The daily gazette., 1883-08-08
AN AWFUL TRAGEDY.
A HUSBAND SHOT inv BED BY
HIS WIFE.
A CRAZY WoMAN's FEARFUL. DEED
Rendered wild BY Pain and Suffering,
She shoots Her Husband While He
Peacefully sleeps Beside Her In Bed.

BALTIMORE, Aug. 7.--snsa Representative
of one of the most arist0eratic families Ii
the United States, and member of tn,
family of General Washington, was sho
and killed early this morning by his wife
| whose birth is equal to that of the slail
mans. The tragedy occurred about two
| miles from Reistertown, Baltimore county
| Lewis Lawrence Conrad, well-known Bal
| timore lawyer, was the victim, and the un
happy woman is his wife, Minnie Worthing
ton Conrad. The husband and wife had
been living for some time at Montmorency
the estate of Mrs. Martha G. Worthington
Mrs. Worthington, who is the mother oi
Mrs. Conrad, was awakened about O'Clock
by her daughter, who ran into her room
crying:
"Mother have killed my husband. Oh,
my Godi have killed him"
Mrs. WorthiDgton sprang to her feet, land,
rushing to her daughter, discovered that she
had in her hand small revolver. Mrs. Worth
ington's shrieks brought her son John Tolly
worthington to the scene, and together they
hurried to Mr.. Conrad's room. They found
that gentleman lying upon the bed, his head
In pool of blood and a large wound In the
left side OF his head, from which the blood
was slowly oozing.
AN INSTANTANEOUS DEATH.
A messenger was at once dispatched for
DIR. j H. Dickson, at Reisterstown, who ar
rived at the house shortly after. The doctor
saw at once that life was extinct, and upon
examination found that death had been in
stan'aneous. The ball had entered the left
side of the head, about an inch and half
above the ear, and had penetrated to the
centre of the brain.
The news of the terrible occurrence spread
tsaTN r.ta
and acquaintances had called to ascertain
the truth OF the report and condole with the
family. Mrs. Conrad had In the meantime
been removed to another room ia a violent
state of Mysteries. She was perfectly rational,
however, and gave a lucid and clear state
me t as far as her excited condition would
permit, going to show that the shooting may
have been accidental.
RESOLVED UPON SUICIDE.
The lady has been suffering since last Jan
uary with an acute neuralgia OF the stomach
and bowels, which at stated periods seemed
almost to derange her mind. She stated to
the doctors that last night her suffering was
so great that she hAd resolved upon suicide
as the only method of relief, aud to that end
had taken to bed with her a small revolver,
and secreted the weapon beneath her pillow.
Between II and O'Clock she said her suf-
ferings became unbearable, and she seized
the pistol, resolved to end her life. In turn
ing it around, however, the weapon exploded
and killed her husband. She does not re-
whether her husband awoke or not,
but from the position OF the body 1t is
thought that Mr.. Conrad was awakened by
his wiie's movements and raised up and en-
couraged her to remain quiet.
ACQUITTED BY JURY.
The admonition coming suddenly upon
her, it is thought, startled the lady, and in
her excited and nervous condition the
weapon exploded. A Coroner's jury re
turned a verdict that the death was from ac-
cident.
This verdict, however, is not in accord
with the views of many people in the neigh
who believe that Mrs. Conrad, In
/ moment of temporary insanity, pointed
The pistol at her husbands head and fired
There is a streak of insanity running
through b ith branches of the family, John
Folly Johns, one cousin, having committed
suicide two y, ars ago, and Ned Hanson,
another cousin having murdered Mr.. Charles
White in fit of insanity few months ago
Mrs. Conrad was once handsome woman,
but is now emaciated by continued sick
ness.
MEMBER OF THE WASHINGTON FAMILY.
Mr.. Conrad was born on the Sd day of
July, 1889, in the State of Mississippi. He
entered the Confederate army at the break
ing out of the war, and was for some time
captain on General Buckner's staff. His
father was Charles NJ. Conrad, at one Secre-
tary of War under President Fillmore. Mr..
grandfather was nephew of
General Washington, and his grandmother
was Nelly Custis, daughter of Mrs. Wash
ington.
Mr.. onrad owned large estates In New
Miss Worthington about 13 years ago. The
issue of the union is one child, boy about
II years old. Their domestic life has always
heretofore, been happy one. The Worth
ington family is one of the most pominent
in the country.