The New York herald., 1877-02-02
AN IDIOTS CRIME.
Killing an Aged and Sick Mother and
Attacking a Sister.
STATEN ISLANDS SENSATION.
.'he .Niqht "Off" OF Richmond
Towns Police Force.

nasses OF her crazed sou; 10 learn OF
e<atn coming aged and feeble woman
IN tho darkness OF the early day. and TO
stasd amazed 10 we'll loved the cause OF her
uasimsly anu fearful end. The tale that at first was
~espsrsd among Ies spread far and wide, and
ss~ miles arvan u was Known aud spoken about that
Patrick rqlan MS home the scene Of murder.
TIE Asssry NJ 4la Tragic silair IS told below
ssesrtvib, snall Silias.. s.raiied IN the south
cru par, sf >eAlaa nssnnd. inland posi-
lion lis sscaAsan Is aer.eca hills, and
though il sz2asr q may ss mere iHhaoaole, at
present /, looks &-vn-y ami ia:sPssaole place of resi-
dcncc The houses are a. small roere 5 apparently
no mansion wi,hia s.e v1Zs -sss and its chief at
fractions are a pus.se sosse All grocery store.
The inhabitants are rural appearance and man
ners ana no douoi ihe,r lives are quiet
opes cnlivencd only BY queer. old time gossip,
say about broken carriage wheel or the death of
some antquated equine A mile or two away Is Rich
mond where things ivelier; where sheriff un-
dertakes the fu6lment of oncrous dutics where VII
Iase doctors attend tho numerous sick, and where
such extensive eGinccs as court house and poor
house rear their lofty heads.
FAMILY HISTORY
In Esbertvine family named Dolan have passed.
good portion OF their lives Over thirty years ago
Ncnaci Doian icit Ireland and his family and came TO
America TO seek living. Ho lad been here short
time when his family followed him. 1t then consisted
OF wife and seven children Michael and tho
family went Staten Island, and since then
they have lived there. The older representa-
,,vcs have grown aged and gray, and the children
have advanced from youth to-middc age The father,
,ome years ago, died quite suddenly at The age Of
seventy or over or the three sors and tour daugh-
ters OF tho former went to the war and was
never heard OF; another is engaged in somo part
..t erfc Jo(c. J.~u
half tho support the old DoIan left his
wiic Tho daughters also became separated and
only two remained near tho mother, tho
older marrying tho vicinity and the younger hiring
out in the ncghborhood or Egbertvilo. Patrick Do
lan the son who remained with his mother, is OF
medium size largely built ana powerfully strong. He
worked a laborcr in the neighborhood tor long
simc and was known By the people around as hard
working, naturally quiet and evcn-tcmpcred fellow.
who never INDUCED In drink. was not at
nll vicious in his tastes nor violent IN his
manner. He was employed by Messrs Ryers, samp-
and McKellcrs, OF Egbcrvlle, a. different times
and when he quilted work, as he Il oil laic. he had
saved 5000 or 500. Speaking and acting IN a
bashlul manner at most tunes. he continued tor
years TO live and do his work WELL About twelve
years ago he noticed TO act quecry,
and since then and again showed signs
nj oddity Most probably the work he obtained kent
his mind busy. Last October he left of working and
with the idle life he led his odd ways and eccentric
actions became and more noticed. All this time
acted toward her with love anu respect.
THE SONS STRANGE CONDUCT.
A week ago Mrs Ann Doan the mother,
became alarmed at the strange conduct OF her
son, and sent to her unmarr ed daughter, whose
name was also Ann to ,n,, come o, on and stay @
days and nights with him. Tho daughter
TO mother Saturday last Just about th,s time
Patrick had become mere violent than usual, and
commenced TO IN most unreasonable manner.
