New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-04-22
HORRIBLE TRIPLE TRAGEDY.
KILLING HIS MOTHER. HIS SISTER AND
HIMSELF.
BARCLAY JoBNsoN's TERRIBLE DEEDS AT GREEN
MlCM CONN.-pRnRARIY INsANE.

| yer OF No. G2 Wallst, whose home
is In Greenwich, shot and killed his mo-
| ther, his sister and himself No other explanation is
offered for the deed than that Johnston insane
He Was about twenty-five years of age and studying
law in New-York. Yesterday he complained OF feeling
rather Ill aud remained at home In the morning his
| mother and he took walk to the old steam
boat wharf the Sound aud back
| TO the house for lunch. They had an
| gagement to take an afternoon walk to
| Indian Harbor Point. Miss Mason, the daughter Of
Theodore +. Mason aud Miss Peck the daughter of Pro-
fcss'r Peck be members OF the party. In the
morning Johnson to these young ladies, say
ing that on account OF his indisposton the walk was to
be abandoned. They did not appear therefore, at the
| Johnson residence after luncheon, as had been
arrnsei Miss Eleanor Johnson home from
| school at 1890. She only
teen years old, and exceptionally beautiful She
In after her mother and brother had finished their
meal and hurriedy little. Then the three started
| out for the Point.
nisa picturesque spot about a mile from tho village
on either side OF rocky aud woody strip OF land utng
out into the salt OF the Sound, Is little stream Of
| water. One OF these streams is Indian
| IIarbor. Tho other has other distnc-
| ton than the creek" 1t to this
romantic spot that tho party made their way. They
we're apparently in the best OF spirits they walked
along the ROAD chatting pleasantly and noddDg at pass
ers-by with every appearance OF good humor and good
health. They the Point and paused to rest
by collection OF rocks, where they remained
| sitting about hour. Across the inlet is the
home OF Charles +. Adams, a young farmer
lie at work In his garden when lie heard shot
fired He looked up quickly. just In time to Barclay
Johnson little hollow back Of the rocks and his sister
Nellie scramblDg up over hem screaming at the top OF
her voice. She had only got few PAGES when her
brother fired second time. only few seconds after the
first shot. and Adams the girl fall backward,
turn almost entirely around and fall on
her gt her her
few moments. The mother had risen, but was power
less In her terror. Advancing a step young johnson
hrel bullet the back OF his mothers head, and
she fell to the ground He then bent down over the two
ladies' II 10 how thoroughly he had done
his work. His sister dead. The ball had entered
the inch from her and head
gone directly through her brain Mrs Johnson's wound
beeuing prousely and she was uterng means that
could be distinctly heard the Inlet JOhnsons re-
yolyer eth grasped hrmly In his hand and he stood
for perhaps two minutes as II uncertain what
to do. Then ho raised the pistol. placed Its
muzze In his mouth. and drod The ball passed upward
through his and out at the hight side Of his head
and he fall dead.
Five persons witnessed the These were,
besides Adams George L. Foote, who heard
the shots and came up In timo to see the
last ono fired: John Il. Chard and Theodore
Chard who were Brush Island IN the creek, and had
an uuobstructod view Of the entire affair aud Lyman
Kecer Their agree entirely "a 70 the partlou-
lars the shooting. None OF them saw the party unt
attention attracted by the reports and none Is aDe
to say what took place between the mother
son and daughter before tho first shot was nred.
crowd OF buatmen and farmers soon gathered around
the bodies The murderer and suicide dead aud his
sister asped her last ten after the bullet struck
her IT, mother. howeyer found 10 be alive and
a wagon Immediately procured aud she was con
veyed home The bodies Of the dead were left In
the hollow just they had fallen and were taken IN
Half og Rri
informed by telegraph and asked TO come at once He
arrived nj o'clock. and drove TO tho Point Far IN
among the dim lights hickered. and to these
he made his way In circle around the hollow thirV
forty standing. their figures looking weird
In the dim lantern lights The high trees rising darky
on every Side the picturesque rocks piled around
I'm all sorts OF fantastic shapes, the
long Of cleaning water stretching out from either
II lc OF the Pont-a visible only In gloomy and wayer
ing outline furnished sOmbrc aud Impressive picture
Down IN the hollow lay the bodies of brother and sister
half covered with boatnan's canvas Little pools Of
blood surrounded them. The youss mans face
WAS frightful In its expression. The eyes
stN sparkled with domoniacal brill
i,ncy. His. heavy brown hair was knot
ted about his head aud his tongue protruded from
his mouth one hand gloyed and by the other lay
the pistol which had done the bloody work Ills sisters
beautiful face had suffered great dshguration by her
fan from the rocks 10 the hollow Her nose ana lips
were crushed She had lovely soft brown eyes tha sun
looked mild aud gentle In their fixed aud awful stare
1.-the graceful aud dccacly moulded, her figure was
clad tightly nttlng brown cloth suit Near her body
lay her purasol, her bonnet her gloves |
and her brothers walking stick. hat and odd glove Ut
dertakcr Isaac L. Mead bad been summoned and was |
ready the bodies soon a. the coroner hau
finished hIs Inspection BY that officials order sherh
Dayton possession OF the property that was lying
around aud the bodies then placed In tile under
takers wagon The procession, headed by the coroner
wgo was closely followed by the lmproVlsed |
hearse wound out Of Of the rGCTcd WOOD oynoonie t%e
had entered It Laughing ana chatting , n1sor ssyg d
suggested that young Johnson was insane ana yct no
one could CLEARLY recall any manifestation OF insanity
from New.YorE aud had never been observed to act
strangely. lie was naturally OF tactuln hnu bI"no
marks others but oyery body VINO knew him n Green
wien agrees that his manner was gentlemanmihe@ ~ ian anu
religious enthusiast. An intimate friend ana helshoVTr
said last night that Barclay had been p9hderns ueePy
alarmed Tor the safety OF his soul On MONDAY J hlsui
to assure him that salvation the next world was tue
result OF AN honest, noble life In thiSi anu Mr JoniJn
said night that his son had apparently accepted hs
doctrine. aud had given over his fears. ~
MANY pTIlS'' strangely nave however
during the last three or four days. ihey say he had
been mutterng In the streetsto himself ana ev
Ing his hands. ana acting sudden spasm, while
his face would twitch nervousy, and his countenance
assume the expression OF man In tue anAetes VI p
mis- owa room TO one on tho second floor and remarked
TO his mother Monday. In the presence Ot servant
that he cOuu not get TO sleep In his own room hls
mother answered: 81 very much worried aoouI !
you Barclay my boy Thereupon he Went over 10 het
and kissed her tenderly and replied: On. GOh
worry mother shall be all right in u day or two; g.,
IL said by neighber last night that ne hau ire
auentIy of late come into his mothers when STE
Was alone ninglng himself upon his knees at her
feet had put his head in her lap and had wrpt ko
child for no apparent reason whatever Ills
mother is said to have suffered from mental aDefIaons
during the last eight years. and mas been known 70 o
her little boy, 1rlstram only three years V!u,
down TO the wharf and sit there LOOKING
absently into the water In the dead. ,OI
winter. Tristram Is the only member OF MS smlS
left Coroner Holt will hold his inquest at ~ O'CLOCK
this morning. -,
For two years j. Augustus Johnson mas
lived at Greenwich. lie owns house and Is now On,
ntrll