Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1880-10-18

A1nO6L Oc8t1tute.
Goaded to distraction by what he called a
pain In the head, James Lowrie, in the flower
of manhood, sent a bullet crashing through his
brain, and his spirit was ushered into eternity.
With diabolical ingenuity he sought to COM
plete the bloody deed by numbering his wife.
His grim intention in this respect was not con-
summated, and the woman survives to recount
the details OF a most appalling life and death
struggle. The tragedy transpired about mid
night Saturday night, and. with characteristic
enterprise, an exclusive account of the shock
ing affair appeared in Yesterdays issue of the
GLOBE.
Owing to the lateness of the hour, and the
distance separating the scene of the tragedy
from the central portion of the city, details of
the shooting were necessarily omitted, but full
particulars are hereinwith given as gathered
by reporters for the GLOBE.
For q man to make pistol the
grim arbiter OF his fate, in these times of in
tellectual doubt and scepticism, is not SO
startling, and affairs of his kind have long
since ceased from being the provertial nine
days wonder. But when a husband
and father deliberately takes his own
life and cruelty. attempts the life
of his wife, an inquiring public will demand
some other motive than mere pain in the
head. In the absence of the principal witness
and the natural timidity of Mrs. Lowrie, now
lying in precarious condition, the dear people
will probably never know the real motive that
actuated the dead. In the eternal fitness of
things, it is perhaps as we'll that the common
ear should not be the receptacle of this mans
secret, if he had one.
According to the best information the deed
was actuated by combination of adverse cir
cumstances, the main facts being ill health
and poverty.
SCENE OF THE TRAGEDx.
The crime was committed in the second story
of the frame house situated near the corner of
Ravine street and Maple avenue on Dayton's
bluff. The family, consisting of Mr.. and Mrs.
Lowrie and three children, aged respectively
nine and five years. and an infant nine months
old, retired about 10 o'clock in the evening.
After retiring Lowry complained to his wife
of pain in his head, but as he had spoken be-
fore of the same malady, but thinking that it
would wear off after sleep, 1t geve her no par
ticular concern. His strange conduct subse-
quently, excited her apprehension, particular
ly as he had acted strangely few nights be-
fore, when he rose in his night. clothes and
ran out doors.
About IL o'clock his wife was aroused by his
restless conduct, and his mutteriugs about the
pain in bis head. She tried to console him.
o'clock he assumed an upright position in the
bed, and with the remark that he could not
stand it any longer, he jumped to the floor.
DESPERATE STRUGGLE.
Quick as thought he reached for his coat
hanging on the bed post, and realizing that
something unusual was the matter, Mrs. Low
ry sprang to the floor aud seized bis arm.
Meantime he had taken revolver from the coat
pocket, and seeing which Mrs. Lowrie made an
unsuccessful attempt to take it away. The
struggle which ensued was frightful in the ex-
treme.
A CLOSE GALL.
Mrs. Lowrie vainly tried get the weapon. but
was overcome by his superior strength. Dur
ing the struggle the weapon discharged, the
ball entering about one inch above the right
eye of Mrs. Lowrie.
The report was followed by frantic scream
and moment afterwards Mrs. LoWrie was
shot in the right temple.
THE DEADLY BULLET.
Without even knowing that she had been
shot, Mrs. Lowrie rushed to the landing, calling
for help, the owner of the building, Mr.. Foley,
occupying the lower floor of the house. and
simultaneous with this Lowrie made his way
into an adjoining room, where he placed the
muzzle of the revolver to the back of his head
and pulled the trigger, the ball entering the
head over the right ear, and penetrating the
brain. Death was almost instantaneous.
Mr.. Foley aroused by the outc:y came up stairs
and without ascertaing the extent of the trag-
edy he ran for officer. Officer Lynch was
informed of what had taken place and DR..
Mcdonald was summoned, but as Lowrie was
dead he devoted his services to Mrs. Lowrie.
The revolver was a seven shooter, "a calibre,
and of the regulation size.
The deceased was thirty five years of sge, q
norp tor hv fraAa and a family in
circumstances. Three shots must have been
fired, as four of the shots remained intact.
As to the shooting of Mrs. Lowrie, she
claims that her husband had no intention OF
shooting her, but that the pistol was accident
ally discharged during the struggle. More
definite information on this point will nc
doubt be obtained at the coroner's inquest.
THE w1rE's STORY.
GLOBE reporter visited the scene of the
tragedy shortly after noon yesterday, in com.
pany with Coroner Davenport and Sergeant
Walsh of the police force. The house is 10.
Gated in a grove of timber near the corner of
Maple avenue and Ravine street, little to the
right of Third street extended. It is plain
two-story frame dwelling. The lower floor i.
occupied by the owner, Mr.. John Foley. who
is the warehouseman of the st. Paul, Mime
apolis & Manitoba road. The upper rooms,
four in number, were occupied by Lowrie and
his family. Upon arriving at the dwelling,
the coroner, Sergeant Walsh and the GLOBE
representative we're shown up stairs, where
Mrs. Lowrie was found lying upon a bed, with
her head bandaged and attended to by several
kind-hear ted ladies. She was perfectly CON
scious and readily and copnectedIy told her
story to the coroner, which is about as follows
For some time past she had noticed that her
husband was more or less out of his head. He
complained of a pain in his head and would
frequently get up in the night and 60 out doors
in his night clothes to chase away imaginary
enemies. He seemed to be possessed with an
idea that the police and the entire city were
determined to murder him On Saturday
evening he came home as usual, and they re.
tired at the regular hour. Between IL and II
o'clock he woke up and said ''be could not
stand it any longer" He knew the house wat
surrounded by men determined to murder him
In order to pacify himl Mrs. Lowrie said: "Ii
you mean to kill yourself, let us all go 20.
gether; kill me and the children ALSO" He re.
piled that he was the only sacrifice needed, and
he at once went to where he had laid his coat
and drew out a revolver. Seeing this, Mrs.
Lowrie sprang from the bed and endeavored to
get the revolver out of his hands. A struggle