heard irantlcay exclaimed; and ne looked about
S 70 led TO- sa W
gushing from her head, and gestlculating violently
In the air. At first II seemed rs II she were insane.
m
her footsteps were heard as she hurrledly ran up
KeeIiey put on his coat and followed, only to ma
that ghastly scene was TO meet his gaze. In the
little fteen by twenty Kitchen, on the right Of the
corridor where the family cooked their daily meals
Dennis Snea lay in the agonies OF DEATH His throat
was cut literally from ear to ear, and the gaping
| two fingers OF the hand. On the floor there was
DIG PUDDLE OF BLOOD
eyes upwards towards his wife, who was herself
bleeding TO death and was bending over him IN
tears ana WIN q, deep @ a s e expired
nervous excitement, but when she began TO realize
the fact that her husband was dead reaction took
pace and she 1ei to the floor. keety, with the ~.
sistance OF the neghbors who had been attracted
to the scene, picked her up aud carried her to an
bed. Tue news OF The tragedy was quickly circu-
lated about the tOwn-sOon enough to reach the
ears OF the physcians after an hour or TWO OF gOs
sip, and they put IN an appearance, made what
they deemed to be the necessary surgical examine
ssred anu woman We're oand e several al
sions, and on her mead was Q ghasty cut
g ssD% me ss We're to s 5 s1.
FROM AT twelve O'Clock tonight there were no well
grounded hopes OF her recovery. !ast mere. by me
result OF my observation OF the condition OF the
wounded woman as found her, at thirty minutes
past eleven O'Clock tonight more than twelve hours
after the inception OF the tragedy. AS has been
stated above she was lying IN q room less than ten
q crowd of half drunken and more than half sense
less people. with her eyes half closed and
covered with blood the lett cheek, which had been
badly bruised, was swollen to q great extent, and
nefeyes protruded hall out Of the sockets Nobody,
DIstREDIT OF THE MANCHESTER PHYSICIANS,
be II said, had taken sufficient pains to dress her
wounds, or even give directions for the proper ven
laid there lof twelve long hours Win.
beyond what was rendered her by the crowd which
poured within side the doors At no time since the
mad anything been done to alleviate her susernSs
The physicians seemed 10 have come TO The c0nclu-
sion that her death was certain and to have be-
slowed no pans towards rendering her passage
to the grave a. easy as possible under me CIR;
OF medical attendants and there was great mob
Of people who crowded the room ,1, to az extent
healthy person to breathe, much less woman who
was struggling every moment Tor the breath Of me-
an n ana
the influence OF which extended even to those VINO
were the intimate relatives OF ner VINO
when this despatch Is perused will be deceased.
ana there was general lack Of feeling, winch GER
tainly seems despicabie IN view OF the circum-
stances which surround the case. "Mans lnhu
manty to man" is seldom more striKingly exhibited
than It Is in Manchester to-day. the local papers
talk as follows concerning the catastrophe
"rhe Shea family consisted Of the father and
MOTHER three sons and daughter. The eldest son Is
ten years OF age The four children are employed
In the mills and were at work this morning. leaving
their father anu mother al nome Mr. Shea mas
long resided In the city, and was
VERY KESPECTABLE MAN.
For some time past he has been out OF work. ana
since his return, about four weeks since, mas NOS
been employed about anything. He Is said TO
have been a steady man. not accustomed 10 drink
and was not regarded as a person OF irritable tenn
per. As he lay weltering In q pool OF blood TINS
morning his face gave evidence OF calm ana mod.
crate disposItion. IL IL not known that they mad
any difference or any Ill feeling towardsseach other"
Another paper says:-"It appearedstha MIS- Shay
had been Washing and her husband had been draw