The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1879-11-27
Why Andrew Tracy ASsassinated His
Cousin Mary Reilly.
POHTRAIT WORSHIP.
Accomplishments and Eccentncities of the
Young Briefless Lawyer
EFFO RTS TO SAVE HIM.

the hills of Northwestern Pennsylvania, young
man named Andrew Tracy is to die on the gallows.
for what at first sight appears to be most or
binary yet heartless murder The "story of the
crime can be disposed of in few lines On a dark
night young lawyer followed his cousin, a girl whom
he professed to love, but prohibited by the
articles of their common church from marrying,
and shot her dead in the street. He then went to
his mothers house. and taking loaf of bread and
blanket. fled to the woods. He was captured TWO
days afterward in of the border counties OF New
York State and returned, without requsition' 10
his home stand trial for murder NO case couia
be more simple. The killing being publicly adj
mitted by the prisoner apparently shut out all
sympathy from him. Conviction. after oriei
trial. followed Us matter OF course
Soon afterward, however. letters praying that the
sentence OF death be committed TO imprisonment
for life were forwarded to the Board OF Pardons by
Judge W. A. Williams. the magistrate who heard the
rase and pronounced the sentence of dearh: Senator
John g. Hail. A. d. Gillespie and S. L. Mason. all
prominent lawyers OF the State. in whose
several offices Tracy. the prisoner. had studied.
and finally from the prosecuting attor-
ney who had procured the conviction All
of these letters united in declaring the convicted
unfit subject for the gallows. Although, as
Judge Williams declared. 'under the strict rule of
the law his mind may not have been SO deranged as
to constitute justification under the plea of in
sanity" many curious facts had been adduced
during the trial tending cast doubt upon his men
tai soundness that the ends of justice would, in the
opinion of the petitioners. be best subserved by per-
hitting the convicted murderer to end his days in
prison.
ANXIETY TO SAVE TRACY.
To these letter. followed five petitions of
which, started by Judge Williams and his associates
Judges +. n. Durham and W. s. Brownell obtained
the signature of every OF property influence
in Mexican and the neighborrg counties. Lawyers.
DOCTORS merchants. clergymen. county officers and
politicians joined in the prayer for mercy. Twelve
other letters and twentyone adavits from oil parts
of the country showered upon the table of the
Board. This august body, intrusted through
blunder in the state constitution with judi
cial powers which it was never intended they
should possess. passed upon the and declined to
interfere. Their fat that the self-confessed
murderer must hang. And why their decision
prompt and their minds so little influenced by
the judgment of some of the most sensible men of
framing question to the statement made by the
prisoner at the preliminary inquiry
.'Why did you commit this awful crime, Andrew
Tacy?"
II do not know"
Nor did the members of the Board know any bet
Ter than he. The law did not require them to think,
10 they dismissed the prayer.
1t is not by any means easy self-satsfactory
task to attempt an analysis OF the motives to hui
man scton when we have to reach conclusions by
reasoning from events which. even though undis-
puted. inexpiicable. Let US. therefore, 90 to
smcthport and study the habits OF this young
student and briehess barrster who suddenly breaks
away from all moral restraint ana from the obscu-
riiy OF a country law office energies the villain in
CHASTITY tragedy. To find motive which it is our
province to do when the fact of the killing is estab-
ished, study from the lite. 1t about four
teen hours hard riding ON dare not say how many
different railroads. to reach Smethport from Phila
Gephia, but must 20 there The must be
confronted with the crime
VILLAGE AND ITS PEOPLE.
Smethport is small town. but respectable
1t is the capital of Mexican county. in this
State and the legal business of the thriving oil city
Of Bradford keeps in motion its wheels of justice.
The mushroom city has far outstripped in size the
village of century's growth. but the latter does
ton OF the nascent city. Smethport has
only four long streets. blu. it boasts one
and of the most secure jais. Smethport is
reached by railroad. and lies fronting creek on
the south side of hil with mountains beyond. 1t
is long, narrow town-say mile long and four
streets wide-with the railroad depot at end and
The jail at the other of the finest III the State.
The Tracy farm lies about mile east of the depot.
across Potato Creek, which Joins Mervin Creek. on
tour churches. high school and two newspapers.
Its people have grown up together, and know
each other. Unlike Bradford, which has gathered
its population from abroad. Smethport has expert
enced only the slow but increase resulting from
this of 900 inhabitants were four families of
almost equal prominence aud certainly Of equal re-
iermarriagos had been so frequent between
them that II was often difhcnit matter
To draw the lines between COnBangu1uty
and affinity: The Reinys. the Tracys the
McCabes and the Mullens were identified with all
successful enterprises in the village. They were all
devoted to their Church duties. and. without in the
least being dogmatc, were warm aud ardent sup
portcrs OF the Catholic faith. Among a strongly
Protestant population. they commanded universal
esteem and displayed mutual good fellowship.
Andrew Reilly. the head Of the family OF that
canvass never sacrificed the respect of his
political opponents. Money, which in so small o
community carries with IL much OF social standing,
the Reys aud Tracys had. The McCabes and Null
lens. without descending to the level of poor reia
uons were ia mucn less comfortable circumstances
TRACYs
The Tracy family (for narrative principally
concerns them) consisted OF four brothers and "a
sister. who we're the support OF their mother Old
Mr. Tracy, whom everybody well remembered and
spoke OF kindly was strong-minded man whose
influence and advice were recognized and sought by
the Irish people IN his and neighboring counties.
lie gave his three eldest sons good oducations,
I'll having been intended for the priesthood.
ministry but Andrew the third son. declared his
intention OF entering the legal profession soon as
his studies at Allegheny College were ended. Tho
other children OF Mr. Tracy quito young at the
time of his death. They have received only n good
sonfmon school education Tbe ,rraevs dwell on a
farm about two miles from the centre of the town.
The road from their home led past the small railway
station and. crossing considerable stream called
Potato Greek, entered the town by the main street.
THE riusoNER's HISTORY.
Here Andrew Tracy born in 1850 and passcd
his boyhood until the ago OF twelve. Even thus
carly his peculiarly reserved and thou lul manner
was observed ana commented upon. lie never
school which he attended was known as tho most
laborious scholar. lilo left home at twelve and went
10 Allegheny Divinity School, well known Catholic
Institution of learning in Cataraugus county N. "
where his eldest brother acting professor lie
also during his absence from home spent some
time at school i'm Buffalo. Having abandoned the
wish OF his parents that hc should enter the priest
hood. no returned to Srnethport. and after a brief
visit to his home went 10 Conneautville, Crawford
county. in 1869, and entered the law Office of b. J.
Thomas. For years he applied himself with
great assiduity to his books. not cultivatng any
acquaintanccs. but apparently making few enc
mics. An affidavit signed by four OF tho
leading citizens Of the village, sent to the Board of
pafdons recently cast light on tho young man
during that time. Prom our observation OF his &C.
centrcities and strang eness OF manner" says tho
affidavit, from 1869 to 1871 all firmly con-