The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-06-25
From the N. Y. Tribune June 10
A COMMONPLACE MURDRR

The murder in Broome-st, on Sunday
night was one of q kind too common To ex.
Gite general attention and sympathy
Francis Gillen, aged %, steam-htter and
rowdy by trade, murdered his wife. a mil.
liner, aged Is, ON the sidewalk as she was
going home 10 her father house. The
man was IN blind fury of passion. for he
stabbed the poor young woman six times,
lnthoting no less than four mortal wounds
lie had no cause Of quarrel with her. ex
cept that he had treated her so badly she
could not live with him, and 50 she was
earning her own livelihood under her faith
er : protection. The case affords no ma
terlal tor public excitement or comment
IL VIII not be discussed at tea-tables. nor
~ the columns OF newspapers IL is NIL
commonplace and unheruic. The parties
are al mechanics the poor victim will be
missed from her shop until her place il
hlled, the murderer will be missed from
no place we can decentiy mention. and the
heart-broken father will drive his cart a.
usual N gain his daily bread. as he he.
longs 10 a class that cannot afford the Inv.
ury OF sentimental sOrrOw Itis an item
oil police news Of no general interest.
let thus case contains within itself the
whole question OF domestic authority. A
pretty aod Wiiltui young girl, only 10, with
Olue eyes and blond hair, two years ago
attracted sthe attention of pruhgatr
young fellow who found her pleasant
Iehei rom the worse women he generally
associated with, and won her fancy This
u an easy thing. Tor a dissolute youth 10
40 These hashy idle, rowdyish bows.
whose wees give them leisure, are
creatures OF romance b. a certain class of
working girls. II they know how worth
less the boy Is, Il makes no difference An.
innocent woman never admits, even to her
seii the existence Of the worst forms of
Wlekedness, "A little wild" is the vague
formula that covers the most rroyeting
lniamles. and the prospect OF reforming
the fascinating truant from the paths Of
virtue presents an irresistible allurement
rarental opposition adds only fuel 10 the
name NO glrl IN love, or in what she
,alls by that name, As capable of thinking
that her father can tell her anything worth
showing about the object Of her fancy
ne father OF this unfortunate woman
found out this as soon as he warned her
against hor absolute admirer After in.
mite trouble and wrangling he had her
consigned n the House Of the Good Shep-
hero, whence she was released, and imme-
dlately made n rlandestine marriage with
'llen. Her honeymoon turned uickly 10
gall She found she was but one among
ms many indulgences And her position
was worse than that of his most depraved
companions tor she belonged to him by /
law aud was the helpless victim of his |
eruelties After few weeks of tbjs
iughtiul punishment, she left him and went I
nome to her father again, and by his helm /
obtained respectable means OF earning /
her living
But this brutal rulIian, though he recop.
nzed no obligations resting upon himself I
from the marriage tie, considered himselF
grossly wronged that his wife should re. /
nounce her allegiance 20 him He looked |
upon her as runaway slave. and meeting
her the other night upon the street he or
dered her TO go home with him, and when
she refused he stabbed her 30 death i'm the
open thQroughfare lie had probably no
more sense Of responsibility in this than
an angry teamster who beats bis horse
ne considered himself thoroughly i'm his
1'gnt ana when he was arrested, and the
t"ncenan asked him why he, committed
9'e crime, he said You would have
..!.I the same II your wife refused 30 live
VIZ, VIZ YOU lie evidently saw no Other
oI Iuiae open 10 a man Of spirit. He might
1919 outrage, and trample upon her he
n,9',V make no secret of the vices with
wllioh ne daily dishonored the ypary;,ga
;nos a,'J DC might spend all his earn
aa, ar en- an Lsis IN his own debaucheries and
y6a, ', ~ W. ~ never seemed to occur 10 him
$3.50 n,s. sn' M any night 10 escape from this
vi,s ~. IN. mn not man do what he will \
NM M ,, nis owh 8 wa The only shape in which
MN pu,T rIio o. duty presented itself 70
connned to men like Gillen alone The
P0n0eman who saw him Just before ths