New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-08-05
MURDER AFTER THE OPERA.
a WIFE KILLED BY HER HUSBAND IN BALTI-
MORE
HE COMPLETED HIS TASK BY SHOOTING HIM.
SELF - PREPARING FOR DEATH BY
HEARING FAUST"
tBr TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUsE.I

Baltimore, Aug A double killing late
ast night in "A handsome house in East Ian
Vale-st' has been the talk of the town to-day
Nllliam Doan, young bOoll<eeper for one of
'le largest clothing firms in the city, at midnight
shot ms young wife through the heart and then
committed suicide. The wife was beautiful
woman, twenty-six years Old and her attractive
race ana figure, with a bright, sunny disposition,
maze her very popular among a large circle Of
friends Her friends say that her husband was
loohshy jealous of her, and this, with an almost
uhgovernable temper, heightened of late by drink.
may have led him to the crime Last night
Doan returned home early from the office, and
aI1er supper he and his wife heard the opera of
faust at the Academy of Music. Several
helshDors who saw him start for the theatre say
Ihat they both appeared in the best of spirits.
III the theatre they were recognized by a number
oil acquaintances and chatted pleasantly about a
summer trip they intended to take in couple of
weeks They returned direct from the opera to
Their home, and it was about five inmates of mid
night when the other residents of the neighbOr-
hood were startled by pistol shots.
A policeman and a newspaper reporter who
happened TO be near forced an entrance into the
rear OF the house. No one was on the first floor,
but when the two men had as ecnded the first
hight of steps, they found Mr. and
Mrs. Dolan lying dead in the small
hallway leading from front to
back bedchamber. Mrs. Dolon was partially
diSrobed. Dolan had only removed his coat
The wife WAS lying oh her left side, her body
across the threshold Of the front bedroom, in
which her head lay, while her feet extended into the
hall and nearly touched those of her husband,
who lay on his back with his head just inside
the back bedroom. The pistol with which the
deed had been committed was found under Do
lan's body. 1t was of 32-calibrc and four cham
bers empty.
Coroner Hill examined the bodies and found
that both had been shot in the same part Of the
body. Doan was so close to his wife when he
shot her that her skin was burned by the powder.
To his own breast he must have pressed the muz-
zle Of the revolver firmly when he killed himself,
for his shirt was blacllened and burned
About one hour after the tragedy occurred, Mrs.
Frederick Ballard, the mother OF the murdered
wife, arrived at the scene, but she appeared dazed
and bewildered and not at all able TO realize
what had happened. She sat in the paror d-
rectIy beneath the room where her daughter
lay and moaned TO herself:
L don't know why this happened. They
were always happy
To the reporters she said that she had never
known OF any trouble between her daughter and
sOn-in.hw. The couple were first cousins, ana
IL is reported that their parents objected to their
union fo4 this reason. Parental interference re-
suited in a runaway match, the lovers beng
married on January "a. sS5. in New-YorlI City,
by the Rev A. G. Morehauser. They had no
children. but TO friends the young wife often
remarked that the absence Of offspring only
made them love each othes the more.
Dolan was about thirty-tve years old, and had
be,n chief boOllkeeper for the firm for j. & II.
Nsnn & Co. for many years. member Of the
firm said that the young man had always done
his work IN satisfactory manner, and he was
confident that his accounts were all right. As
the servant was away on Saturday night and they
we're alone in the house, no one knows what
passed between the couple previous to the shoot
ing. 4 little grandson. however, of Mrs. Ballard,
and nephew Of Mrs. DOlan went 10 the house
last night 10 take tea. He says that his aunt
came down stairs and told him to go home; as
his Uncle WHIP could not see him. Mrs. Ballard
thinks that Doan may have been IN a temper and
her daughter did not want the child TO see him
in that condition.