The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-02-02

When Clifford is again restored to the world
other Mary Ann Gallaghers will undoubtedly
appeal to his heart and heels, for what are two
years at Sing Sing compared with the salts
faction of breaking one of Gods COM
mandments? So thinks William Dun
nigan, who, on the 18th of June,
knocks his wife from one world into another
But so just is justice that when there is
palliation for murder its punishment is
swift and long. Take for example the case Of
Emil Andre, who, on June 10, shoots his
wife. Andre, Frenchmau, returns from
smallpox hospital to find that his best friend
has proved his loyalty by stealing his wife's
affections The infatuated woman refuses to
return to her husband, will neither sign
separation nor surrender her children, and
Andre, pursuing her into the street, shoots
her dead When men, drunk or otherwise,
dispose Of innocent women, married or other
wise, they either escape to parts unknown or
are patted on the back by amiable juries.
Andre is sentenced to term in State Prison,
but we feel morally certain that Cobb will re-
ceive better treatment In July Thomas Cobb
returns home drunk finds his wife drunk,
knocks her over the stove and fractures her
skull with an axe handle. He makes o little
trip up the river, but New York cannot spare
him long, Axe handles long to feel his kindly
grip
Then, by way of variety there is nothing
like combining intemperance with insanity.
Mark Flanagan, discharged lunatic, drinks
to excess, then, taking Bible from con-
venient shelf on his knees, delivers himself of
prayer, reads o portion of Scripture, arises,
seizes his wife by the hair Of her head and
stabs her with o shoemaker's knife What q
pleasantly it is to be sure! But more absurd
is the case Of Patrick Leary. Leary is out Of
harms way in "a insane asylum. His wife,
believing him nearly cured, is allowed to
take him home for few days. during which
time, without any premonition or previous
quarrel, Leary attacks his wife, and kills her
in the presence of her daughter ga clear
case of insanity" say the jury, and there the
matter ends. OF course the authorities of luna
tic asylums are justified in allowing wives to
remove their husbands whenever affection
dictates, and, of course. two instances Of muir
der by liberated maniacs prove how admirably
our asylums are managed. Resuming the
sane tenor of our way, we behold John Goery
throwing stone at Margaret Fritz, aged four
years, thereby breaking her tender head !;
Joseph Dykes kicking his aged mother to
death, and Robert P. Bleakley deliberately
shooting his young niece, Maud Merrill, be-
cause, as the injured uncle declares, she
would not abandon her sad career. The evil
dence shows that Bleakley was in the habit
of visiting his niece and threatening to have
the house 'pulled" if she refused to give him
money in payment of an alleged debt but no
impartial jury will credit this evidence, and
we expect to chronicle Bleakley's acquittal
If we congratulate him in advance who will
grudge us the satisfaction A mother, while
insane, strangles her daughter, and with this
final case of murder we find that 1870
boasts of numbering six women, 1871 rejoices
in the killing Of seven women and 1872 glories
lantly because were it not blessing to be rid
of women the law would visit greater punish
ment upon their murder&s. The increase of
victims Us natural consequence of the law s
leniency, and were we o woman DESTROYS of
! throwing off this mortal coil we should marry
passionate man with Incorporate habits
feeling confident that it would be impossible
for him to long resist the temptation to shed
innocent blood. If the law will only continue
its present benevolent reign there will be some
chance of establishing o sexual equilibrium
There are too many women in old commune
ties, and the surest way to cut the Gordian
knot is to cut their throats. "Amen!" whisper
law and juries.