The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1891-09-21
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
Night Struggle and Narrow Escape
From Two Madmen.
Crazed by the Murder of His Children Des-
perate Father Pursues the Maniac
and Is Killed by Him.
About twenty years ago fearful crime

About twenty years ago fearful crime
was committed at c., small town near
Boston. The wife of a farmer named Dillon
and her children were cruelty butchered by
a mailman. The murderer, however, es-
capped, and. though well known in the lc-
cality, the police and citizens failed to dis
cover his hidine-place. 1t was said that the
terrible loss Dillon had sustained was driv-
ing him insane. He used to go from house
to house searching for Callagan, tile mad
man, and vowing an awful vengeance.
1t was about month after the murders.
was sitting by my Preside listening to the
wind bowling outside when / was aroused
by low, quick knock at the front door.
Opening it. l 5eheld standing on the steps a
half-naked. shivering creature. Pushing me
aside he crept toward the fire. First, how
ever, he closed the door and gaZed search
ingly around the room.
/ at once recognized Dan Calagan.
As / watched him he made sudden
spring from the fire and grasped me by the
throat. 1 felt my breath leaving me as
was dashed against the wall. L fell to the
floor nearly dead. 1 mnst have remained
unconscious for some time.
The first sight that met my opening eyes
is one | can never forget. In the middle of
the room stood two figures, their hands
grasping each others threats. their eyes
leaping madiy in their headsl a fearful
wound on one of their bodies and dagger
lying close by told of fearful struggle.
Two madmen-Callagan and the father Of
the murdered childTenl A wild laugh re-
sounded through the room, and then l saw
the head of Callagan go crashing into the
face of his antagonist.
Dillon fell to the floor instantly. and the
next moment the dagger was buried deep in
his breast. | quickly stood up and was
about to interpOse, when the mailman
rushed upon me with the bloody dagger
raised above his head ready to strike. had
no means of defending myself, nO- was
there any apparent chance of escape. But
l moved out of his way and eluded the
blows he aimed at me for short time. Sad
denly | stumbled over something, and fell
through the window. which must have been
broken by Dillon, into the street.
l heard the door opening, ana on getting
to the sidewalk l saw the mailman come
leaping down the steps. L made hastily for
the next street, the murderer after me. See
ing door open rushed into a hallway and
got into yard. For moment | considered
whether l could hold the door closed against
him, but seeing garden in the rear, which
rose as high as the first story, and which
was accessible by row of stone steps pro-
jecting out OF the masonry. let go the door
knob.
1t did not take me long to gain the top,
but the mailman was close at my heels. Just
then terrible idea came into my brain. /
waited for the murderer at the top, and as
lie was about to spring into the garden |
quickly showed him into the yard. He fell
on his head. breaking his neck.
As he lay there dying his fearful cries
awOke the PEOPLE in the house, and l can
never forget the awful scene to the end OF
my life.-N. Y. Record.