Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1884-01-02
THE RATHB0NE TRAGEDY.
DETAILS OF THE RECENT SAD
EVENT AT HANOVER.

A wife's Vain AppeaI-Turned from
killing His Children, the Father At
taeks the Mother - Stabbed with a
Dagger.
The Rathbone tragedy continues to be
the leading theme of conversation in New
York, where the Rathbone and Harris
families were SO we'll known. Col. Rath-
bone belongs to a distinguished Albany.
\. Y, family, and his wife was the daugh-
Ter of Ira Harris, of Albany. who was
United States Senator during Lincoln's
administration. Col. Rathbone was in
the box with Lincoln the night he was as
sassinated. Col. Rathbone and family
have lived in Germany for several years
for the purpose Of educating their chill
dren. Our dispatches have already given
the main points of the tragedy The New
York Herald has the following:
Though many details of the RathbOne
tragedy are concealed from the public.
vet enough is known to show that Mrs.
RathbOne sacrificed herself for her chill
dren. Col. RathbOne, formerly noted for
his kindly and genial character. became
lately melancholy, morose and suspicious,
and subject to fits of strong passion. Four
years ago he went to Carlsbad for a cure.
but returned rather worse than better
Recently his family discussed the wis
dom of allowing his vile and her sister.
Miss Harris, and children to remain with
him.
The Colonel became suspicious that the
children would be taken away, and
stunned the society ofall strange persons.
He became meRSchenscheu (shy of human
beings), as Germans say. A few days
before the tragedy he was restless and
excited, and so strange were his actions
that his wife said, ''Well, the end is not
tar off" Her fears were that he would
commit suicide. She is described as a
lady of uneXcepti0nable character, gen
tie, loving and untiring in her devotion to
her husband, living only that she might
watch over him.
Lately the Colonel slept with a loaded
revolver under his pillow. On Sunday
evening he sat mOOdily at a table in the
drawing room for some hours, silent and
staring blankly and picking at handker-
chief. He had sleepless night and rose
at 5:3O in the morning. Passing out of
the room, he went along with a light in
one hand and a revolver in the other to
the door where his little daughter Paul
inc slept with her nurse.
Knocking, he asked, ''Nurse, is Pauline
in bed?v
YES" she answered.
Are the boys in their roOm?'
eyes"
'"Open the door, l want to see them
Mrs. RathbOne had now missed her
husband, and came up just as the nurse
was opening the door. She said, Dear
husband, do calm YOURSELF and then
called:
"Nurse, lock the door and save the
children; there is going to be dreadful
work."
The nurse closed the doors. and Mrs.
Rathbone appealed TO the Colonel to go
and rest.
Hearing the door bolted. and seeing his
design thwarted, Col. RathbOne turned
with ungovernable passion and seized his
wife by the upper part of the arm. He
dragged her into the bed room. The nurse
reports that she heard sounds OF a struggle
and that the door was locked and unlocked
three times. Miss Harris, who was
aroused, entered the apartment, but was
put out qui ky by the Colonel.
Mrs. RathbOne was heard CRYING. ssHeu-
ry, let me live!" then shots were heard
and then silence ensued When the door
was burst open Mrs. RathbOne was found
on the bed, covered with blood. She
merely said to her sister, ''He has killed
us both at last" and expired without
pain in less than five minutes. She had
received two pistol shots in the breast. hut
of dagger, which pierced her heart.
Col. RathbOne was lying on the floor
conscious, though wounded five times by
the dagger, one cut reaching The lung.
He asked for brandy. said he was much
hurt, and exclaimed, "Who could have
done this? have no enemies" He asked
where was the city hospital, and called
piteOusly for his wife.
Afterward he remembered what he had
done. He said he had great provocation
and had found the children dressd and
evidently about to leave him. Everything
points to the conclusion that he is quite
irresponsible. The Rev. Mr.. Mills. Mr..
Sturges and Others whom / have seen cor
robOrate this supposition.
The Colonel lately labored under the
delusion that persons were hidden behind
the pictures in the room, and wrote in a
note book a confused draft of will. DR..
Goetly, the family physician, thinks his
mind has been affected since the death OF
Lincoln, when he received a wound IN the
arm from Booths dagger Subsequently
he had an attack of brain fever. If he
RECEIVERS he will be defended by Herr
WindthOrst. recently Hanoverian Min
lister.