Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-15

Killed.
THE SHOCKING SENSATION N WHICH A rouSo
wAsHrSoroSIAS FIGURED IN vALEs-HIs MAR
kIAoE II NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. THAT Hk HAS
BEKS INSANE SOME YEARS.
Special Cable Dispatch TO Tst EVENING STAR
CHESTER, May i5.-hohard G. Duncan Of
Washington, ID. C.. who was arrested at Bett~s-
f-Goed, North Wales, for ssssulting his bride
while walking on Mount Snowden on Tuesday
was married in February az Stockholm 10 the
daughter OF cigar manufacturer. The pair
were discovered by old man named Evans.
Duncan had in his hands heavy stone. while
his wife was living on the ground, her head
crushed and bleeding.
pUNcANs DEFENSE.
When Duncan was arrested he said that II be
had been left alone a minute OF two longer he
would have taken his own life. adding that il
was prearranged Plan between him and his
wife. From the position of the parties when
found this seems possible. Mrs duncan must
have lain still while her husband was inflictins
the injuries. as the stone or rock in his hands
was so heavy that he could not possibly have
welded II with one hand.
When the unfortunate woman was being con-
yeyed TO the farm house she tried 20 wave her
hands toward her husband with a gesture Of
horror. No weapon was found on Duncan's
person with which he could have committed
suicide, nor is any motive known for the crime.
DUNCAN CABLES FoR FUNDS.
Duncan has cabled 20 his brother Louis, In
Washington, to send him fl00 wherewith 10
defend himself from the charges against him.
Mrs. Duncan's cousin, who resides at Shelf
field, is now with her. The place where the
bride lay was a kind of bed-like recess between
two large rocks. The heavy stone with
which the prisoner battered his wifes
skull is wedge-shaped, eighteen inches
long, two inches thick and eight inches
broad at the widest end. There we're
marks on the rocks and on the stone that show
that many of the blows struck must have missed
their aim. while deep blood marks indicate that
others were more successful Duncan was
brought into court this morning. and after sub
hitting to the usual examination was COM
mitted for q week.
Mr.. DUScaS's CAREER.
Richard Coolidge Duncan is the son Of the
Rev. Thomas Duncan, an Episcopal minis
ter, who, at one time, had charge of Trinity
Church in this city. From here he went to
Baltimore and afterward to ulyria, Ohio,
when his health became impaired and he was
obliged TO give up his parish and come
to the eastern shore of Maryland, when he set
tied down at Earleville. Cecil county.
From his earliest boyhood Richard had been
delicate and on that account was petted by
fond parents, and he developed into a way
ward, headstrong man with a changeable dis
position and no stability at all about him. In
company he always retiring, modest and
little sought after, but TO those who knew him
well be was pleasant companion and exceed
ingly bright and attractive, but, when aroused,
his temper was of the most violent kind. At
the Lehigh University, where be graduated, he
stood first in every study, and while there he
developed a remarkable talent for inventing
mechanical devices, and the number of secret
locks, springs, &c, OF which his desk
always filled, was a source OF wonder 20 his fell
low students.
just before he went abroad and after he had
graduated he was employed by an electrical
company at a salary of q, 600 per year. For
the past three years he has spent most Of his
time abroad. making short visits every now
and then to the home Of his aunt, Mrs NJ. ID.
Bradley of 1858 3lst street. Georgetown. Dun
can was about five feet nine inches high, a de-
cided blonde, with large, expressive eyes, and
wore glasses. He is about twenty-four years
Of age
EVIDENCES or rNsANrTr.
His family wish to have it known that for
years they have been in constant anxiety owing
to his mental condition. Travel was recon-
mended by physicians, and il was in the hope
that he would be entirely restored that the
trip which has ended so disastrously was un-
dertaken.
DIR. Kempster, the expert upon insanity, was
seen by a STAR reporter and said: Three years
ago treated young Duncan professionally and
then discovered evidences of an unbalanced
mind, which might result sooner OF later in
some violent outbreak. /, at that time,
wrote a letter to his brother, who was
at Johns Hopkins University, telling
him plainly that this young man was in
sane and ought TO be at once placed under re-
straint 1 told him that there was every indi-
cation that his erratic tendency would culmi-
nate in an outbreak that would result in injury
to some one, and SO when 1 read in the paper
this morning the account Of his treatment of
the woman said to be his wife / was not at all
surprised.
He should have been put under restraint
three years ago, but the family disliked the idea
Of placing him in asylum and hoped that
travel would benefit him 1t was q mistake, ~
the result has shown"