The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-10-06
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY

A MADMAN MURDERER ON THE RAMPAGE
HE SUCCEEDS IN KILLING HIMSELF.
The North Vernon Sun, Oct. l, gives the
following bloody story: Within the pre-
cincts of town, on Saturday evening last,
most shocking tragedy TRANSFERRED The
family of VIM. McGrath, an Irishman, con-
sisting in part of his wife, son IF perhaps
IA years, and an elderly aunt, residing in the
western outskirts of town, became partici-
pants in the horrid and tragic drama, where
was enacted the frightful scene of death in a
most costly phase. The domicil consists of
a log cabin composed of two rooms, and the
husband, who met his death within or near
the house, provided for the wants of life by
hard labor, and was generally regarded as
Woodworking, honest man, though some
times boisterous when in his cups. On
Saturday last he had been absent from home
during the day, and returning i'm the even
ing, (as was stated to US by an elderly lady
member OF the family, who showed evidences
of having suffered lin the course OF the
melee), became enraged at bis wife from no
| Just cause, and seiZiDg double barrelled
shotgun attempted to kill her by striking
with it dubbed. when our informant, at
tempting to screen the imperilled wife from
harm, shared a portion of the blows, and
was knocked down senseless and bleeding
the wife being as well severely injured.
The furious man then seemingly tried to
annihilate the whole family. The onslaught
commencing in the house was continued, by
the flight of the women, on the outside OF
the cabin, where the old man in his frenzy
struck the butt of the gun so severely
against some immovable object as 10 break
il off at the breech, at the same time dis
charging its contents into his abdomen,
PRODUCING INSTANT DEATH
The wife and aunt having again fled,
MANNED and bleeding, into the house, and
secured the enterance, 10 be safe from fur
Their harm, did not know of the shooting or
death of the unfortunate old man, and it
was only on Sunday morning, when a
physician was summoned to set and ban
| dage the arm of Mrs. McGrath that the fact
of his death was ascertained. He lay on the
ground corpse, with the broken gun by
! his side, and the unmistakable evidence OF
the immediate cause of his death made APP
parent by pools of blood and CHASTITY
gun-shot wound. When we visited the
scene of the sad affair, Sunday morning)
Coroner Swift and jury had just completed
their examination of the case, and in the
course of the day rendered verdict Of death
from gun-shot wounds produced by parties
unknown to the jury. This gives the mat
| ter little different phase, and will OF course
call for more rigid examination into it's
details. Opinions widely differ as to the
mOO6 OF the Olu mans Taxing OH. Ile
deceased was a man of over fifty years of age
a member of the Catholic church, and was
inferred on Sunday evening. The wife is
| contin ed to bed from severe bruises and a
broken arm, whilst the old lady is suffering
from severe contusions on her head, body
and hands Altogether this is one of the
most shocking ARRAYS or tragedies that has
occurred within our knowledge for many a
day, and deserves the closest investigation
by the proper authorities. that it may trans
pire if guilt attaches thereto.