Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-04-23
Come to Pittsburg in Various Forms
With the Widespread Effect of
a Dreaded Epidemic.
TRAGEDIES IN TEMPERANCEVILLE
Constitute Large Share Of the Unpleas
ant Happenings of Decidedly
Eventful Day.
INQUEST IN TIE MAYBERRY MURDER,
Kate Smith, oOlOred, Pluugss Pair Of Sharp scis'
scrs Into Her Threat

The theory of an epidemic in crimes or
disasters is pretty generally hooted at by the
philisophic sages of this world, who delve
deeply into the well of knowledge and lind
nothing, either physical, mental or spiritual
10 show that crime is anything more than
the cropping cut at unexpected intervals OF
the inherent wickedness OF man, and great
accidents the irregular results OF natures
caprices and human carelessness. The CON-
mon folk. however, believe the old adage
that three big fires always come together;
that certain seasons are more productive OF
murders and suicides than Others, and that
disagreeable things of all kinds generally
come IN a bunch. Plain. practical people
care for no logical explanation of these
things; they are satisfied to see and hear.
Pittsburg, like other cities of its kind, has
its times Of unrest, when the usual routine
OF peace and good order is thrown out of
gear and such time was yesterday. Sui
eide, murder, assault, fire. wife-beating and
infanticide were the talk OF the day.
An Aged Wife's Fearful Deed.
A shocking affair occurred at an early
hour Yesterday morning in Temperance
vile. Michael Sullivan and his wife
Mary, an old couple of Singers Row, who
have lived in the neighborhood for the past 80
wears. got into Quarrel during the night,
resulting in the wi stabbing her husband
and then cutting her own throat with the
same knife. Sullivan is 6S wears old and
his wife 65. Both came from County Kerry,
in Ireland. They have one son, laborer
in Painters mill.
The old couple were fond of liquor, and
the result had been frequent quarrels at
night which happened so often that the
neighbors had ceased paying much atten-
rion to them. Tuesday night the usual fra
cas- occurred. They kept it up until 8
o'clock yesterday morning, when Michael
went 10 sleep in his chair down stairs. His
wife tried 10 waken him, but he was too far
gone 10 be aroused. This enraged her so
that she picked up 4 large butcher knife
from the table. and. bending over her pros
trate husband, deliberately plunged the
keen blade into his breast Happily for
him, the knife struck rib just over his
heart and glanced of.
Slashed at Her OWN Throat
The woman did not know this, however,
and. seeing her husband run out of the house
with the blood streaming from his side and
yelling irantically for helm. she rushed upstairs
TO the bedroom, where she slashed the knife
across her throat
Officer Fowler was attracted by the old mans
cries Cor help. Receiving brief explanation
of the case from him the officer ran into the
house. When he opened the bedroom door he
found the woman lying unconscious with the
blood running over the floor. An ambulance
was summoned and she was removed to the
Mercy Ho~piTaL In the meantime some of the
neIghhors we're taking care of the old man, and
later in the morning he went back home,
While in a very bad condition lis wounds are
NOT considered dangerous.
The woman renamed in a very critical state
all day, and late last night the hospital author
Ities were uncertain about whether she could
live or not. The cash in her throat is several
inches wide and very deep. causing the loss of
a great deal Of blood. She Is supposed to have
been slightly demented. She has told her
neghbors often that she was tired of poverty
and wanted to die, and if she had her way she
ana Michael would both he in heaven.
The affair has caused intense excitement in
and about Temperanceville, where the old
couple were well known to almost everybody.
A Little Girl Killed.
Another case that excited the people of Tenn
peraucevile was the death of 5-year-old Mar
garet ParShon, whose parents live at No. is
Singers row. Contractor Gwinner has had a
force of men at work some time topping OFF,
the stone wall along the Pittsburg Cincinnati
and ST. Louis Railroad. Monday evening an
italian whose name is unknown was hauling
away pile cf dirt collected below the wall
and in DONG so had TO back his cart up against
the PaIshon house.
Little Margaret was passing with her mother
ana, slipplng in behind the cart unnouced, was
crushed between it and the house. Her inju.
ries at first dad not appear to be serious. but
she became worse and died early yesterday
morning.
Later in the day Contractor Gwinner was
approached bv three men, who told him they
we're special officers of the Third police district
and had come to arrest the Italian who drove
the cart. Mr.. Gwinner was a little wary and
asked tlTem to show a warrant for the man, or
their badges They had neither and were
formed that since they could not show anything
10 prove they were ofhcerS he would not tell
them who the man was remarking that he did
not know but what they wanted to harm the
Italian and took this means of finding him
Gave the Man a Chance to Escape.
The alleged officers protested, but Mr..
GwinneT firm. Finally one of them said:
"Well. We'll get the man anyhow"
Some friends OF the Italian heard this re-
mark and doubtless informed him that he was
being hunted for 4 grave crime as neither the
Coroner nor Mr.. Gwinner have been able to
locate him since. The Coroner says he does
not want TO hold the man for murder, as the
case was clearly accident. but he is neces-
sary as a witness in the inquest Owing to the
bunder of the three detectives he is probably
now good many miles away from the city,
haunted with the idea that he has committed
= terrible crime in the eyes of the American
courts.
The Coroner held a partial inquest on the
case yesterday.