The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-06-26
An Insane Mother Kills Her Daughter
and Herself.
.pIvoRcE WITHOUT PUBLICITY"
The Story Of the Tragedy and the Causes
Which Led 10 II.

n those terrbIe domestic tragedies which arc
growing more frequent and which are directly At
rbuted BY many thinking people to the existing laws
in relation 70 marriage and divorce. Tho story is
that OF q young wife, who, being informed
BY her husband shat he had procured from ner
secret DIVORCE driven TO despair and, after killing
her child put an end to her own hfe In September.
1875, Mr.. John Burri, real estate and insurance
broker doing business a. No. so4 Ninth street,
South Brooklyn, married tho lady, who was
then the widow OF Dr. Hsskins, OF Brooklyn,
who had beeu her second husband. BY
him sbc had two children then living-a boy OF seven
and girl OF nine Mr. Burrill had known her for two
vears before tho death Of Dr. Haskina When the
vidov became Mrs. Bnrrill she seems 10 have not
lived happily, her husband bimsolf having declared
that their life not pleasant one In the
latter part Of last summer MRS Burrl gave birth TO
child which lived only few weeks About that time,
according to husbands story she showed signs Of
mental arrangement, and tho 10Th Of September he
placed her IN the asylum for the insane Blackwols
Island upon certificate Of her mental affection
being granted By Drs Curry .ns and Wilde
~" IN The country. and in tho middle Of April hor
board ii Sing Sing With Mrs. Sarah Marsiand, wife Of
EDWARD harsand, tho well known chief
engineer ,s on one and oneha story Cottage
situated sbou. mile from Sing Sing villngs upon the
highest mount IN the Vicinity, and command
:hcs vile and her daughter lived nap.
ply, tho boy meanwhile being placed at
Mrs Burrl was informed by her husband that he In
.ended to procure DIVORCE but she seems to havo
AIKEN no heed Ill., He did not visit her while she lived
II Sing Sing and she Obliged to follow him 10
Brooklyn to procure means OF subsistence.
4 DIVORCE WITHOUT PUBLICITY"
ON the 10th OF the present month she called ut his
eicc and he gave her $40 and told her that she need
look Tor no more from him, as he had procured
divorce from her d, IN u..n wnou, publicity"
.emper and insanity ana the decree was dated
May 80. and cost Just siao being procured
signed by Mr.. Burri Tor procuring the divorce was
that his vile and family had cost him 81 900 Tor their
At Su tho aScrc
su. Rurrell declares that he cannot remember his
name.
Tho storv OF the tragedy 20 told by Mrs. Marsland 10
" m IGuo"s BurrN, she said. had been boarding
wi.h her httleN daughter. She had acted
strangely At times ava was exceedingly violent when
WHOM she was q grS and evcn then It
always supposed that there was something
wrong with her Her marricS iie d,d not seem 70 BE-
4 telegram from New York announcing the death OF
= relative, and requesting ser st.endanec.
lime. and she, wishing some ono OF the family
main in the house while she was away. started ous
uter hcr.
The nsighbors were only very short distance from
the house, and before she had proceedod halt the
distance she heard distinct screams as from child
in pain One loud, long and piercing, and tho
other almost loud but stopping suddenly. Both
might be. They concluded that little Alma had
become frightened Al something. On reaching
the house both ladies' entered and MISS Marsiand went
up stairs room, stopping on her way IN The room
Of Mrs BurrtlL
rgRRIBLE cOoLSRss.
mrs BurYell was Standing In the room. and rs Miss
Marsiand came in reached out and taking = cracker
from box began 10 eat II. To Mrs. Burrcli
Miss MARYLAND related the death OF little
girl in New York. who was an only and loved child OF
a relative suddenly breaking on In her narrative,
aud turning TO Mrs. Burrell she saId.
.sDo you not think II was very sadf"
III was very, very sad" replied Mrs. BurrslL
idea that 4 was dead: The body was lying
.,ce 70 tho wall 1t was ai.erward as
certeinsd that . shot fired by tho mother had
right ear ana passed out Of tho lett nipple.
Tho first scream that had been heard was
probably gwen BY the poor child when she rNazed her
I W. w.. asked aIS sulsll i, she . Knew .:
aew words more Miss Marsland went down STAIRS,
ana, with her mother, prepared something to eat
THE SECOND SCREAM.
few moments were thus passed by mother and
daughter when they were startled by the loud
report OF pistol, followed by scream.
Miss Marsland started 10 90 up stairs but
WIS drawn back by nor mother and sent for neign-
Dor Instead The neighbor arriving. tho party went
up 10 Mrs. Burrilps room.
THE DEATH OF THE MOTHER.
Nrs surrili was found lying upsn her back.
with one loo. owe, the eo sias OF the
S wsr. 'a classy and nxed. but she was was
vrli Dreaming BY the side Of the bed large
voIver with Two chambers discharged and upon two
missed IRE. Mrs. Burrl was shot In the
breast aud through the wound the blood was slowly
oozlng physician was sent for, but before he
When the ladies approached the bed OF the
dying co%sn ss .a.. w nss upon
uelp mc.'' Miss .Marsland, who had been IN
Inc habit Of playing and singing for her
or your The sufferer slowly peaasd Dor bead, ana,
Is the strains OF hymn reached her Car, her
y kn ss Mss Ma.apa broke down Ss
midst Of her song through the intensity OF
her emotions. aud hardly had tho lying
woman iullv comprehended that the song had
ceased when she turned her head toward
the wall and said, 10 God take me I'm waiting. Oh !!
come" momont more and : slight struggle, fol.
the mother aud daughter were lying dead side by
MrS MARYLAND stated that week before the night Of
bad seen her husband. He mad told her then that
had procured divorce from her. Upon her
return 70 sing sing. Mrs Burreii had walked the
time. She seemed to DO greatly affected by wha,
her husband had told her, and worried contn ua "
about II MIS- Burrili always had shown most vio.
lent temper and even at the table, whom things did
mot suit ncr would break out with volent rcproaches
HUSBANDS KISDsEss
Mrs Nassdsn's son. young man. 1T once set out Ia
inform the unhappy woman's husband, and on sunday
tho latter to the scene OF tho tragedy and viewed
the bodies He seemed quite unmovsd, aud
remarked 10 = business-ike way that be
was not legally compelled to bury them
but that be would do from kindness In Tho even
rag Coroner n. g. Fasnay Of Peckskiil, arrived, aud
procecdsd 10 empano jury and hold IN
qassl Tho witnesses were Mrs M.rsIand,
her daughter Cora, DR.. FISHER and MI BurrL
Tna latter told his story OF tho marriage and hrs
wiie's alleged insanity as gwen above But hc made
NO mention Of ID" having procured d.
wnsn some one in the room called Out
Sc,v sbous that divorce 20 and the Coroner prcking
nm ia cara recalled the jury, reopcncd the case and
sieItcd the facts The verdict was that the deceased
lsdy mitted suicide while temporary derangea IN
mind and that whs ~ that CONDITION sne caused the
death or her daughter.
4 rcnrsseatntfvo or the HERALD called upon Mr..
ur,rtlI isst evening 1t his residence In Gowanus.
In she parior where the writer was