The New York herald., 1878-11-16
SHOCKING TRAGEDY.
An Infuriated Mans Attempt tx
Brain His Wife.
SUICIDE OF THE WOuLD-BE MURDERER
Another Chapter in the Records of Tene-
rvent House Crime.

The records Of tenement house crime were aug
mentel yesterday by bloody tragedy at No. 405
West Fifty fourth street. in which man. sixty five
years Of age, almost succeeds in numbering
of fortyhvo years. ana then cuts his throat from
to ear. The parties in the affair Lawrence
Reilly and Catherine Reilly. and wife. For
some years past Mrs. Reilly has been the
housekeeper or janitress of the above prem
ises and lived with her husband aud two
sons III two rooms on the first hoor
of the building. Most OF the tenants of the house
say that they quiet orderly people in every
spect; but some found who limited darkly at
casional Yuarrtls and jealous chickering's. None Of
them. however, il would appear prepared for
the tragedy of yesterday.
Reilly had been out during most of the forenoon,
and returned. 1t is sad about eleven O'Clock. lie had
not boon at work for number Of months and his
movements, being somewhat irregular. were
not particularly noticed by the tenants in the sdjoin
ing rooms. What passed between the man and his
wife when he irst entered will probably never be
known. Enough. however gradually learned
from the after the tragedy to show that Reilly
must have been aboring under the most intense
citement at the moment Of entering his apartments,
and that the excitenIent increased the moments
wore by. and finally eliminated in his ferocous Mt
tack upon his wife and subsequent butchery of him,
self
MuRpERoUs rHuLAr TyLFILIED.
1t about half-past eleven, it is said. when Reilly
told his wife that he thought he would shave himself
and asked her to bring him some hot water for that
purpose. She ironing at the time and paid
immediate attention to his request 1t was repeated
with emphasis, but received reply, nor was the
water brought. third time the water called for
with the result. and then the enragcd man
became furious Turning to his wife he said "By
God. will kill you if you do not bring the water
The frightened woman stood still and tremblcd for
moment, and then started for the stove presumably
to get the water. Reilly however sprang forward in
from. OF her, and STOPPING down behind the
stove grasped hatchet lying in the coal box. Then
he turned and bought it down with crushing
effect on the woman's head. Staggering back she
sought TO escape but he caught her by the shoulder
and pulling her toward him, struck her again and
again with the hammer end OF the hatchet. Her hair
was coiled upon her head and served somewhat to
shield hcr from the effect OF the blows At any rate
she was not so badly hurt as to prevent her from
making another effort TO escape, aud reaching
the back yard. But the nfuriated man sprang after
her, and, catching her about the body, pushed her
the table and struck her number OF lnes with
the edge of the hatchct. The blood poured from her
wounds dying the white table SRvering. the carpet
and the wall with deep crimson and the blows
repeated until she lost all consciousness and sank
upon the door. Then it would seem, the first idea
OF what he had done occurred to Reilly, and he de-
termined to complete the tragedy by taking Lis
lite.
SUICIDE or THE ASSASSIN.
Going the mantel piece behind the stove he took
which had been recently sharpencd. and.
crossing over to where the body OF his wife was
lying, apparently dead, drew the blade across his
throat This. it is thought. must have been the spot
where he first cut his throat, for track OF blood ex
tends from the table 70 the bed ia tho
adjoining room where he found. After
eating himself the first time ho turned
and crossing the room passed into the one used by
his two soma as a bedroom and threw himself on the
bed With his remaining strength he again drew tho
keen across his thoat scverng 1t from to ear
SEEKING ESCAPE.
Mrs. Reilly not entirely unconscious for more
than minute, and with the first returning reason
sought to escape from the room. Dragging herself
to the doorway she, with great difficulty, reached
the knob, and opening the door fell out
ward into the halfway Blinded with the blood which
flowed from her head, and, weak Us she she yet
crawled through the hall ~ this door OF tenant
the same hoor. The door open, and lying
the threshold she groaned with pain The inmates
of the Mortified at the sight and sprang to
her assistance Raising ler to chair they piled her
with questions as to how she had been hurt. she
could not speak at first, but after awhile muaned
OUT
'.oh he win kill mel He win kill me and you
tool
"Reiily--hc will kill me; he has killed me-" she
again moaned out.
The thoroughly frightened woman in whose room
she had sought protection hastered 10 lock the door
leading the hall and sent OF her little boys for
policeman. The latter arrived and, seeing tho
condition of Mrs. Reilly, who had again reapsed into
Inconsistencies he sent for aid to Roosevelt Hospi
tall The ambulance arrived and also some policemen
from the Twenty y-second precinct
APARTNKNTs.
The rooms were in the rear OF the building, on the
first floor. One of them overlooked the yard and lad
doorway opening into the public hall of the house.
The other q dark room, with q window opening
also into the hall The following diagram win show
Fifty fourth Street.