Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1885-07-17
A FATHERS TERRIBLE ACT.

The telegraphic columns OF the GAZETTE
a fay or two ago announced the shooting,
in Halifax, n. S., of Maggie WiLhers by her
father. Withers was Chief of the Customs
Statistical Department. After he had shot
his daughter he poisoned himself. lnVestl-
cation elected the facts to be as follows:
Withers has for some time been regarded
as more or less of harmless crank, show
ing unmistakable symptoms of insanity, but
with those who knew him well causing no
alarm. His vagaries seemed to be IN regard
TO dynamite, but latterly he has on the
SLIGHTEST provocation become suspicious OF
any and every one, fearing that they in
tended harm to himself or his daughter
Maggie, a beautiful girl twenty-five years
of age, whom he was very proud OF and to
whom he was particularly attached. lie
has. however, been regular in attendance
at his Office, though not doing very much
work, his assistants doing all in their power
to make his position as easy as possible.
On Friday morning he visited the Collector
of Customs and resigned his situation; but,
considering that a short rest was all that
would be required to restore his health, the
Collector advised him to take weeks va
cation and reconsider his resignation. His
increasing gsymptoms.o insanity afterFrday
alarmed his family and friends, and on Sat
urday his wife made efforts to secure his
admission to Mount Hope Asylum for
season at least. A doctor who examined
the man pronounced him undoubtedly OF
unsound mind, so that arrangements were
made to remove him to the asylum at once.
He was to have gone there Monday night,
but through the interference Of his daughter,
who hoped that her father might recover,
his removal was postponed until Tuesday.
The postponement proved fatal, and es-
pecially so to her who most desired it.
About eight o'clock Tuesday morning
Withers arose, and with the gleam ofa de-
mon in his eyes began prancing around the
house, flourishing a revolver, and tried to
chase the family together into one room,
where he might. as he said, shoot them all
ut once. They scattered and baffled his
pursuit without giving him an opportunity
to fire a shot. though doubling in their !iial
love his real intention to do any harm. In
short time his fit of passion seemed to have
exhausted itself, and the family thought he
was quiet, go that, their excitement subsid-
ing, the daughter Maggie went to the kitch-
en- to prepare some breakfast.
The frenzied father quietly stole into the
room behind her, and before she wasaware of
his presence pistol shot rang out and the
girl dropped to the floor with a bullet in her
| heart Following the report of the weapon
those in the adjoining room heard the girl
exclaim in tone Of agony, "Oh, dad ~ a
son and a nephew rushed into the ROOM,
seized the madman and took the revolver
from him, and he was then removed up
stairs to a bedroom, where be was loft alone
| for moment. On examination the daugh.
| ter was found quite dead, having survived
only about three minutes.
During the short time he was left by him.
self after committing the deed, Withers,
who it is presumed, had made made all
preparation for tragedy, seized small
bottle containing prussic acid and cyanide
of potassium, and swallowed nearly the
whole of it's contents. A doctor, who had
| been previously summoned, FASTENED to his
| bedside, but in o minute or two q convu-
siye spasm passed through his body, and he
! was dead. Within ten minutes after the
fatal shot the souls OF the insane father and
loving daughter had both passed away.
While lying on the bed, just before he ex-
pired, Withers was informed of his daugh-
ter's death, when he exclaimed, II wanted
to put her out of this worlds misery; | die
content"
Not drop of blood nor mark of violence
marred the fair form of poor Maggie With
ers as she lay stretched on the kitchen floor.
The ONLY evidence of the cause of her death
was small round hole in her back where
| the bullet had entered and at once reached
| the heart.
| Edward Withers was native of Wood
stock, n B., and taught school there for a
number Of years. Securing an appointment
in the customs service he went to Halifax
in January, 1878, and was given charge of
the Statistical Department, the duties oi
which he had discharged till within few
days of the tragedy.