The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-08-10
TRAGEDY IN BROOKLYN.
WIFE MURDER IN A NEvINs STREET TENEMENT
THE LATEST SACRIFICE TO RUN.

WIFE MURDER IN NEvINs STREET TENEMENT
THE LATEST SACRIFICE TO RUM.
The sixth wife murder that has in Brooklyn
during the past year brought to the notice Of tho
Tenth precinct police yesterday afternoon the per-
petator Of the crime arrested after the death
of his victim Both husband and wife slaves TO
strong drink.
THE SCENE THE TRAGEDY
the on the third floor Of the frame tene-
ment house, No 200 Nevins street. where in state Of
squalid misery, lived James B. Maxwell a Scotchman
thirty-sx years OF age his wife Catharne also native
of scotand, aged thiry-hve years and their two chill
drcn, one boy of years and the other little
girl Of twenty lone months For several months Max
well has gained scanty livelihood by peddling tea
He has however, seen better days Ho lived in Scot
land in 1865, and a successful tradesman Ult
mateiy he became the possessor Of $4,000 with which
he went to Liverpool and established himself in the
dry goods business The sudden fall i'm values consequent
upon the close Of our civil him stranded on tho
shoals OF bankruptcy; and, respondent almost pen
niess, he emigraed to this country He found the out
look here very unpromsng His wife and little ones
were often on the verge OF starvation Notwithstanding
his efforts to support them by often working as day
laborer Discouraged by long series of misfortuncs
the husband and wife on tho career of disspn
ton which has eliminated in tragedy They drank early
and poverty
THE MURDER
While drunk they would engage in violent quarrels
often coming TO blows The neghbors in the Nevns
street house, whore the Maxwes have resided but
-four months, say that they used the vilest language
toward each other when they were under the influence
of liquor, but were quiet and respectable in manner
when sober For the past week Maxwell has been ON n
spree On Sunday night he entered his apartment and
shortly altcrward the residents of the house heard an
alteration in the ROOM followed by the n
| fa. ,l.r -
the tenants lnterered and The disturbance
continued about ten minutes. Early yesterday
ing Maxwell left the room and the house About noon
James Mcdonnell son of the landlord passed the door
Of the apartment and Mrs Maxwell sitting on
chair moaning family lie returned at three O'Clock in
woMAN's BODY BRUISED AND LIFELEss
on the floor From the nature of her wounds, the crime
must have been pcrpctrated in brutal and atrocious
manner Her face so bruised and swollen as to be
almost unacceptable. Her right was broken,
doubled up and bound with rude bandage It is be
ievcd that of her ribs broken, though this
could not be determined by casual examination Of her
body
The wretched abode presented disgusting picture of
NTH and squalor attercd rag carpet and torn
partly covered the oor broken chairs and stools
strewn about and the stove, with of its legs broken
OF, overturned the SCOT and ashes being scattered
about the room The murdered woman Law near one of
the windows. Her children stood her, making the
place with outcries The remains were placed
on the bed and afterward removed to the Morgue The
children were cared for by the neighbors. They
be removed to an orphan asylum
THE ARREST or THE MURDERER.
followed closely upon the finding Of the body OF his vic
tim. Mcdonnell, who first became cognzant of the
murder, notified officer Owens who on post in the
vicinity of the As the officer approached
the house he Maxwell staggering past the
Union and Nevins streets He Immediately took him
into custody, Maxwell offering resistance He was
taken to the Bergen Street police station When Cap
tain Campbell informed him OF the death of his wife, he
expressed in maudlin manner, his and aston
ishment. He stoutly denied having killed her saying
that she drunkard and that If she was dead she
must have died from natural causes.
INTERVIEW WITH PRISONER.
The writer saw Maxwell at the station house and
asked him if he had recently quarreled with his WIFE
eyes, replied the accused, ~ quarrcled with her
last Monday. We were both drunk. She made mo an
cry and then Knocked her the stove broke the
leg Off it and upset it the floor She wasn't much
hurt, for she able to walk about after that have
been on spree for week.
,Do you remember all that Occurred during that timer
asked the reporter
mo, sir was the reply. 81 might have killed her
but don't believe did. But it all on account Of
that cursed drink. | would talk to her about
it, would point to the children in their wretchedness
would speak Of the state of the house. hut it had
effect She would get me no food and no clean shirt,
so would go and get glass Of poisonous whiskcy and
lay down drunk. If she hadn't drank would have
got along all right for she perfect when she was
sober | struck her on Monday, but since
Tho wretched man here burst into tears and went
back into his cell
Coroner Smms will empano a jury to-day and hold
the inquest to- morrow.