The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-04-14
1 TENEMENT HOUSE TRAGEDY.
Terrible Wife Murder in
Fifty-second Street.

Fifty-second Street.
The Murderer Arrested and Confesses the Crime
The Cause Jealousy Investigation and Post
Nortem Examination by the Coroner.
One OF the most deliberate and brutal cases OF
wife murder that ever occurred In this city took
place yesterday morning in rear room on the
second noor OF the tenement house 426 West Fifty
second street.
For nearly year past John McDermott, q stone
mason with his wife, Maria and their three chill
sren, aged respectively three and six years, and
SIX months have occupied the apartments named,
she parents being temperate and Industrious people.
Atintervas during the last five years Patrick Ryan,
cousin OF McDermott's, has boarded In the family
and Tor some time McDermott pretended to believe
that
CRIMINAL INTIMACY
existed between his vile and Ryan, but they both
stouty denied that such was the case.
At all events, McDermott became fearfuly jeal-
Gus Of his wife, and frequent quarrels were the
suit. To restore harmony in the family, McDer-
mott had ordered Ryan to leave the house, and he
aidso two weeks ago.
DISCOVERY OF THE CRIME.
At TX O'Clock yesterday morning. woman, liv-
ing on the same floor with McDermott, mad occa-
sion to enter MS room, which, at that moment, he
was in the act OF leaving. Upon stepping inside to
see Mrs. McDermott the woman was Mortified to
0nd her lying dead on the door, with large pool
OF blood beside her.
An alarm was instantly given when Ofiicer Bern
hOlz, vi the Invent pl ecnct responded and
took NcDermott INTO custody before he had an op-
Portunity to escape.
was taken to the station house and on being ques-
toned by Captain klllilea. frankly confessed that
Ne had killed MS wife by striking her three times
on the head with murderous-0oklng stone ham
mer weighing some SIX pounds, and In when was
h ckorl handle nearly three eet In length Cap
tam XII liea immediately searched the prisoners
room ana under the bed found the weapon OF death,
when was ali covered with blood.
McDermOtt, who was perfectly sober wnen ar
arrested, said that at the time or the murder no
persons were present but his own children, the
two eldest OF WnOm commenced to cry when they
saw their mother knocked on The nead
The accused was committed to cell in the sta
Sion house, and about midday he
ATTEMPTED TO KILL HIMSELF
by butting his mead violently against the iron
water BASIN III the corner OF his CELL In this man
Rer McDermOtt received seven severe scalp
WOUNDS, which were dressed by Police Surgeon
Waterman aud an ambulance surgeon, after which
the prisoner was sent to the Reception Hospital
Ninety-nintn street. Tor iurtner treatment. Later
In the day Coroner Herman, with bis deputy, Jos.
Cushman, NJ D., proceeded to the Twenty-second
who alter viewing the remains OF the murdered
woman, were discharged till lnrther notified to
aJJenu. MCDerInOLL may De unuer treatment III
the hospital lor one week or more.
THE ROOM OF DECEASED.
The room in which deceased lay besmeared with
gore, Is about Lteen eet IN length by twelve leet
In breadth, the furniture consisting oil few old
Chairs, table, cooking stove, dishes and few COM
n0n-place pictures, which hung against the wall.
On II ON this room is small, dark bedroom, IN
which the family slept. When the Coroner and his
deputy reached the house the street was tea with
an immense ana highly excited crowd OIL people, and
IL Was with difficulty that Captain klllea and his
officers could preserve order. Even the building
was crowded with men, women and children, most
Of whom were seeking information regarding the
tragic occurrence and specializing upon the proba-
billies OF the culprlt being punished.
POST-AORTEM EXAMINATION.
When It was learned that DR.. Cushman must
make post-mortem examination on the body of
Mrs. McDermOtt some of the women in the house
became furious, and had 1t not been Tor the pre-
sence OF Captain killllea, with number OF
his men, riot might have been the c css.
not have escaped with his lie: The post
norton showed that deceased had received an
right eye, which severed the supra-Orbltal branch
o. the te,npol al artery, from which wound came all
the blood iound on the iioor Behind the LETT ear
Inches III length, over the lett par.etal and tenn
poral bones; there was rough, jagged wound
three inches in length in the occipita region, pene
trating the BRAIN. The skull was fractured on
both sides, involving both the parietal and oc-
cipital bones. The skull was fractured in no less
than twenty pieces, which serves to show the
great violence used by the prisoner. Death must
have ensued in lew moments after the blows
were lniilcted, and, in the opinion OF Dr. Cushman
Il resulted from slock caused by the violence.
McDermOtt is thirty-slx years OF age, born In
Ireland, and by trade mason, he having been en-
ployed by Mr.. Thompson, in Broadway, near
Fourteenth street. Deceased was year younger
than her murderer, ana also born in Ireland. Their
worse than orphan children have been taken in
charge by friends who will care for teem
Patrick Ryan, the reputed cause OF the murder,
arrested by order Of Captain kililea and Is de-
tanned as Witness He lives corner OF Seventy
seventh street and Seventh avenue. Ryan prob
ably Will be released on bail by Coroner Herman,
inasmuch as he was not present when the murder
was committed and claims to be in no way respon-
sble Tor 1t. There are several other witnesses,
who will be forthcoming when wanted.
The particularly brutal circumstances surround
ing the murder caused
INTENSE EXCITEMENT
In the upper part Of the city, and had they been
fully known at the time OF McDermott's arrest he
might have stood good chance OF receiving dose
OF lynch law.
Coroner Herman will hold the inquest in the
case at the earliest possible moment.