The sister and mother, watching his movements, saw
him amlessy wandering around the roads, gong ont
n
netting as like li-minded fellow as possible OEcc
he undertook to break up inc chairs 10 use them for
hrewood. The mother endeavorcd to hinder the
destruction OF the furniture and he pushed her against
the and kept steadily at the work. in spite her
week ago Mrs. Dolan was taken sick, aud received
kind care at tho hands OF both her children the
often going up her and to ask she feeling
well. But outside of this slight manifestation OF his
affection be grew more md more foolish in his ways,
continuing 10 break up the furniture, walking the
Highways without his hat, and passing hours in the
woSds adjoining the house.
On Monday, the 10Th ul,. tho two women thought it
dangerous to spend more time in the same house
with he young man; so the sister went over 10 Father
Barry, the priest OF the place. and told him the whoo
Story. He listened attchtlvely, and the next day
(Tuesday) ho called upon the Dolans. Not to
allow Patrick to suspect his motives ia call
ing he hrst saw the mother, ana then came
down TO the lower floor, where he found the
standing In the middle OF the iloor The young mans
answers 10 the questions asked oil him were NOT salts
factory the priest and alter cndcavorng TO quiet
the iears OF the TWO trembling women and preparing
Mrs Dolan for death, not tEat he thought her sick
",
he lett with the assurance TO mother and daughter
that he would have the sons case investigated.
FATHER BARRYs ADVICE
Father Barry called upon Justice Moehan, and told
tho latter his fears that Patrick Doan was not IN his
right mind The justice conveyed tue intelligence TO
Drs. Clark and Mspaugh, oil Rchmond and they
,ad a visit to the house OF Dolan. They the two
women and also Patrick, and the conduct of the latter
and tho testimony of the two former convinced
them that tue young fellow needed watching. This
they told Meehan and at seven O'Clock on Wednesday
evening on the affidavit OF Dr. Milspaugh warrant
Tar tal-t md nnn n VnHn
Dolan. That night officer to be found, as 1t was
the might on OF the only policeman the town OF
Richmond supports. Justice Mcehan did not know OF
tho absence oil the officer, and waited till late Tor tho
of that responsible person. as the custom is Tor
the officer to call a. ane house o ,no erery
issued, and before daylight arrived the Tragedy had
been acted
The house occupied by the mother son and daughter
is small frame one with stories, the ground and
first floors On the lower floor there small room,
where the family passed their evenings, and which
eecms TO have been the dining room and kitchen
all In ono. One flight of stairs brings the visitor
10 the sleeping aparimcn-oue large room, which
Is without door or other protection Tho bed lies
In the west side of the apartment, and around the
clothing Tho floor Is carpetless. About half-past ten
O'Clock Wednesday night tho daughter went TO bed
30 go rest and receiving a surly reply IRON him
She had previousl/ asked him TO come
up stairs and lie sGwn when She hS Srooss bad
down mattress, which she laid tho
floor for him to on II he iet inclined While shc
and the mother lay IN bed the young girl heard her
brother Patfck moving restlessy about down stairs
He went out and then she heard no more OF him I'LL
about three O'Clock yesterday morning, when shc
heard him coming up the stairs. Io had been
In the habit Of coming into the room TO SEQ
how his mother feeling so she did
not fear ANYTHING. Tho lights were all out but
the moon was shining brightly, and ty It's and the
vounr man saw his way TO tho bedside. without any
warning he seized bottle that lay on the table and
sdvancing to the bedside, saying, 81 have got TO END
ibisu graspcd hts sister by the hair with one hand
and struck her and her mother with the bottle
in the other. The young giri loaped up and
pusbipq her aged mother before her, The
Two moved down me stairs. The wild young fellow,
mari of the banster and with this dealt his sister ter
r,blc blows upon the head and shoulders. She Kept
he aged mother her. and thus the two reached
hc door Mrs Doan turned to close he door, but her
sop prevented her doing by pushing stick IN
the opening Then he rushed out and struck
Tho two women with the stick he carried
sister now shrickcd and screamed aloud Tor ala
and beiIovne that no further of hers could save