The New York herald., 1875-12-03
A COMPLICATED CASE.
HOW WAS MARGARET TUoHEY's DEATH
CAUSED PA DYING WOMAN CHARGES HER
HUSBAND WITH MURDER FIRST AND DENIES


cAUsED?-A DYING WOMAN CHARGES HER
HUSBAND WITH MURDER FIRST AND DENIES
IT AFTERwARD.
In yesterdays HERALD the frightiul death Of Marga-
ret Tuohey, late Of No 81 Park street. noticed 1t
now remains TO detail the particulars Of that tragic
event.
About nine O'Clock on Wednesday night Oflcer
John Raleigh OF the Franklin force in Park
street. Centre he heard loud cries and Quarrelng
in the sixth story OF the house No 81 Park street. He
Immediately went up stairs to the occupied by
aborer named Patrick Tuohey and his wife TO his
horror and amazement he Margaret Tuohey, the
wife, lying the floor nearly in nude state and her
body burned almost TO a cinder. With much difficulty
the wreched sufferer was restored to consciousness
She then told the officer that her husband returned
bone about nine O'Clock much under the influence Of
liquor She preparing his supper and he quarreled
with her because a beefsteak which she was cooking
did not suit his taste.
QUARREL CONTINUED
until the husband became furious In his rage he
poured full OF kerosene oil over her clothes. She
screamed with terror and prayed to him for Gods sake
not toapproach her with light Her supplications
unheeded and the furious aid:-By God you shall
die you she devil" The OIL got into her eyes that
she could not see to defend herself He overcame her
struggles and applied a lighted match to her dress
The victim was instantly enveloped in fame Her
agonizing screams fearful and aroused the
other inmates of the house. When Officer Raleigh
found her Mrs. Tuohey presented deplorable sight
Her arms, breasts and hands were cruelty burned;
large pieces OF blackened and charred flesh hung from
her body, and her face and stomach horribly
blackened and burned. What with the vapor of the
burning oil and the smell OF charred human f1esh the
stencil of the room was frightful No women were
there, although the neghborhood had been alarmed
by tho now dying wife. The fire must have
lasted about ten minutes. The in
decent decent furniture. The floor was unexpected
there was miserable looking bed, and q few religious
pictures hung on the walls Tbohey stood speechless
his poor partners body. The dying woman
casionay cast her eyes upon her husband her looks
but not her tongue, reproached him. She was removed
to the hospital where, about two O'Clock yesterday
morning death relieved her from her suiierngs The
officer arrested Tuohey, and took him to the Sixth pre-
cinct station Yesterday he was up for preliminary ex
animation, and committed TO the Tombs
where he at present awaits his trial. When
Officer Raleigh SAID TO Tnohey in his
"You are my prisoner, Tuoheyn he replied with an
oath, "You don't take me your prisoner" The officer
then took him down stairs by force and the neighbors
yelled out at him that he was going where he ought to
have been long and that hanging too good for
him. He gave back curse for Several citizens
offered assistance officer Raleigh he declined it
and gave Tuohey rap with his club over his
fingers while the prisoner cnging the baniser.
The prisoner denied the charge against him and said he
knew nothing at all about it
WHAT TUoHEY SAYS.
The writer called yesterday at the Tombs prison and
Tuohey The prisoner showed no dsinclination
talk about the horrible manner OF his wiies death. He
evnced good deal Of emotion and appeared desrous
to have IT understood that before her death his wife
had excupated him from all blame He said that the
Coroner had been there TO tell him so.
Patrick Tuphey is small in stature, and is not stout.
he states his age TO be about forty His hair is
reddish hue, and his features neither regular
attractive: the mouth a small little Orice.
drawn tightly together by pair OF thin closey-se
lips the nose is decidedly not well shaped one the
forehead, however, is not entirely bad, but the small
restless reddish brown eyes, that shoot and dart about
from corner TO corner just like q ferrets beneath
pair of bushy, sandy -coored brows do not upon the
whole inspire a stranger with much confidence in the
man. The accused wifeburner stated yesterday that
he and his late wife were eighteen years married She
had borne him two chhren neither OF whom living
During the last two years the pair had lived at No 81
Park street. wherc the dreadful above described
took place, and they had always been happy together
excepting when now and then
TUoHEY 'TooK SUP OF DRINK.n
Tuohey says that his wife was very much addicted to
drink and when she INDUCED in hquor he too, some
times gave way to the temptation that both of them
occasionally intoxicated at the same time. They
sitting Wednesday afternoon, Tuohey could
say what time, he went into the bedroom
dpnkna and so too had his wife He does not
remember how long he might have been asleep but
recollects that upon awking he that his wife's
dress fire. He sprung out of bed and tried to
extngush the names in doing which his hands and
eyebrows partly burned. Both his wife and he
were crying out loudly when policeman came In and
arrested him. Tuohey processes ignorance TO what
he doing just when the officer entered the room.
He had learned that his wife dead but said with
some vehemence, ~ did not do it; could never do
such thing" He also said that she was in the habit
OF smoking and might have set fire TO her clothing
with spark from her pipe.
THE VICTIMS ANTE-MoRrEM STATEMENT.
Before Mrs Tuohey's death she made statement to
Or. jayne Of the New York Hospital, completely ex-
oneratng her husband from the slightest blame She
said that when she 1ed her lamp with kerosene oil il
overfowcd, and some Of the oil went on the floor
Soon amer her husband came In and lighting his pipe,
inadvertently threw the match stump which still
burning into the spilled oil which at gnited and
began TO burn In attempting to smother the fame
with blanket her dress caught fire and she fatally
burned. The screams which the neighbors heard were
those caused by her fright