The morning call., 1892-05-04
The Wife of Michael Walsh Of Chicago
Cruelty Butchered.
SIXTY.FIEE TERRIBLE WOUNDS MADE.
The CHASTITY Discovery Made by Her Husband on
Returning From His Days KOrk-The
Assassin Arrested.
Special to THE MORNING CALI

CHICAGO, May 3.-A murder that rivals
for cruelty and horror the fate of the
numerous victims in the London White
chapel district was committed between 5and
o'clock this evening in the home Of Michael
Walsh at 344 Washburne avenue. The
victim was Mrs. Bridget Elizabeth Walsh.
Walsh left home for his work as usual this
morning, leaving his wife following her Gus
t0mary occupations. Walsh returned home
few minutes after o'clock, found the
front door locked, and gained entrance to the
house through the kitchen. A fire was
burning in the stove and the evening meal
was partially prepared. The appearance
OF the room attracted Walsh's attention as
being peculiar. and he started in search of
his wife. He searched through the house
and, not finding her. began to fear that some
harm bad Defalen her, Noticing strong
and disagreeable odor from the bedroom,
he returned there and made 4 nore minute
examination. The room was partially
darkrned, as the window curtains were
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, STxtv-fve
gaShes. varying in length from half an inch
to foot long, told the story Of death that
came only after violent struggle, as was
shown by the disarrangement of the furni-
ture and the Splattering Of blood. Not sat
isied with killing his victim. the SLAYER so
horribly disfgured the corpse even Walsh
could hardly realize that he was gazing
on the dead body Of his own
wife. From the crown Of the wOman's
head TO her feet cuts were in every con-
III.
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 was
cash over foot In length; along either side
OF this wound was row of smaller gaSheS
made with uniform length and evenly
arranged, as If to give horribly artistic
finish to the work.
Over each eye was a deep cash, another
beneath tie right eye, another along the
lett cheek and still another on the neck
under the chin In the left breast, imme-
dlately over the heart, was a pair of long
biaded shears that had been driven into the
flesh. Immediately under them was a
small. round hole reSemblingia bullet wound,
but there was no trace OF powder-stains.
a broom that had evidently been carried
from the kitchen into the bedroom had been
broken and the handle was thrust through
the entire length of the woman'S trunk,
and pieces of the vital organs had been torn
off and carried along by the blunt end Of
the wood, and the mouth was filed with
mass of blood and flesh.
All the wounds were evidently inflicted
by shears. The edges of the cats were
nOtched. AT the lower part Of the trunk
WAS this especially manifest, where the
flesh was cut and torn. For a moment the
sight of his wlie'S body so unnerved Walsh
that he was unable to act Recovering him
self, he notified the police. Upon arriving
the police examined the room where the
body was found, and en- the narrow bed
were three pillows covered with blood. On
the wall also there were great splOtches, the
bed clothing was stained, and the rags
which covered the body. among which also
was Mrs. Walsh'S clothing, were saturated
with blood.
The police made hasty survey of the
situation and started on q search for the
perpetrator of the outrage. Their efforts
were rewarded, for within four hours the self
confessed murderer was arrested in the per-
son of Thomas Walsh of l43 Washburn ave-
nue., the dead w0man's nephew. When the
prisoner was taken to the station he acknow-
edged that he was the guilty party, and said
he and Mrs. Walsh had been drinking to-
gether and he had made an improper pro-
pOsal to neT. WhereupOn she slapped his
face. He drew a knife and stabbed her.
The sight of blood suddenly drove him in
sane, with the result that he mangIed and
tore the poor woman as related above.