The New York herald., 1873-10-23
A MOTHER MURDERED.
Bridget Thompson Kicked to Death
Last Night by Her Husband.
RUM AGAIN THE CAUSE OF RUIN.
Scene Of the Strife and How the Iced
Was Committed.

Bridget Thompson, twenty-six years old was
killed last evening by her husband, at their resi-
dence, No. 451 West Twenty seventh street. He
was arrested almost Immediately after committing
the deed and locked up at the twentieth precinct
station house.
According to Thompson's statement he arrived
at mis- home last evening about five O'Clock and
found his wife drunk This so annoyed
him, as she had been lately in the habit
OF getting into the same condition, that
he quarrelled with her. He threw water upon her,
pushed and beat her, but did not use sufficient
violence to kill her. The night before last, when
he returned from his days labor, he found her
lying on the door in state of stupid intoxicaton
and his poor children wandering about uncared
for. He reused her from the stupor, tearing that
she might be smothered in her unnatural posture,
and when she was partly restored to sense she,
as he alleges, abused him in most
extravagant manner and flung bread and kitchen
utensils at him. This passion wore itself out after
time and she went TO the liquor store again in
company with her mother and returned late very
drunk. Thompson put his children to bed first
and performed the same office afterwards
for his wife, she being unable to do
anything for herself. He complains that for
the past year he has had to contend with
the same evil in his household, and his life has
been most unhappy one. Previous to that
period hts wife was a woman OF correct life, but
her apsing into the habit of drunkenness he attri-
butes entirely to
THE INFLUENCE OF HER MOTHER.
He has for some time been endeavoring to have
his children removed 10 some place where they
could be taken care OF, as his wife has for months
past completely neglected them. To find out at
what institution he could place them he called at
the Twentieth precinct station house, and his ar
suitable.
Thompson is a TALL rather good looking man, OF
genteel address and quiet steady habits. He
wears q light beard and mustache, and has re-
Gently had employment In felting company, but Is
just now without vocation. In explaining the
course OF his wrctched existence he said he had
to his nome, and then wash and put his children
TO bed. Though he acknowledges having beaten
his wife, he persists in declaring that he did not
strike her hard enough to Kill her. aud thinks that
the liquor she drank had much more TO do with her
death than he had.
The father OF the dead woman tells a very differ
ent story. He described Thompson to the police
last night man OF violent and imperlous tem-
per- at all times impatient OF contradiction. At
the time OF the quarrel the father was not In the
house, but on entering some time afterwards he
stumbled on something in the hallway. Turning
Thompsons lived, he found the husband sitting be-
fore the fire,
He asked where Mrs. Thompson was. and the
husband got up, still holding the baby, went to the
door leading into the hallway, and called out,
angrily, "Come In here.n No reply having been re-
turned to this order, he took the lamp from the
chimney and looked into the hail. There he saw
Mrs. Thompson lying on the noor. He pulled her
into the room, and almost Immediately discovered
that she dead. he raised an alarm IL the house.
and the policeman on duty in the street rushed
also arrested as q witness. but she was SO drunk
that but little could be got from her last night
She said, however, that Thompson kicked her
daughter and this is most likely, for the corpse Is
badly marked under the chm, near the right eye
and under the lett ear These marks bear evidence
OF a boot, or some dun, heavy instrument,
indications Of such violence win be found
in the brain of the victim when the Coroner
aa Before sns e and R
mains to be seen whether she was not most bru-
tally murdered. She was a tall, handsome woman,
with proiuslOn or black hair. and looked liked
anything but an habitual drunkard.
The front basement occupied by the family con-
sisted OF three rooms. The front room was used as
kitchen and sitting-rOom, and the others as bed
roems. While the body OF the mother lay in one OF
the back apartments last night, the three Oldest
children slept peacefully on an old rug spread
oficer on duty at the place. Huddled together
as closely as the could lie, the three children
stretched out, wrapt in sleep, one arm OF the
The appearance OF the place was one OF scantiness.
though not poverty, and the beauty and health OF
the children made striking contrast with otner
contents of the place. Death in his most
HORRIBLE AND CHASTITY SHAPE
close at hand, frowned upon life In its ruddiest
glow. The close connection OF this life and death
made the dreadful realty still more terrible while
the natural protector OF both was smut behind iron
bars from the little ones he prolessed to love so
much, charged with the destruction OF lie as
dear to them as his own. The youngest child,
hardly eight or nine months old, had been taken
away by some charitable neighbor, and the only
person, besides the other Children about the house
last night was the 0ficer in charge. The Coroner
has been notified to hold an inquest in the case,
and he viii probably open it tomorrow.