New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-07-14
AVARICE AND MURDER.
A SERIES OF CRIMES IN ONE HOUSEHOLD.
DRIVEN TO INSANITY BY THE WOMAN WHO OBJ
TANNED HIS MONEY, MAN IN soMER-
VILE, MASS, KILLS HER AND HER
soN-oTHER CHILDREN WOUNDED
THE MURDERER DEAD
BY ACCIDENT.
BY ACCIDENT.

Boston, July 13.-Tn somerve, Mass. this morn.
ing Mrs. Catherine Smith, age fortynve, and her son.
Ih0nas, age fourteen, murdered by Augustus
Rosenberg while two other children of Mrs. Smith are
wounded, one Of whom will die. The murderer
mad been living with Mrs. Smith, her husband for
about year. although tho general belief IS that they
were not married 1t is supposed that recent quar-
rel over pccunary matters led the 10 commit tho
crime. Near ncghbors aroused, about O'Clock
this morning, by tho sound of pistol shots. Tho
police entered tho house. The first thing they en-
countered was the dead body of young Thomas Smith,
who had probably been upstairs when he received his
wound and had succeeded In reaching the lower hand
Ing before falling bullet had entered his forehead
He was the eldest Of the children, of whom there
were five. Mrs. Smith found in bed. The In
fcations were that she was shot while asleep a
ball Rad entered her right temple. Willie Smith
was shot through the body. The wound, I'm all prob
ability, will prove fatal. Augustus another son. was
shot in the mouth The physicians think his recovery
possible. Charles, age five, was slightly wounded.
Mabel age four, was not harmed Rosenberg Jumped
from window, after accomplishing HIS bloody work.
and presumed for time % have escaped, but
his dead body was shortly aftervard found I'm Dane
Court, about 500 feet from the scene of the murders
There was no wound I'm his body, and from the iact
fact that there was froth his lips, 1t was thought
at first that he either died in a fit or by poison
The crime undoubtedly provoked By tho ava
rlclOus Vicious, ugly disposition OI iho NohldH WIN
was Murdered. About two years ago Mrs Smiths
husband committed suicide by jumping from the
Bangor boat. lie kept grocery storo in somervilc
and was doing good business, but his wifcs temper
drove the man TO drink and to his death. Rosenberg
married smiths sister who died several years ago.
leaving three sons, the oldest nineteen years OK age
Soon after smiths suicide Rosenberg began paying atten-
tIons to the widow lie claimed that he had married
the Brols OF frequent occurrence, so the
nolghbos say. In fact, Rosenberg complained Dit
terly Of his treatment. He In the express buS
and she the store. According TO RoSenbergs
story, when he married the she insisted that
hls property, which that time amounted to Soooo
accumulated by ndustrously carrying on a comolncd
grocery and liquor business I'm the Charestown DIS
tct, be decided TO her. Out of his property lie pad
the mortgage on her house and store, and bought a
house nearly opposite I'm Dane-5t She told MN tha6
She would divide the property after marriage, and had
paper drawn up which, he claimed, she subsequently
destroyed. She handled all the money that came mo
the store and would not allow him cent always clean
Ing out the moneyd aver when she retired at night
He protested vgoro sly, and on one OCCASION she went
at him with a cleaver, and he was obliged 10 'dAo
/ refuge IN The barn.
lie finally got disgusted and two months ago hi1ed
a house in Bow-st where he took his children 10
/ live While he was away. making his preparations to
move she found $500 which he had slowed away IN
a trunk in the house. She took the money KoSeF
/ berg complained to his friends that she was driving
him insane AID he eN p7s Sed wish to he sent to the
Danvcrs Asylum. The ne!ghhors say thaL Ne ulnat- uln
ened 10 shoot her within few days, ana he douo~
,e,s plllrhased the revolver with that end in view
publlc administrator will have To DO appOinleu 10
take charge of the property for the children before
the store can be opened for business, and steps are
] being taken I'm this direction Last winter the ponce
ers told by sinerS ttlous neghbOrs that the ghost
/ of smith had been stalking about th' Dahes +,
/ house officer Carlton vas placed on Watch, ani
/ sitting on Mrs smiths back door steps lie sdil
? no n q
I, turned out on further examination thar kOsen-
hor,'s death was accidental. In trying 10 scale a
fence at the end of lane, through when ne Iln nc
ali ON a nile Of railroad slecpcrS lying beside the
! Titchhrrg tracks, struck his head on spike; ana
fractured his skull. DR.. Durel says there Is no
doubt thai he was crazy