Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1874-04-20
DOMESTIC TRAGEDY !
Love, Jealousy, Wild Des-
peration, Murder and
Suicide!
AN ANONYMOUS LETTER the
CAUSE OF THE BLOODY
DEED!
c~oRoNNER's INQUEST!

DEED!
C~oRoNNER'S INQUEST!
Last Saturday evening, q terrible
domestic tragedy was enacted In Gold
Hin. Joseph Marks, a shoemaker,
shot his wife, inflcting a ssvere
wound. and then, evidently supposlng
he had killed her, sen a bullet Into
his W brain, causing his death about
three hours afterward.
The scene OF thc Tragedy
Was a small cabin, near the north
end OF the railroad bridge across Crown
Point Rsvine, aud tho time about s
O'Clock In the evening. The cabin
consists OF two small rooms, the front
one used rs parlor, sitting and bed.
room. and the rear ohs as kitchen and
working room. The house adjoining
IL, on tho west, Is occupied by some
Cornish miners. and next beyond, Il
the cottage residence Of j. 4 Mcdonnell
aud nmlIy--about 20 feet from the cab.
In frat mentioned. The creams Of n
woman were heard. and . pistol shot,
succeeded almost Immediately by an
other shot, and those who hurried
thither found Marks lying on the floor
Of the front room with his head against
the wall and his arms resting upon
the seat Of a rocking chair. Upon the
door. near his right hand, lay q Cslt's
Ave shooter with two shots discharged
from Ii. the other three remaining
loaded-and q bullet wound In his
head. just above the right q |. indi-
Gated that one Of the shots had done
fatal work. lilo was alive, but died
about two hours afterward, remaining
perfectly ~inssnsible FROM the time he
wa. found until death. The frst shot
he fired at his wife, and II took effect
IN her face, passing under the LEFT
cheek bone and ranging upward toward
the bridge Of the nose. She was shot
In the doorway. She fell, rolling ave
n time or two, hut rcgalned her feet
Immediately, aud rs she was doing so
heard the second shot. She thought IL
was fired at her. ani ran for dear life
TO McDonell's house.
The Parties.
Joseph Marks was n medium sized,
stout built, dark comp!sxioned man,
30 ycars OF age last August, n native OF
Canada. Of French parentase, but
raised In Ohio, where his parents died
and where he has brothers and sisters
still residing. Mrs. Agnes Marks, his
wife. Is a rather good looking. sensl-
bic appearing woman, nearly 20 years
OF age, and u native OF Sweden. They
were married In Denver, Colorado,
some three years ago, she being di-
vorSet from another husband, who II
still living at Cheyenne, her stated
reasons for tho divorce being drunken
ness on his part. Marks Is a shoema-
ker by trade, aud together with his
wife lived for a while at Eureka, from
whence they came TO Geld Hill last
Fall. Since then he has worked for
SIR. VIM. Nicoll. shoemaker, on Main
street, near the Vesey House for about
three months. n short time at Wood
rulf's shoe store opposite the News
Office. aud lastly at Empire. lie was
considered a good workman, but was
not successful In securing steady EN-.
ployircnt here, therefore went to Em-
pire 4 few weeks ago with his wife,
he found steady work. She,
however, objected to going with him
TO Empire. and not living hap
billy together. she left him aud
to Gold Hill, occupying the
little cabin they had left when
they went to Empire. lie. 1t seems,
loved her passionately. and tried to
get her back. but she refused and scorn-
ed him, maintaining herself here by
washing. sewing aud doing any work
she could get, declaring her intention
and desire for a final separation, not
wishing to ever live with him again.
lie came from Empire and plead with
her TO return to him, but she steadily
refused and repulsed him, until final
ly, he seems to have worked himself
M TO the pitch OF desperation u
i%ealou.y regarding her, aided very ma.
by an anonymous letter re-
ceiyed by him from Gold Hill. telling
him that his wife was playing him
false. The fearful result Is known,
and upon tho head Of the writer OF that
rests the entire responsibility Of
the terrible crime.
The wife's story.
Mrs. Marksalthough severely woun-
ded. Is getting along very comfortably,
boing well attended at the house OF
Mr.. Mcdonnell. and sable to v
With ease. We visited her at nosn to-
day, aud her statement OF the sad af--
fair. In addition to what we have al
ready related, 10 substantially as fol-
lows: When she was residing with
her husband at Eureka, ho used to
gamble, drink, and ill-treat her
regularly. until at n time the
had to Interfere. Here
In Gold Hill no behaved better, and
they got along quite happily for
vet occasionally ho would
gamble n little, aud always ill.treated
her when he came out loser, sometimes
taking her by the throat aud smother
ing her mouth with his hand when she
tried to scream. She feared HIN, aud
for this reason dreaded removing to
Empire with him. She did so. howev-
er. and there ho followed up his gam
bling and ll-treatmont, until deter.
mined to bear It no longer she lett him
a ~peaceably ~ possible aud returned
TO Gold Hin, where she has since been
living alone and Supporting herself NJ
already deicribed. About five weeks
ago he came after her. but she refused
him u private interview, leaving tho
little cabin aud going to McDonell's
house. lie then went to the house
where Mr.. Nicoll and wife, mutual
friend. of theirs. resided, and sent her
a po,e. She responded by going there.
and quite n long conversation ensued
In the presence Of Nicoll's wife, he
-. 80 rast.ra. 10 him anfl