New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-07-03
TRAGEDY AT THROG'S NECK:
SHOOTING HIS SISTER AND HIMSELF
,,,,,,,n 'syAMAN's HEARTRENDING ACT IN A
MOMENT OF INSANITY.

Mound floor were gathered round the dinner W.
and Mrs Seaman. William Ferris brother oi MIS- 30"
on. Dr Seaman and his brother LAndley sons OF inc
VA oor,,o and Mr. and Mrs Henry Bschof. Jr, frehus
| ~ Dr seaman In the room directly overheau was
Miss Fanny Seaman an inv aid daughter VINO 'no"e
conyaescent was in the habit of taking her meas Al m
| ROOM About Q o'clock the maid had taken P"'o u
SOM 70 Miss seaman's room AMI had come down stairs
and was moving about the veranda OUTSIDE 'no uins
| room when DR.. Seaman thought he heard peculia.
noise in the room overhead. Thinking his sister must
have dropped something, he called TO the mau 10 run
upstairs and what the matter sac uiu ~ anu
ran down almost Immediately and silently pecKoneu W
| the DOCTOR who quickly ran up the stairway 10 LIS
sisters ROOM She sitting up In bed WIN "oun
in her forehead. dark figure was lying by the slue
Of the bed which the doctor recognized with horror rs
the body of his young brother William pierced from
| temple to temple by bullet from pistol winch LAY
| partly concealed by hs right arm.
YOUNG sEAMAN's BRILLIANT PROSPECTS.
Scarcely anything could exceed the horror OF the STU
alton william not Eony the favorite brother Oh
Miss Seaman but the pet and pride of the whole family
Anart from his personal lovabeness his marvellous
aptitude in his profession OF mechanical engineering
and the bright future which his talents had spread out
before him rendered him especially dear to Ills parents
| and brothers and sister. Although only twenty 'A
wears of age he had secured the position OF chef eng
near at the Lackawanna and Cca Companys WORKS
at Scranton While there he had successfully grappleu
with problem the solution OF when hau ress'eu 'Ho
energies OF more than OF his predecessors Recently
machine of his invention for the Strengthening OF steer
rails after milling had been put into succc:sui oeron
AT the works. The royalties the paehts' winch are
all in his own name, promised for him secure ahu
| sufficient independence for the future
About two months ago he became engageu 10 Jouhe
lady of Newark and his professional duties n"u Ao'
him away from her for few weeks, lie had arranged TO
spend the Fourth Of July Mt his fathers TINS
young lady was also to come accompanied ny 'cr
mother They were expected to arrive yesterday ana
william was supposed by his family to be either NJ
Scranton or his way from there at the Time Tue
| tragedy occurred.
There was such an entire absence faintest
OF motive young seamans act that no doubt could
be entertained for moment that his mind must nave
given way and that while suffering from congestion OF
the BRAIN induced by the severe mental strain OF months
he returned home hurredy. up his sisters roon
and there committed the act which has turned happy
household into one so giefstricken that sympathy
| seems almost mOokery.
| DR. sEAMAN's ACCOUNT OF THE TRAGEDY
Throg's Neck is little village some two miles or 80
| from Westchester station, and Grove Farni as the
seaInans homestead has been called ever since the oi
nal patent-rarefully preserved stH-was obtained
fromKing James is approached ly long drlVe VIM
ing through the fine of ems which gives the name
to the house The house. built Of gray stone, Is sur
rounded by broad porch or veranda, sitting on which
| Yesterday afternoon Dr. Seaman gave the following
clear account the TO TRIBUNE reporters
"Iam only too glad TO give you all the information
in NY power for only. a. otherwise you can
understand that all should have been reicent AZ
possible about what is OF sad interest to our own circle
only nanything could have increased grief. how
ever IL was the cruel OF missEtcucnt published
in to-days ErenfHg Telegram. came up on sunday
with Mr. and Mrs Bscho by the noon trn, and At the
station picked up my brother Lindoy AMI drove here
I'm time for dinner We had nearly finished and the
dessert was being placed the table wncn heard q
flint sound twice repeated followed by dun thud.
Thinking my sister who in the room above must
have dropped something. ! called 20 her maid, whom !
saw through the open nwindow moving about outside to
go up She returned and standing outside the
door beokoned TO me. at up stairs entered
nv sisters room and her sitting erect IN the bed
with bullet wound her right eye. she gaspod
once and was dead As stood there. Casting my eye
round the room. on the floor, aud stopping
down turned his face up aud to my horror saw 1t was
my brother Willy who then stone dead The bullet
from the stil-smoking pistol had passed completely
through both temples and was lying few Inches from
his head on the floor went down and called up Mr.
Bischon and proceeded to break the news to the
at has been stated that my sister was suffering from
IN Invalid and We had hoped IN short time 10 her
completely recovered, much better has she been
peciay who had looked forward having her live
him when he married. She was highly accom-
Choice in preference to sysssar The report that WHY'S
engag cement had been broken of is malicious lie The
youpg lady who Is very charming aad handsome was
coming spend week withus to day. WHY was
Sio sae mot dead ~ stated s he
white locks passed out OF the door He Is over eighty
but is bearing this blow noDy."
HIS BROTHERS. MIND SEVERELY ovERTAxED.
MY brother must lhaye left Scranton on Saturday
night and came up either the train as myself or,
as is more probable driven FROM Harlem Bri ige
The door wide open, and you See the stat
are between It and the dining lie threw his hat
fhnp beu
heard and fired his revolver almost on the instant he
entered his sisters II was 32-calibrc Smith
wesson which he bad had for years but did not carry
habtually. Death instantaneous I'm both cases
lie evidently made up his mind beforehand 10 com
NIT the deed and what made up his mind do Willy
al gay. did and did well His mind has been severely
ed for long Last summer he came to mo Tor
professional advice positively ordered him
months rest tried hard get ont of II. but the
end victorious. lie went to the Thousand Isles
and In week had gained hfteen pounds SO you may
Judge OF MS condition He was loved by al who knew
shipped him; much 80 that u the number OF hleen
hundred they remained until O'Clock on Saturday
new Invention When the fret rail shot out straight a.
An arrow they cheered loudly and carried him round
Zee for that poor girl Ipccted TO him alive to-
day and who is sitting upstairs sobbing her heart out
THE ROOM WHERE THE SHOOTING OCCURRED
The room In which the tragedy took place Is II low,
square, quain t-lookng old chamber, with two lattice
windows at which wird-stirred branches keel
lug up mournful tapping yesterday. Tho old-fash-
toned four-post bedsead which Miss Seaman met
death stl there and the usual furniture OF the
room received the mournfu increase Of two white
shrouded collins which laid the bodies OF brother
and sister side by side
Coroner Hyler summoned by telegraph, and |
after inquiry d verdict rendered which stated that
William X. Seaman bad shot himself while III state Of
mental alteration aud that Fanny Seaman had met her
death at his hands. The funeral will take place to-day
and the bodies will be laid In the family vault At West
chester.
HENRY BIsCHoFF's NARRATIVE
Henry Bischor IT,, who 10 lawyer In the saats-Ze
tung Building gave TRIBUNE reporter the following
account OF the tragedy Dr Seaman his wife and self