The New York herald., 1879-09-04
A JAIL BIRDS END.
NUMBERING HIS WIFE AND DROWNING HIM
SELF IN A CANAL-Two TERRIBLE CRIMES
AT CHAMBERsBURo NJ J.

NUMBERING HIS WIFE AND DROWNING HIM
SELF IN A CANAL-Two TERRIBLE CRIMES
AT cHAMBEnsBURa, N J.
TRENTON, N. j., Sept. 3, 1879.
A terrible double tragedy enacted this morn
ing in q suburb OF this city. known as Chambers s.
burg. The scene was in two story frame house on
Cass street. within short distance of the Delaware
and Raritan Canal. The victims were a
Bohemian ragpicker and his wife. named
John and Rosa Thoman. aged respectively
fifty and fortyeight years. the parents of six grown
up children. Thoman, while four of the children
were ut work and two at school. took advantage of
their absence and choked and kicked his wife to
doath then dragged her remains to tho cellar under
meath tho house, covered them with old sacks. rags
and blocks of wood. left them there and fed to tho
canal, into which he plunged and drowned himself.
uSAvAILISG SCREAMS.
At the time OF the commission OF the murder
there was not o soul beneath the roof except the
murdered woman and her slayer. While he
perpetrating tho bloody decd she screamed loudly
two three times. but it was III her death agony.
us trc neghbors who heard her came to the house
when it was too late render her any assistance.
Tho murderer and suicide by that time had fled
toward tho canal While running he met one of
his sons. u chubby little fellow named God
frey, who had come homo in consequence of not
having found work for the day, aud taking him by
the hand ho compelled HIM to go along. On tho
towpaih he shook the boys hand, kissed him and
bid him farewell. and then made his deathly plunge.
Some people said that he was in the water fifteen
minutes before he sank to rise moro alive, and
they thought that he only there to bathe He
would 10 under and then como up again. leaving an
impression that no was celebrating whether or not
to drown himself. There was no effort made to
rescue him.
Tho body of tho woman was taken up stairs and
the iop OF her head. her face was discoiorod and
d. CD hngor marks were on her throat Parts OF her
body were bruised as II from kicking, and her hand
WAS laceratcd IL by teeth marks. 1t laid out
in the front room OF the house. and after tho
body OF her husband was placed beside it, both to
Princeton. They presented CHASTITY and horrible
spectacle. especially that of Thoman whose face
showed signs OF deep agony and was Of brutal
appearance
Thoman discharged from tho State Prison on
tho nth of last August after serving term of thrco
wears for having committed atrocious assault
and battery his wife. whom he has just muir
dered. Returning to the house she refused to let
him in but he cried aud implored her to give him
shelter, promising to behave better in the future.
His entreatics prevailed, and he was adj
mitted. she bought him clothes and other
wise provided tor him, aixi he showed
some signs of reformation. He abstaincd
from drink and did very well for tine But. ncv-
crhccs ho heard to utter threats of taking her
life, fact which has now been fully estab-
lished. She was reputod to be AN honest, hard
working woman and lac depravcd wretch. Their
children very industrious, two being work in
tho potteries aud two in koeblings wire mil. tho
two younger going to school. Tho eldest is twenty.
two years OF age "A he heard of the tragedy
lac tainted from excessive agitation.
All the forenoon tho house was surrounded by
crowds of people, most OF whom eager to Wow
the remains OF the dead couple. AT several
women and the OF tho deceased were disc cussins
tho propriety OF putting tho murderer and suicide
into hole without decent burial, and but for tho
authorities this would have been done. Tho Coro-
ncr's officers have charge Of the bodies and in
quest will be held tomorrow.
JEALOUSY THE MOTIVE.
The motiye winch Ihoman had for killing his
wife seems to have been jealousy, which he had
nurscd ior long time When leaving the prison
he told the hall keeper that his wifos children were
not his, and he would kill her when lac got out.
Another report says that he wanted her To- DIVIDE hor
property with ham aud she roiusod, which holpod ~
kindle his anger.