Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-12-30
THREE SHOT DOWN.
A Mysterious Tragedy That Occur.
red Near Wilkesbarre.
DEADLY WORK BY A REVOLVER.
How Martin Curley, His Wife and Hun
garian We're Killed.
FRESH NEWS FROM THE THREE STATES
'srrc1AL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH,

SPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPArcHI
WILKESBARRE, Dec. pa terrible
triple tragedy, which is vet involved in con-
siderable mystery, took place at Brodenck's IS
Patch, a small mining village three
miles west OF here, shortly before noon to-
day. Martin Curley, a young married
man, 81 years of age, together with his wife
and four children resided in the heart of
the little village
This morning Curley told his wife that he
did not feel well and said she guessed he
would not go to work" He got up at 6,
dressed and after eating breakfast went
back to bed. About 10 o'clock Mrs. Curley
left her baby in charge of her 4year-old
daughter, and went to call on her mother,
Mrs. Shields, who lives few doors further
up the street. Mrs. Curley told her mother
that her husband was not at work and that
she guessed she would do the family wash
ing.
Mrs. Curley's Cry of Murder.
The two women then returned to the Cur
lev home. Mrs. Shields returned to her own
home shortly aiterward to get some soap.
As she was leaving her daughters house
She saw Hungarian named John Tralla enter
the barroom. Five minutes later Mrs Shields
who was on her was back with SOAP, heard a
pistol shot in the barrOom.
The next minute Mrs. Curley ran out of the
house, and when she got to the stoop she cried
murder AS she did so she received shot
back of the head and fell heavily on the stoop.
Inc nelghDors now rushed into the bar
room. In the meantime two more shots
were fired. When the neighbors entered
;he barroom they found the husband
living in a pool of blood. He had been shot in
the forehead. the ball entering his head just
over the left eye. A revolver with three balls
in 1t WAS found on his breast. Three feet away
from Gurley lay another Hungarian named
Mike Haddock. be was shot behind the ear,
ana the blood was flowing from the wound in a
large stream.
All Three Soon Died.
The neighbors picked up the wounded and
carried them to an adjoining room. Several
physicians were summoned. Mrs. Curley lived
an hour after the shooting and then died in
great agony. The husband lived about an hour
longer. He was unconscious all the time and
could make no statement Haddock was dead
when found. The first man to enter the place
says he saw Tralla, Hungarian, leave by way
Of The back door. His light overcoat was
stained with blood. 1t is also believed he was
wounded, as blood was found in his tracks for
some distance.
The first supposition was that Curley had
killed his wife ana the Hungarian Haddock
attempted TO shoot Tralla and the killed him
self. Later however, circumstances make it
appear that Iralla was in all probability the
murderer. and that to hide his crime he placed
the revolver on Curley's breast As soon as
this fact became known a large posse started
in pursuit of Tralla. 1t is believed he took
train at Wyoming for the West. Another
theory is that he is hiding in the mountains.
Hunting for the Hungarian.
\ large crowd of men and boys are now
securing the neighborhood for him. The only
living witness to the crime is the little 4-year-
old daughter of the murdered parents and she
can give no ineligible version of the affair."
She was In an adjoining room rocking the baby
TO sleep. The girl did not GENE out at once
All she knows about the affair is that "a man
hit papa and mamma and they fell"
II 1ralla is the murderer his motive is un-
known. He was indebted to Curley some SO.
lie rented house from Curley, but about
1nur months ago left without giving notice
Since then he has not been seen about the
nelghborhood. On Christmas Day he returned
10 spend the holidays with friends.