Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1884-09-14
AN OLD MAYS INSANITY.
Tragedy at n Breakfast-Table in Boonton
Park-WiIliam W. hesser shoots His Wife
and Daughter aud then Kills Himself.

A Boonton (N. j. telegram OF Friday
saws: IL wa. few minutes before O'Clock
this morning when venerable William W.
Nlesscr came into the dining-rOom OF the
Briggs cottage. in BoontOn Park-a plea
SAINT, three-stOTy house, which he had
rented for the season, and in which he lived
with Lis wife and daughter, Mary. a
woman twenty years OF age, but with hair
gray since she was fifteen.
Always carel5ss OF his attire, Mr.. Mcsser
was clothed only in a white shirt, duck
trousers, and an alpaca coat Of shiny hlack.
His long, white hair, OF which he was very
proud. fell in tangled masses below his col
larless neck. His wife and daughter had
lust sat down TO breakfast when he ap-
peared. The old man was very eccentric,
and ate only one meal a day, so they had
not waited for him. As he sat down in a
low rocking.chair at one end OF a massive,
olG-fashioned sidebOard, taking up fully
third Of the space In the small room, he
took from his pocket heavy seyen-shot
revolver OF 3S-calibre.
.spapa.r said his daughter, "put up
that pistol, or | shall leave the ROOM"
Leave and be damned" said the old
man, who had an ungoyernable temper
of which he had lost almost entire control
with advancing years. He had only a short
time before celebrated his seyenty-fourth
birthday.
Miss Messer rose to her feet. and three
steps took her into the front sitting-room.
As she crossed the threshold the gray
haired man raised his weapon and fired.
Mary fell face downward on the crimson
carpet, and. screaming with pain, turned
and half rose. Her mother, large, portly
woman, had risen to her feet, and was look
ing with terrified eyes at her husband.
Seeming TO reason with himself an in-
slant, he again raised the pistol and
fired two shots at her. She ran into
the front room. closed the door, and sank
into chair. A moment later fourth shot
was heard. The old man had put the pis-
tol to his right temple and pulled the trig-
ger. The ball passed clear through his
head. spatterIng the papered wall with
tiny specks OF led. He fell forward dead,
his white locks resting against the closed
door. his shoulders in pool Of blood, and
the pistol by his right hand.
People in the vicinity heard the shots, but
paid no attention 10 them. Mr.. De Camp,
accompanied by his sister was driving 10
the station to come TO New ! ork. Having
ONLY few minutes time he was driving by
the Briggs cottage very fast. when he saw
Mrs. Nesser in the doorway supporting
herself against the sill with one hand and
beckoning desperately. He pulled his horse
TO stand-stil, and asked what was
wanted.
"Send 4 DOCTOR" called Mrs. Messer.
"Send doctor, quick! !"
Thinking that Mr. Messer WAS suffering
from a sudden attack OF illness, to which
he was subject. Mr.. DE Camp drove on,
and told his sister to drive afound for the
doctor when she left him at the station. As
they passed the home Of Mr.. Jenkins, how
ever. they partly stopped and told Miss
Mary Jenkins and Enoch Hammond, who
were in the yard, that some one was sick
ut Messer's. Taking bottle OF brandy,
these two at once walked through the
wooded park to the house. Miss Nary
was found lying on the floor In
the stting-roOm screaming wildly.
Mrs. Messer was upstairs uttering
shrek after shrek. Thinking that Miss
Mary had an attack OF Mysteries Mr.. Ham,
mond gave her some brandy and ran up TO
Mrs. Messer. AS she rose from the bed at
his entrance he saw that her clothing was
dripping with blood, but she refused to
saw what was the matter. She was able TO
walk down stairs assisted by Mr.. Ham,
mond. As he started for the dining.room
to get water Miss Mary shouted: "You
mustn't go in there Don't do it, tell
you." Mr.. Hammond. however, opened
the door far enough to see tho tragedy that
had been enacted. As he did so DR.. j. G..
Ryerson arrived.
al want to speak to you alone," said
Miss Mary 10 the Doctor. As he bent over
her she said "Father has shot US oil. He's
dead in the other room. Don't let them
know"
Her legs were paralyzed, which showed
that her spine had been struck by q bullet.
On examination 1t was found that the bail
entered her back lust above the small por.
ton and two inches to the right OF the
spine. The bullet went downward and
forward, striking the spinal column. DIR.
Ryerson says the wound Is very similar 20
the one which killed President Garfield.
Miss Messer cannot recover, say the physi.
clans, though she may live for some
days. She Is in terrible agony con-
stantly.
The first bullet fred at the wife hit Mrs.