Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1873-06-27
From the New York Tribune, June ls.
A Commonplace Murder.

a Commonplace Murder.
The murder in Broome st, on Sunday
night was one of kind too common to
excite general attention and sympathy
Francis Gillen, aged %, steam-fitter and
rowdy by trade, murdered his wife, a
milliner, aged Is, on the sidewalk as she
was going to her fathers house. The
man was in blind fury Of passion, for
he stabbed the poor young woman six
times, iEflicting no less than four mortal
wounds. He had no cause of quarrel
with her, except that he had treated her
so badly she could not live with him,
and so she was earning her own liveli-
hood under her fathers protection. The
case affords no material for public ex-
citement or comment. 1t will not be
discussed at tea.tables, nor in the col
place and unheroic. The parties are all
mechanics; the poor victim will be
missed from her shop until her place is
filled, the murderer will be missed from
no place we can decently mention, and
the heart-broken father will drive his
cart as usual to gain his daily bread, as
he belongs to class that cannot afford
the luxury of sentimental sorrow. 1t
is an item of police news of no general
| interest.
| ct this case contains within itself the
whole question of domestic authority. A
pretty and wIllful young girl, only 16,
with blue eyes and blond hair, two years
ago attracted the attention of a profit
gate young fellow, who found her a
| pleasant relief from the worse women he
generally associated with, and won her
fancy. This is an easy thing for dis
soIcte youth to do. These fiashly, idle
rowdyish boys, whose vices give them
leisure, are creatures Of romance to d
certain class of working girls. If they
know how worthless the boy is, it makes
no difference. An innocent woman
never admits, even to herself, the exist
ence of the worst forms of wickedness.
A little wild" is the vague formula
that covers the most groveling infamies,
and the prospect of reforming the fascin-
ating truant from the paths of virtue
presents an irresistible allurement. Pa.
rental opposition adds only fuel to the
flame. NO girl in love, or in what she
calls by that name. is capable of think.
ing that her father can tell her anything
worth knowing about the object of heI
fancy. The father of this unfortunate
woman found out this as soon as he
warned her against her dissolute admirer
After infinite trouble and wrangling he
had her consigned to the House of the
Good Shepherd, whence she was released
and Immediately made clandestint
marriage with Gillen. Her honeymoon
turned quickly to gall She found she
was but one among his many indulgences
And her position was worse than that O
his most depraved companions, for sht
belonged TO him by law, and was tn,
helpless victim of his cruelties. Aftei
a few weeks of this frightful punishment
she left him and went home to her fathe
again, and by his helpobtained respect
able means of earning her living.
But this brutal ruftiaD, though he rec
ognized no obligations resting upon him
self from the marriage tie, considere,
himself grossly wronged that his wifi
should renounce her allegiance to him
He looked upon her as runaway slave
and meeting her the other night upol
the street he ordered her TO go hom
with him, and when she refused he stab
bed her to death in the open thorough
fare. He had probably no more sens
OF responsibility in this than an angr
teamster who beats his horse. He consic
cred himself thoroughly in his righ
and when he was arrested, and the DO
liceman asked him why he committe
the crime, he said, "You would hav
done the same if your wife refused t
live with you" He evidently saw n
other course open to man of spirit
he might abuse, outrage, and trampl
upon her; he might make no secret {
the vices with which he daily dishonore
the marriage covenant he might spen
all his earnings and hers in his own d.
baucherles, and yet the idea neve
seemed to occur TO him that she had an
! right to escape from this torture. Ma
t not man do what be will with his own
: was the only shape in which any que
tion OF duty presented itself to hin
This idea of marital right is not confil
e ed to men like Gillen alone. The polio,
!, man who saw him just before the mu
+ der is said to have acknowledged that
r feared some trouble, but did not like
] interfere between man and wife. Th
}, man, Gillen, it is reported, has Ion
t been known to the police as a viciol
]. and dangerous character. Yet the la,
t which muzzle harmless dogs under Il
!. superstition that they may go mad, do,
!, nothing to prevent this wild beast frol
y stealing young girl from her fathe
r marrying, maltreating, and killing her
: not all at once, but diffusing the Grim
). over two years. We need not draw
e moral which would be as commonpla,
t as the murder, and would touch upc
/. two commonplace and evident faults
the time-the claim of children th
. their parents have no right TO interfe
: with their besLowal of their affection
!. and the claim of husbands that the
wives are their property.
l. A BEAUTIFUL THoUGHT.-Whe II