New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-07-02
NEw-YORK, MONDAY, JULY ,, 1888.
HE SHOT THE WOMAN AND HIMSELF.
GROCERS FATAL INFATUATION.
BOTH HE ASp HIS VICTIM WILL DiE-HE WANTED
10 Try ANnraER suor AT HIMsELF.

TO TRY ANOTHER SHOT At HIMSELF.
People living IN the nclghborhood of Henderson ano
Fifth sts., jersey City, startled at ABOUT '"'
p. yesterday by hearing two pistol shots III rapio
succession. The neIghborhood Is thicAly popuia'co
and in few minutes about 500 people were gathered
in front OF Patrick Cofeys grocery store on the norm
cast corner. discussing a terrible scene when mac
been enacted inside The Information soon spredu
that Cofey had killed woman and shot himself
The police sergeant OF the Second Precinct was III
formed of the tragedy and hastened TO the place. ac
companied by Policemen Lowery, Hunt, Goetz' barry
and Ryan.
The policemen drove the crowd back and the ser
ccant went into the house. He found Coffey lying on
the kitchen floor with blood oozing from pistol sho'
wound in his left breast woman was lying on
bed in an adjoining room with similar wounu I'D nei
left breast Codey's wife sitting In chair III q
maudlin condition OF drunkenness. looking down al
her husband. She was cursng and saying 'na' 81.
hoped her husband would die. Sergeant smth LEARNED
that the wounded woman's name was Agnes sin'n,
and that she was widow who was formerly enpio! GU
as servant by ex-Mayor Collins. IL was dincui' u
ascertain the particulars of the tragedy, as neither OF
the principals would talk and Mrs. Coheys mauuin
condition prevented her from making any ih'o''so'
statement Sergeant Smith summoned an ambulance
and had Cofcy and Mrs. Smith removed 10 inc Vi'y
Hospital after their wounds had been partially afesScu
by DR.. 2. Hoffman.
rear with his wife and three sons, Dennis J.' age
twenty-five; James, age seventeen, and Matthew. age
twelve CoTcy is fortyfvc years old TWO Vooucn
pctitlons divide the floor into three rooms ana IL wa
in the middle room that tho tragedy was eIao'ou'
Mrs Smith has been on intimate terms WIN tnr
family and especially with Coiicy. so much so .ha'
his wife and he had had frequent quarres ABOUT ne
She called at the house yesterday and took dinner WIN
the family. -,
After dinner Cofcy and his wife and Mrs. smi'h
began drinking beer They all intoxicated when
Mrs Smith went into the bed room ana lay oo"h U"
one of the beds there. Coffcy soon followed her'
leaving his wife in the kitchen. Mrs. corey say
that soon afterward she heard some noise Oh scul4
in the bedroom and was about to go In, when she
heard the two pistol Shots and her husband came
staggering out into the Kitchen With io'o'o'
I'm his hand and fell on the floor
. James Coney ran for DR.. Hoffman while Dennis
went to the second precinct police station. "hen
Dr. Hoffman arrived he found Mrs. Smith lying on
the bed and decided after supcrhcla e1allaion5
that her wound was fatal Inc IUWucr aev na was on
tbe kitchen floor rolling about and cursing lie Sal
to the doctor " aimed as near near a.. as eouiu io' NY
The doctor said that perhaps he did ana CoIeH eA .
claimed: well If you give me the reVoNor ~
DR.. Hoffman found that the bullet bad bad gone zone
through One cOy body ane said that
Cofev Shot the Smith woman because she threat
encd TO tell his wife something about him An9'ne1 % @
story is that CoGcy said he loved the widow snl sne
loved him but his wife would not let them nave
each other and so he decided to Kill her and him
self ,,A,od
CoHcy bears the reputation In the neghoornoon
Of being a " crank Recently he knocked man
down who owed him twelve cents and then rammed
the muzzlc OF his revolver down his throat mum
hor NJ stories of his eccentric actions told by the
ncIcbbors The revolver with which the shoofne
was done Is a 44calbre OF the British bulldog pat
tern. go, IT,, - 4.
Both Coffey and Mrs. Smith were still alive up 10
late hour last night, but the physicians at the nos
pital said that both would die, and they eApecWu
Mrs Smith to die al any moment -.
Police Sergeant Smith succeeded IN getting stare
ments from both Cohey and Mrs smith at the hosPal.
trouble drink drove him to madness and he shot the
woman not for anything wrong, but from pure fond
nesss and because he did not want her to live atter
him Mrs Smith said that Mrs Coffcy sent for her,
ard when she found that Mis-. Coffey was jealous she
said she would go. Mrs. Cofey said there was no
JEALOUSY. and Coirey drew his pistol from behind him
and shot her.