The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-03-15
BOTH DIE INSTANTLY.
High Social Standing of the
Victims Families.
EYE-WITNEsSEs' STATEMENTS.

O'Clock the afternoon be walked from his house TO
hers. distance OF about iurong met her at her
door, shot her through the glass pane OF that
door, turned and walked deliberately home, drank a
glass OF water shot himself through the heart in
the presence OF his mother. Both the murderer and
his victim aied without word. leaving DO clew TO
any for the act excepting the generally received
opinion that he was temporarily insane.
Tho two were connected, but not closely, by mar.
riage Mrs. Leggett was the daughter Of George p.
Pollen. who many years ago founded the Brooklyn
White Lead Company, and aiterward founded the
Hrm OF soap manufacturers which Is now
styled Colgate Il Co. In the course OF a
long business he accumulated largo for.
tune, which is stated TO have been $1,000, 000
On his death this fortune descended TO his two daugh
iers, Mrs Leggett and Mrs. Leopold Schmidt, OF this
city. Mrs. Leggett something 6fty years Of
ago and said to have been inc looking matron
VINO presided elegant country home with dig.
nifty and grace. Her three unmarried daughters aud
her younger son live at home with her and her eldest
son u paying teller the Germ
lean Bank. This brother-n-aw OF his mothers
peighbor Judge Burwell. formerly OF Buffalo who has
practlsed Law IN New York city for the past twenty
years
THE I.EGGErr FAMILY.
The history OF the Legget family embraces another
mystery hardly less remarkable than this later one,
me father, Mr.. Samuel Lcggett, having becu found
dead near tho banks OF the Bronx River somc half
dozen years ago with terrible bullet wound in his
head which must have been instantly fatal
He had been seriously embarrassed in business TOR
some time and It was supposed on that account that
be had committed suicide but it was never known
NJ been murdered. A curious coincidence is mon
oned in the fact that in his the bullet that
ls death out Of his lett eye, while that which
yesterday Killed his wife tered her left eye.
Mr.. Theron Merritt and has brother married two
Of Judge bu d while Young Mr. hesgess
farmer. owning place OF about a hundred and fifty
acres and living with several Of his children aud
grandchildren IN The old homestead which, AS stated,
II tho Lsggetr mansion while the residence Of
Judge Burweli is only a short distance away
MURDERER SUICIDE
Theron Merritt was married just before the war,
his three children and his vile living with
him in tho Merritt homestead. He served as pay
master the steamship Kansas In the United States
Navy during the entire war with the Southern
6tates, and at tho close OF The war received
money aid the credit which his father gave him TO
aid in the enterprise, be embarked In the hardware
oratey successful but aftcrward he unioriun nate
and the business proved a failure A severe attack
OF typhoid lever at tho time is said to have been
partly OF the failure by disabling HIM from
attending to business Returning TO New York he en-
barked in several enterprises one alter the other
but was successful in none OF them. He travelled In
the South about two years ago, and while Virginia
FRUSTRATED by sunstroke, nearly losing his life
Since time he has, said never been the same
In Ihe famous Aorrstt estate litigation. HIS ili@
luck in business and the breaking down of
bis health pIeyed upon his mind that
he became despondent and has several times
threatened TO kin himself, saying that he was
tired oil life Ho has also been noticed TO be strange
Ia his manner at different times but thought OF his
Insanity awakened until the time OF the tragedy
yesterday. So far from being suspected OF any
dency to violence he was known among his neIgnbors
us gentleman oil polished manners and unus uaily
kindly feelings. His vito says that never IN all their
married lie have they had a disagreement or
diiIculty Of any kind, and all his relatives and those
OF Mrs. Leggeu declare tnat the rotations between
two Of the pleasantest nature. The inmates
and between none Of them did there seem 10 be moro
sincere liking than between Ars Leggett and himself
THE SHOOTING.
Mrs. Leggeit and her two daughters, Linda and Mary
E., were Intending 10 60 10 sewing society meeting
yesterday afternoon, and the coacbman, Hamilton.
ordered 70 drive around 10 the door soon
he could after dinner. He did about throe
walk up the curved carriage drive on Tho front
lawn and mount the steps TO the piazza
Here Hamilton says:-"l saw Mrs. Leggett and MISS
Linda and Miss Minnie Mary meet min, and there
seemed 10 be some trouble between them. Then l
saw them right at the front door and he seemed be
trying TO get In, while they seemed 10 be trying to
keep him out He not using any iorco or vio-
lence So although my first thought 60 up and
Sn, d MN WIN sne noayy psr' e. my whP aid
would BIO angry. SO 1 sat still and presently he
walked down past me and SAID, you'd better put up
your horses, Mn Leggett won't RIDE out to-day" l
old him would when Mrs. Leggctt told mo to-
Pretty soon be walked back ana went inside
bind him, and presently / heard pistol
shot. l didn't know what II meant and / sat
still Pretty soon he came out again and said TO me-
you had better 20 for a doctor quick you cam
thought then I'd get my old rifle and put bullet
through him Dut then thought that didn't Know
anything about II, and some OF them might DO hurt
iDside, so drove Tor DIR. Nordqvist az fast as l
soula.
MISS LEGGETr's STATEMENT
From the statement of Miss Linda Leggelt It ap-
pears that when Merritt first came up the steps her
mother went to meet him, but almost Immediately
shoot her. He came up immediately alter her and
Bne MISS Linda) told the younger sister TO
10 take hun away. She D does no. ssen ' 10 have
thought Of calling on Hamilton for help, and he
was the. only man around the house at tho
lime MISS Mary Leggett buried away, aud
Miss Linda tried TO hinder Merritt from going
lfter her mother, VINO had gone into the
hall She also tred to persuade him go away, but
be persisted in trying enter Tho two adies how
ever, entered the house and closed the inner door,
which is double door with large ground glass PAN
els Tncy could see dimlY through this ground glass
that Merritt camo into tho vesiibule and closed
outer door, and then a single shot hrcd through
YOUR MOTHER Is DEAD
The murderer then walked cooliy away, speaking TO
the coachman as was SAID and walked toward his
house. On the way he either met or overlook
Miss Mary and she says, spoke TO her, saving
''What Is the mattery What are you In such
furry uboutS Do not DO alarmed. Your mother Is
dead l shot herr
She hurried past him, too much overcome
end that his words were true, although no
could not have known that 1t was, because the door
have seen through the shattered glass That she had
iallen, he could only have judged OF her death.
THE SECOND
Alter passing Miss Mary Leggett be entered his own
home and went through TO the Kitchen, In the rear
His mother was in the house and followed him
through tho hall She spoke to HIM, but he made
reply, aud after taxing "A drink OF water he walked
inio the parlor. She noticed that his manner was
strange ana still followed him. but entered The
room she heard pistol shot and saw him TALL dead.
AS possible after The news had spread
Coroner chlrmer Of White Plans drove to tho spot
and, hastily cmpapelling jury began an investga-
ton. The wound IN Mrs Lcsgetts case was In the lett
eye, and Merrtts was In the neighborhood OF
toe heart, about inch and halt above the medan
line Testimony was takcn from the lew Witnesses
10 the affair, and verdct was speedily rendered In
each case The jury found that Mrs. Leggeu came TO
her death from wound caused by pistol shot fired
by Theron Merritt, and that Merritt came 10 his
death from wound caused by pistol shot fred by
himself whio laborlng under temporary alteration
OF mind.
The pistol from which the two fatal shots were
fired was found on the floor the dead man aud
box oil cartridges was found in his pocket The pistol
xuae etx.h lad ROY 0ve barr ve