The sun., 1880-12-05
GILLEN'S DEATHBED STORY.
THAT TIE sHor WHICH KILLED MARY
sJsERsON WAS MEANT FOR HIN.


ru.h, fre-. ts,s Syty-A Mysierieus shet
wouud-wh.t the II Teuns wennn's Friends
Soy OF 9rio.'s Anto-nsrtem statement
CEDAR KEYS, Fla, DeoA-AndrewJ !. .Gilien,
arrested hers yesterday. is dead. There 10 ne
douh ut all that he was the man who killed
Mary Sigerson. Town Of1cers Holzsndorf and
Davis recognized him BY the photograph
which the New York police sent to this place.
when they arrested him he Immediately shot
himself. the ball entering his left side. below
the heart. As he fred he exclaimed to the
oficer: " Yes. am your mani oh. Mary. Tor
give mel" -
The following 10 the statement made by him
under oath before Justice OF the Peace NC
Queen rs an ante ortem statement:
II became acquainted with Mary G. Sigerson
In the fall OF 1876. became engaged to her In
Tune. 1878. went TO see her the time she was
taken sick in October. 1880. / stayed there
until after o'clock. went and found my little
GIRLS mother Afterward was standing over
the chair occupied BY my little Mary, when her
brother became onraged from my conduct.
took no notice OF this. and the mother COM
menced to brush up the room. then called for
aelsss OF water. Mary went to get It for me
in an adjoining room. l arose and followed
her in a few moments. and stayed In the room
and her mother came to the door and spoke to
Mary; 1t is too warm As soon as drank q
portion OF the water she Mary went out OF the
room and followed. then threw my arm
around her neck. and she put her right arm
around my waist. Then exhibited new pis-
tol. pointed 1t Mt my own heart to mako her
believe that would take my own life. She
nestled up to me. and i. as well as | could.
nsfs I sSe hea my
became frightened at the deed. rushed
down stairs. and on the way down met Mrs.
phYsician, but / soon took another notion. /
then ran down to 25 Lewis street. became aware
ksw YonH eu' saSs nahs .0d the a
and the second night accompanied by rela-
and and stayed in Brookiyn on the third night" y
The ststeWent n was taken In the presence OF
Gillen when arrested had on two pairs Of
trousers. Those worn outside were doeekin or
some dark -colored materials the under pair
parently a burned hole, and the other at the
nation of.Gillens s'person by DR.. Ovens who at:
tended him. disclosed wounds made by asecond
nSron % Ss rTbt tb9b 6Se
the left leg just above the ankle. where ii re-
mains. Gillen refused to make explanation
OF these wounds. telling DR.. Owens that he
would rather tell him than any one except
here 10 less than twenty four hours when in
Gsn Rat the be
were those he wore when the deed was perpe-
trated., As long as he was conscious he per-
sistently declared til at he wanted to die saying
several timer: " have nothing to live for. /
shot her by accident. intending the bullet for
myself. and that she should witness my death.
and would rather meet her in heaven than
live without her"
wound: might go back to New York and be
acquitted. but do not wish to live after my little
Gillen Was taken to the Gulf House. and
everything possible was done to save his life.
He was conscious during this forenoon. and
made the responses inteigently to the Roman
Catholic service. which. ut his renrest WAS
read TO him. He requested that Eugene Glilsn
of 81 Fulton street. New York, bs comm nicated
with He died at about half past 2 this alter
noon. GEoRaH II. RICHARDS
Mr.. Richards is the Mayor OF Cedar Keys. a
town in Levy County on the Gulf OF Mexico
about l20 miles southwe OF Fernandina. 1t is
the terminus OF the Fernandina and Cedar Keys
Mary sigersoa was shot about s o'clock on
who was the only witness Of the tragedy told
the story Immediately aiterward in the follow
My daughter met Gillen merely ns friend
She regarded his visit TO the nouss that day as
purely social Ia %, one. st she came & back N into tn:
As was preparing the supper heard her say
Make this man take his hand of of me- l
around her neck. With his right hand. as he
stood facing her. hs beld pistol to her right
was to
never never ,H spoEe sgain he'd hold of Gions WRIT
Gillen who was about 25 years OF age. had
watched d; the a sG2H % o. the house at Sc Lewis
fatal visit from the window OF a saloon across
the street. but on the same block. He had been
siGerson. The latter is Assistant Corporation
Attorney. and tho former was at one time a
mued to the bar. but until a short time before
:sas salary Of % week. He was made member q
es"dda.: tSr the The Assembly SGf through ss1 sns
sell in the field but failed to get even ON one Vote vote
In the nominating convention. He had quar-;
T ps m +: had
nothing to do but to return to his law clerk
Th aid o Rs fsasy sssisons nad ThSH as
Ell laughing stock in the ewes
Of Mary siRsrson. whom he undoubtedly loved
Her family say that there never was an engage
than he. and both she and her brothers dis
souraged his ylsite. His persistency led to an
Hhnsrg feeling between , him and her or9theFs
evening before the murder ne said in billiard
tsa. 9 hs next nsn he would
searching for him after he had hed
and yesterday belure the news OF his death ar
!ievs that he had shot himself dangerously.
Their friends and neghbors saw in the ante
mortem statement only a preparation for a de-
fence II he should be placed on trial 1t is
positively denied that Gillen was in any way
shooting. In tho manner indicated in HIS ante
mortem statement. She had for soms time
been treating him coolly. or at most In a friend
manner and had never assumed toward aim
the bshavior Of a lover. She had positively re-
fused to see him several times though on the
day OF ths murder she had consented at his
written entreaty. that he should see her while
her mother was at homo.
What led 9illen TO watch the house so per-
sistently for days before the shooting has never
been explained. 1t 10 attributed by some to the
Itatng. Others suppose he WAS merely watch
Ing to see his victim come out alone in order to
follow her;