The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1877-08-30
A Chapter Of Crimes.

Thomas Harding, 45 years of age, shot his
housekeeper, Mrs. Wood, aged &c years, at
his house in One Hundred and Ninth street.
between Tenth avenue and the Boulevard,
New York, about five O'Clock Sunday morn
ing. At the hour named Harding entered
the housekeeper's room, and after awaken
ing her told her to get up. She noticed that
he had very wild look, but did not think
that anything serious was going to happen
until he addressed her as Libby" his
wife IS name. She also noticed that he had
revolver in his hand, and asked him to
leave the room, but he refused, saying, You
have ruined me- and will ruin you %
Mrs Woods then became convinced that
he intended to murder her, and sprang from
the bed and ran down stairs. Harding fol-
lowed and fired two shots at her, one of
which took effect in her left shoulder. The
terrified woman, howe yer, managed to reach
the street, where she raised an alarm. A
Mrs. Herritt, who resides next door, hearing
the screams Of the h0usekeeper and the re-
port of the pistol shots, raised her window
and called to Mrs. Woods to enter the house,
which she did. Two other reports from a
pistol followed almost Immediately after,
and then all was quiet. Several policemen
entered the house and found Harding in a
dying condition, and Immediately summon
ed physician, who found a bullet hole in
the forehead, and thought that was the only
wound until the unfortunate man rapidly
sank. and died two hours after. It was
then discovered that he had also shot HIM
self in the abdomen, infficting the wound
that proved fatal. The housekeeper's wounds
were found not to be fatal. Harding, who
was widower, married a Miss Beekman
about four years ago, but because OF some
differences they had not lived together for
two years, and cross suits for divorce have
been pending for some time. Mrs. Woods,
the housekeerer, is a rather good-looking
widow, about twenty-five years af age. She
went to live with Harding after his wife left
him.
InNew York on Saturday morning Della
Fox quarrelled with Ann, Kenny, a servant,
at No. 1859 Sixth avenue. A fight ensued,
in which the servant lifted Miss Fox in her
arms and threw her out of the third-story
window. The woman fell headlong, and
would doubtless have been killed on the stone
tagging Of the yard beneath but there hap
pened to be an extension or awning bull
out from the second story, ans Miss Fox fell
upon this. Nevertheless her left leg was
broken, and it is thought she has also re-
ceived internal injuries that may prove to
be serious.
On Friday last farmer named Jacob LIN
sibigler appeared at the house of aneighbor,
greatly agitated, and requested that several
neighbors be summoned to his house imme-
diatety and then left for home. When they
reached his house they found Linsibigler's
wife lying on the floor with life almost ex-
tinct. Her hair was matted with clothed
blood, which was oozing from gashes made
BY blunt instrument which had cut the
scalp and crushed the skull in several places.
In the stable Linsibigler's body was found
dangling by a rope attached to some cross
beams in the shed, and life extinct. A ply
stefan dressed the wounds OF the old lady,
who soon recovered sufficiently to request
not to be buried beside the old man If she
died. She did not die, however, but is again
able to be about She states that her hus-
band drove her into the house with the gun
as she was about to leave him for GOOD Dut
she has never given further particulars.
Ilinsibigler and his wife we're each over
seventy-tive years of age, and had been mar
ried fifty years, and had titled their little
farm and had accumulated considerable
money by close economy. The neighbors
were aware of the fact that the old man and
his wife frequently quarreled, as the latter
had complained that his wife threatened to
kill him while ssleep.
At Twenty-eighth street and Tenth ave-
nue.. New York, Sunday night, John Casey,
hackman, and vagabond named Michael
Brennan, alias s'Mike the rebel" had
quarrel, when the later drew knife and
attempted to use it on the former. A young
man named James Kelly interfered to pro-
tect Casey, when Brennan stabbed him in
the left side, the blade entering the back
and penetrating the left lung, making
wound which will prove fatal. Brennan
then fled, and up to an early hour this morn
ing had not been arrested.