American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1876-10-14
Shocking Tragedy in New
York City.

blind music-teacher in West Thirty
third Street, on Sunday night, created
intense interest and excitement
throughout this city to-day. Even the
discussion of the political situation had
to give way in some measure to the at
tention paid to this horror. Jules
Blanc, teacher Of music, lived on the
upper floor of No. 2O1 West Thirty
third Street with his wife Marie and his
boy Emil, 81 years of age, and made
comfortable livelihood by imparting
instruction on the piano and violin.
Mrs. Louis Philip, MIR. Blanc's sister,
lived with the family, and assisted her
brother, who is totally blind. Miss
Juliette Naulte, an old friend of the fam
lily, occupied an adjoining room and
boarded with the Blancs. Husband
and wife appeared to love each other
fondly, and, until recently, their home
had been happy one, in spite of Mr..
Blanc's affiiction. About IL 80 O'Clock
Sunday night Miss Naulte heard sti-
fled scream in the bedroom occupied by
Mr.. and Mrs. Blanc and their child, and
this was followed by noise like that
made by clashing door sharply. She
hastily summoned Mrs. Philip and John
Boulay, Mr.. Blanc's uncle, and they
hurried to the room. They were over
whelmed with horror. at the scete
which met their eyes. Blanc lay upon
his back on the bed, apparently dead.
Mrs. Blanc was on her left side, and
the boy Emil, in the last agonies of
death, was tightly clasped in her arms.
On the floor, lay small, seven-cham-
bered pistol, where it had dropped
| from Blanc's nerveless hand. Three
of the chambers had been emptied.
Blanc was past all help. Mrs. Blanc
| had been shot on the left side of the
head, the bullet entering above the
temple. CHANGING from the bone it
had passed over the top of the skull
beneath the scalp. The body of the
husband was removed from the bed
and taken to an adjoining room. When
the men were lifting the body Mrs.
Blanc opened her eyes aud seemed to
comprehend what was going on, though
she did not speak. She afterwards ex-
pressed desire to see a priest, and
one was summoned. He admin
istered the last rites of the
Roman Catholic Church, and the
wounded woman was taken in an am
bulance to a hospital. The little boy
had been shot in the left temple, and
breathed his last about 1915 O'Clock
yesterday morning. From the wounds
it is believed that Blanc shot his wife
and child in rapid succession, and then
placed the pistol against his right tenn
pie and fired the final shot. The skin
bullet were burned and blackened by
the flame from the pistol. The condi-
ton of Mrs. Blanc this afternoon was
favorable, and there is chance of hel
recovery. DR.. Pope, physician in charge,
said the ball was probably lodged at the
base of the brain. This morning she
was delirious, but, as the day wore on,
she had some lucid intervals. Her sis
ter-in-law and lady friend were with
her during part of the afternoon, AND
she recognized both. Her sister-in-law
said to DIR. Pope that she could not con
lecture what was the cause of the trag
edy, except that it might possibly have
been poverty. During Sunday after
noon nothing had occurred to mar the
domestic relations of the Blancs. Hel
brother and Mrs. Blanc lived on gooC
terms, and it was rare thing for them
to quarrel Mrs. Blanc's condition i:
so critical that it is not possible for her te
make any statement. Miss Juliette Naulte
said to-day that she had known Mr.. and
Mrs. Blanc intimately for sixt cen years
Mr.. Blanc was born in Marseilles
in 1888. His father was q piano manu-
facturer, and gave his son a thorough
musical education. He soon became
an accomplished musician, excelling
especially as pianist. and frequently
played in public. He afterward en-.
tered the French mercantile service and
was promoted until he became a Lieu
tenant. He was married about seven
years ago, and had one son, Emil
After he had been married a short time
he again went to sea. He had frequent
ly had trouble with his eyes, and it was
hoped sea voyage would benefit them.
His vessel was wrecked on the coast OF
Africa, and, after suffering great hard
ships, he succeeded, with a few others,
in reaching the settlement at the Cape
of Good Hope. There he was attacked
by malarial typhoid fever, and while in
hospital he became blind. He re-
turned to Marseilles, and after time
decided to come to this country. He
had lived in this city about five
years. Mrs. Blanc was very attractive
woman, and, having fine voice,
she was able to contribute materially
to the support of her family by singing
in opera bouffe. She first sang in the
chorus of Aimee and troupe at Lima
Edwin's Theatre, and afterward took
minor solo parts, appearing as La
Refine in Barbe- Bleue," and in other
parts. Miss Naulte declared that Mrs.
Blanc had never given her husband
any cause to be jealous, but he felt her
absence greatly while she was travel
ing with the opera troupe. He fancied
that she was cold toward him on ac-
count of his blindness. Mrs. Blanc re-
turned from her last trip only about a
week ago. Her husband eagerly asked
for every detail of her movements, and
often made her describe over and over