The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-05-04
MOST ATROC|OUS CRIME,
The Acme Of the Horrible Reached
by Murderer In Chi
cago.
His Victim Hacked and Mutilated
Beyond the Semblance Of a
Human Body.
Tho pcrpetrat0r OF the Unnatural Deed
Says He Was Crazsd by tho
sightepf Blood.


district wan committed between five and
Blk O'Clock this evening in the homo of
Michael Walsh, at 344 Washburn avenue.
The victim was Mrs. Bridget Elizabeth
Walsh. Walsh left home for work as usual
this morning. leaving his vito following
her customary occupations. Walsh re-
turned home few minutes after gix
O'Clock. found the front door locked, and
forced IN entrance to the house through
the kitchen. Fire was burning in the
stove and the evening meal par
TALLY prepared. The appearance Of
the room attracted Walsh's attention
as being peculiar, and no started in search
Ct his wife, He searched through the
house and not finding her began to fear
aome harm had bcfallen her. Noticing a
strong and disaeresable odor from the bod
room. be returned there and made moro
minute examination. The room was
partially darkened, the window curtins
being lowered. He raised them and pile
Of rags met his gaze. The first piece Of
cloth he lifted was stained with blood. He
then threw the pile aside and there, on the
blood-stained carpet, was the nude body Of
his wife, si1ty-fve aashes, varying in
length from half an inch to foot, told the
story of death. That ltsoame only aftersa
violent struggle was shown by the dis
arrangement Of the furniture and the
splattering of blood
Not satisfied with killing his victim, the
slayer 80 horribly disfgured the corpse that
even Walsh could hardly realize that he
was gazing on the dead body of his own
head to her feet, there were cuts in every
conceivable direction. The wounds were
most numerous on the breast and lower
limbs, where the flesh was ripped and
hacked in places until the skin hung in
shreds. Along the upper part of the right
leg there was q cash over foot in length.
Along either side Of this wo und was row
Of smaller gashes, made with uniform
length, and evenly arranged, as if to give
horribly artistic finish to the work
Over each eve was a deep pash, another
beneatk#he right eye, another along tho
left cheek. and still another on the neck
under the chin. In the left breast, i'm
mediatelv over the heart. was pair of long
bladed shears that had been driven into the
flesh. Immediately under them was small
round hole resembling bullet wound, but
there was no trace of powder burns.
A broom that she had evidently
carried from the kitchen into the bedroom
had been broken, and the handle was
thrust through the entire length of the
woman's trunk from the lower portion to
the throat. Pieces of vital organs were
torn off and carried along by the blunt
wood and the mouth filled with mass of
blood and flesh. The broom handle had
been thrust up with terrible force, for the
wo1nnn's body was terribly torn and por-
tions of organs left lying on the floor. All
the wounds were evidently inflicted by the
shears. The edges were cat rough and
notohed. At the lower part of the trunk
was this especially manifest, as the flesh
was cut and torn.
For moment the sight of his wife's body
30 unnerved Walsh that he was unable to
act. Recovering himself he notified the
police. Upon arriving the police examined
the room where the body was found and
found on narrow bed three pillows COW
cred with blood. On the wall also were
great splotGhes and the bed clothing WAS
stained. The rags which covered the body,
among which also was Mrs. Walsh's cloth
ing, were saturated with blood. The police
made hasty survey Of the situation aud
traitor of the outrage. Their
efforts were rewarded, for within four
hours the self-confessed murderer was ar.
rested in the person of Thomas Walsh, 143
Washburn avenue, the dead woman's
nephew. Whom the prisoner was taken to
the station he acknowledged he was the
guilty party, and said he aud Mrs. Walsh
had been drinking together and he made
an impronar proposal to her. whereupon
she slapped his face. He drew his knife
and stabbed her. The sight of blood sud
denly drove him insane. with the result
that he mangled and tore the poor woman