The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-04
CARVED TO PIECES,
A Chicago Crime Rivaling the Exploits Of
Jack the Ripper.

CHICAGO, May "a most shocking
murder-and one which savors more of
uncivilized butchery than has occurred
for years was committed about O'Clock
this evening in the home of Michael
Walsh, at 3S4 Washburne avenue. His
wife, Bridget Elizabeth Walsh, met death
in manner that rivals, for cruelty and
horror, the fateS of the numerous victims
of the Whitechapel fiend.
At the usual time yesterday morning
Walsh left home to go to work. He is n
teamster in the employ of ]. Y. Farwell &,
Co. Contrary to his expectations, when
he returned home few minutes after
o'clock. he could not find mis- wife about
the house and made close search. There
was fire burning in the stove; the even
ing meal had been partially prepared, and
the cooking utensils were in their accus-
toned places. Scattered over the floor
were little scraps of newspaper, but Walsh
did not stop to examine them.
Continuing his search, he found the
dead body of his wife under a pile of rags
in the bed room. SiXty-five gashes, vary
ing in length from half an inch to foot,
told the story of IA death that had come
only after violent struggle, as was also
shown by the disarrangement of the furni-
ture and the spattering of blood. Were
there not evidence of human skill in the
mutilated remains it would be difficult to
believe that the crime was the work Of
man. Not satisfied with killing his VIC
tim, the slayer had so horribly disfgured
the corpse that even Walsh himself could
hardly realize at first that he was gazing
on the dead body of mis- own wife.
From the crown of the woman's head to
her feet there were cuts in every cOnceiva-
BILE direction. On her right leg was cash
over foot in length. Along either side
of this wound was row of smaller gashes
that had been made with the idea of regu-
larity. They were of uniform length and
evenly arranged. as if to give a horribly
artistic finish to the work. Over each eye
WAS deep cut; another beneath the rig hit
ear; another along the left cheek, and
still another on the neck under the chin
In the left breast, Immediately over the
heart, was a pair of long bladed scissors,
that had been driven into the flesh. I'M
mediately under them was a small round
hole, resembling such as would have been
made by bullet, but there was no trace
of powder burns. A broom that had 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 from the lower portion
to the throat. Pieces of the vital organs
had been torn off and carried along by the
blunt end of the wood, and the mouth
was filled with mass of blood and flesh
The broom handle had been thrust up
with terrible force. for the woman's body
was fearfully torn, and portions of the
organs were left lying on the floor
All of the wounds, it was evident, had
been inflicted by the use of scissors. The
edges of the gashes were rough and
notched, as if the body had been cut by
forward strokes.
For a moment the sight of his wife's
body so unnerved Walsh that he was un-
able to act Recovering himself. he noti-
fled the pSiice. In the room where the
remains were was narrow bed. On this
there were three pillows covered with
blood. On the wall, too, were great
splashes, and the bed clothing was stain
ed. The rags that covered the body,
which were the clothing she had worn in
the morning, for her body was nude when
found, were also dripping with blood
Within four hours after the murder of
Mrs. Walsh the self-confessed murderer
was arrested He is Thomas Walsh, the
dead woman's nephew. When taken to
the station house he acknowledged the
crime. He said that they had been drink
ing and that he made an improper pro-
poSal to her, whereupon she slapped his
face. He drew a knife and stabbed her,
and the sight of blood suddenly drove him
insane, with the result that he mangled
the poor woman as stated