The New York herald., 1878-02-26
MURDERED HIS MESSMAYE.
The circumstances that Led to a
West Point Tragedy
j E ALOUS VAGARIES
I Suppose I'll Have to
Die for Him."

Tho vaearies OF love and jealousy received another
pointed and terrible illustration on Sunday morning
last IN the cruel und coIdbooded murder Of Private
Peter Aberls OF Company u, battalion Of engineers,
al West Point. by his old ''cnum" and c0mrade
the same company, Michael Tobin. The story Of the
murder and Of its surrounding circumstances is
extraordinary one IN many respects. veteran sol.
dior OF aIy four deliberately shoots down his friend
ana messmate, prompted by jealousy and crazsa by
his attachment for whom he claims vile, but
whose lawful husband Is still living, who is a grand
mother, and who, moreover. according TO his own
story, made no pretcnco OF love Tor him. He
is satisfied that he has killed his rival who 10 re.
garied by his eilowsodiers as perfectly innocent,
ana calmly sums up his situation, as ho IL being
put in irons, these w0rds:-"l suppose i'll have
die tor him."
The STORY rHg MURDER.
Michael Tobin had lived ior years with q
widow, Eliza McGralh. at Highland Falls. N. r. which
is about Two miles IRON West Point He is second
class private detailed ~ . nfsE According TO his own
story ne married to the woman about three years
ago. in ST. Jossph's Church. this city, but
this 10 generally doubted by those ut West
Point who claim TO know the facts Al
all events they lived together Al Highland
Falls. whore they occupied half oil little cottage.
After the nightly tattoo Tobins duties at West Point
remained until It Was Time HE back to the bar
racks Tor tho mornings rcveiile The woman MRS
McGrath was also engaged during the Gay at West
Point performing thedutes sr iaundress and sculon
In the kitchen OF the company barracks She is Of
largo STATURE about hty Of age, weighs nearly
hundred pounds, has light irowsy hair, slightly
sprinkled with gray, and gray eyes. Her appearance
Is described as that OF the most common and slouchy
specimen OF womankind that ever inspired
soldier to lay down his lie for her.
According TO Sergeant Marquart of the
company. Tobin himself would often take
his chum Aberts. who sleeps In his grave his
house at Highland Falls there to beguie the lonely
evening hours with his ''we" and liberal bations OF
beer. Albcrts, who was also . second private, was
the cook OF tho company, and equally at leisure go
to Highland Falls in the evening after bis culinary
labor over. Whether justly unjustIy jealousy
began ranke the breast Of old Tobn few months
ago. when he accused his friend of having betrayed
his hospitality, and soon alter forbade him his
house altogether On Saturday night matters
10 climax, for Tobin maintained
that Alberts had that evening paid clan
destlne and criminal visit to his "wle" at
Highland Falls while Private John Martin and others
The company emphaticaly assert that Aiberts had
spent that entire evening under their eyes in his
squad and slept the sleep Of the just in his
"bunk." Tobn. with this fixed idea in his mind,
went Sunday last. prepared to carry out the
gunsry threats which he had openly been making Tor
weeks past, and soon alter six O'Clock 10 the
morning proceeded 70 the squad ROOM where Alberts
was Just dressing. Aberts was seated upon his bunk
when robin entered, pistol in his hand. Alberts had
Just pvt one sg INTO ms trousers ~nsn, ,S.
right eye and fred Two hours later Aberts expired
ToU Who M nsd wanted to FIRE assn a.,smsd
nor, 10 whom he simply said, " suppose I'll have 70
Colonel William N. whsrry, Assistant Adjutant
General Of the Department OF West Point. confirmed
BY Tobin as his wife, but IL was generally understood
that she was In reality the wife OF u de-
had left her and her chidrsn years ago. After Tobn
had nred he WAS seized by Corporal Ripley and some
n.t ns .
guArd-room' Tobin confined himself to ihe inquiry
whether Albsrts was really dead ana when informed
that such the case he quietly remarked that he
had expected 10 Kill him. Aberts never spoke aftor
shot, but remained entirely unconscious until
his death soon after. Drs. Irwin and Lippincots
United States Army made a post mortem examina-
lion Sunday afternoon and Dr. Lippncot extracted
the ball which was lodged In the membrane Of the
brain. Colonel Wherry SAID that both soldiers had
been regarded as inoIonsive, pescoful men, though
Tobn hsa acquired character OF treaohery among
some Of his comrades, anu was known have struck
Q fellow soldier from behind with heavy club while
they were out upon lonely road.
THE MURD8RER's srArEMgNT.
Tobin was visited In The guard room, and when
asked whether he desired TO make any statement In
but very ncohsrent account Of the affair He talked
very freely, and in detailing what he considered
the ndisputaUl0 evidences OF his paramours quit
he proved himself OF So foul mind to place him
almost beyond the palo OF human dccency Tobin, VINO
slight physique, about five teet eight inches
TALL with sallow sunksn cheeks forehead per-
ecty expressonlsss, watsry gray eyes, was evidently
laboring under great nervous sxctemsnt, which he
meanor OF equanImty. bench was brought In BY
the sersesnt on guard, and, leisurely placing his
length. He born in Dungarvan, Water.
ford county, Ireland, and came 10 this country
In ls46. He served In Scotps Mexican campaign and
after receiving his discharge he opened liquor sa-
oon first AT Santa F6, Texas then NJ 81 Louis, Mo-,
where he also played The vioiin dance houses, and
tueu no followed the yion," as he said, TO Lcivsn-
worth, Kan. From early youth he had great ncli-
nation for m music ana was self taught fiddler When
the rebellion broke he ensted the rhirtyhrst
Missouri Volunteers and served over three years In
the war. lie returned 10 hrs nddie In Leavenworth
alter this, but enlisted again in the regular army,
where he has now nearly completed his three terms,
or fifteen years. service.
TOBiNs "MARRrAGE."
Tobias "marrlage" AZ described by himself, is
worthy OF detailed record 81 suppose she 10 forty
the direct cause of this 0loodshed. al think
her husband wss sill living when married nor about
three years ago & she and no oivoros nor bad me-
| until yielded and married her Father Ely. tho
Catholic priest here, would not marry US
| on the ground tnat she still u married
woman For this reason l married her in
| New York, not under my own namc but In tho name
OF McGralh, the name oil her previous husband. HIS
name was Patrick hcGrath, aud married her under
he name Of n McGrath." (foDn related these iacts
In the innocent and unooncerned manner posi-.
Bile, as though nothing could nave Deon more lawful
aud propcr) 'She has six children by her first nus
band--two daughters, aged twenty-four aud twenty
three, the eidcr with two children anu the younger
with one; two sons OF twenty-one anu twenIy-two,
In Colorado whom she has lost SIGHT
| oil; third VINO is 6fer In the Sixth
infantry, OF Dakota, and fourth, boy OF fourteen,
VINO iIves with her now. Several months ago sus-
pecled u criminal intimacy between my vile and Al
! berts. Aloerts would pretend 10 nave come to my
house Al Highland Fails, Just TO keep her company
ana diink glass OF beer with her, while became
satisfied that the visits OF criminal character"
stances which MUD not In condition oil british
ignorance could have accepted as such. Little
oil what he said ON this point ID III
| for publication, and Of this htle the first
| point mentioned by him wa. that some months
ago. whom his wife had denied that Aibcrts had been
to see the previous evening" ho found somo pen
mics her bed He asked Alberts next morning II he
had lost some pennies aud Alberts became pale