New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-04-28
n01IBLE MURDER AND SUICIDE
vuJ.ING HIS WIFE, CHILD AND HIMSELF.
suocKISG TRAGEDY IN BR0oKLYN-DoMEsriC
TROUBLE THE CAUSE.


The third tragedy caused by the pistol IN Brook
,vn within the past ten days occurred yesterday
morning. when the head Of family killed MS wile
and only child and then committed suicide VII
liam Macduii. a man of about forty years, whose
hnsiness card stated that he was " financial
nroker.v at No. 70 Nassau ST. this city, lived with
his wife and boy, six years old on the second floor
of the frame house No. 149 Pulaski-st., near Temp
tins-ave The first floor as not occupied on the
third floor Miss Malley, spinster, occupied ROOM
and Richard Mccullough a widower, lived In 'ho
adjoining room. About o'clock yesterday i,"in
ing Miss Malley heard sound as OF a oooy i",e
ON the floor beneath her and al tne S'''0 INV
Mccullough heard pistol shots. he 'no'e". 49,
were fred outside Of the house ana pau no "''o'
ton 70 the matter and Miss Malley did not disturb
herself over what she had neaiu' an
What had occurred was not made known ai'i an
.nrassman. Martin C0nneli, called AT inc ho"so "
~ sonas goods about $50 o'clock In passing
gov sum he saw Mrs Macduf lying on the floor in
rs s;,,,ng-room. On going into the room he founa
-, che was in pool of blood. policeman was
=. onoe snmmoned Mrs. Macduf was found TO DC
Asod There was a bullet h0Ie IN the back OF her
heod. She had evidently Just arisen ana uiosSou
when she was shot. Her back hair was scoionoo
and the skin was blackened were the muzzle vi 'ho
pistol had been pressed to her head' Inc ue'u
hodv of Mr.. Macduf was found lying on the moor
IN the adjoining sleeping-room close 10 'ho lou.
the bed from which he had arisen 10 commit
tbree-fold crime From pistol shot wound aooVe
the right temple blood had flowed ana pesineareu
tha Garnet. Beside him lay lve chambered Brit
;sb bulldog revolver, three chambers of which had
been discharged. Macduf wore his hannels IN
,,b;cb he had slept. Alongside of the bed stood
nrih and in il lay dead the boy Willie whom the
father had evidently killed after shooting his wife,
The hoy Law as he had slept with his thumb IN his
month. There was n peaceful expression on ms
500 The bullet had been fred into his brain just
over the right ear and had caused instant death.
II was apparent that after Mrs. Macdutt had got
nm 70 attend TO her household duties, as the family
Kent no servant her husband had stealthily crept
ND behind her and killed her. She had dust-pan
md brush in her hand. Then he had Killed the
child and ended his murderous work by putting the
pistol to his own head. He left letter on ms
dressing case addressed to a. S. Macduf, No. II
Bleeeker-st.. New-York," which reads as follows:
DEAR BROTHER JACK: II anything happens TO me l
want you TO have whatever may leave fut Miie nn"
me in your pot this is my last request ioHr
nate brother,
This was taken in charge by the police ana the
brother was informed by dispatch of the tragedy
Another brother of the dead man, James b. Mac
duff is in business at No. !, 153 Broadway Brook
Iyn. He stated that he knew of no cause for the
crime His dead brother had no domestic diihcu-
ties and was not drinking man. His business con-
sisted OF dealing in bonds and negotiating loans on
securities He had been married for seven or eight
wears and had only one child He was natlNo OK
this country and was Of Scotch descent.
RELATIONS OF HUSBAND AND WIFE.
Tn the above letter no reference is made TO his
wife by the writer and from this fact 1t was III
ferred by the Coroner and the police that the cause
of the crime was jealousy. Mrs. Macdufi, however,
was regarded by her neghbOrS as model OF proprl-
etv and is said to have been entirely devoted to her
family Coroner Keller put searching questions TO
James Macduf to the domestic relations of the
dead man and his wife, hut elected nothing to show
that they had ever quarrelled. The only reason
able theory of the crime that the murderer was
insane He was very much devoted to his business,
and it is believed that he did not meet with tue sue
cess he hoped for. He had been away from homo
for several days before Thursday night There is
no proof that lie and his wife quarreiied before the
shooting or at any tme ihey vea III ne ,hs
house they occupied. The rooms were well-fur-
nisbed ana Mrs. Macduff bad fondness for flowers,
IA was shown by her thrifty hOusc-plants. The
front room was the bedroom; adjoining it was a
bathroom and at the rear the parior ana sitting
room in which Mrs. Macduifs body lay near
stove In a rear extension was the Kitchen.
The murderer had evidently dropped his revolver
after shooting himself and had then fallen on u.
nb Mes uiteau Killed President Garfield and the one
%b;cb i,isJrieh Iahnken used in killing Diedrich
Stefens in Brooklyn last week. 1t carried II very
Mrs. Macduff was about tbirty-eieht years old
and her name before she was married was Nlnt0li.
Her family lives in aoo4he 1pe Pd sSi for
year. They had few acquaintance III tne heIgh
Police Captain Mclaughlin and Coroner Keller
investigated the case far possible and the evl-
dence will lie presented ut the inquest. The Cor0-
ner gave permit for the burial of the bodies.
MR.. MAcDUFFs BUSINESS.
William Henderson who has an office on the
ground door of No. 70 Nassau-st, and who has
charge of letting the rooms i'll the building, was
greatly SURPRISED when informed oil the tragedy Oy
n TRIBUNE reporter "Mr. Macduh has occupied
his office upstairs since November, 1881" he said,
sand have found him quiet and thoroughly re-
spectacle tenant. He was a man of medium height
with dark hair and dark mustache and was al
WAYS very reserved in manner but he was pleasant
and civil when forced into contact with any OF u.s.
saw him Yesterday and nodded good DAY 10 hiin,
which he returned with smile. Inc sign on ne ,
door runs w. Macduii, Advances on securities
ana | believe he did do a little IL that way Dut
Imagine his chief business consisted IN buying
pawn-tickets from those who wanted To dispose or
them Asfar as know lie did not advertise at all
When he first tile room he gave me az reference
the of Mr. Storm OF Leggetts idote' WHO od
vouch for him in every way. myseH loiIhh MnG-
duff prompt in all his pecunlary transactions WIN
me and / never saw him under the nnuence Oh
iquor He used to frequent billiard room close
by but chiefly to watch the games, OF which he Was
very fond occasionally lie took cue hi'lscIt' nc
is tie last man | would have suspected OF COM
hitting a crime of any description"
H. l.. Fuller manufacturing leweler VINO occ
cnries the next room 10 Macdul's and several OF
the other tenants cOrrobOrated Mr. Henderson,
statements as to the quiet and lnOhensIye character
of Macduf.
HIS BROTHERS. SIGNIFICANT STATEMENT.
On the door Of John s. Macdufl's Office in Bleeck-
er.st near Broadway, notice stating that on
account of a death in the family no business would
be transacted until Monday. Mr.. Macdun, who is a
broker In the same line as his brother willingly
stated what he know of the circumstances Of tie
e.. tI.rf.