The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1893-08-29
Said to Be Partly Responsible for
andrew Gibson's Insanity.
EXPECTED TO Be MURDERED.
The Mans Previous Actions We're Of y
Very Queer Characteristic story of
the Insane Murdsrer's wife Told
Frankly aud Freely.

FALL RIVER, Mass, Aug. 29-AH de-
velopments in the murder of Charles H.
Connor closed with the death of the In
sane murdefer, Andrew Gibson. There
was abso lutely no rational cause for the
murder. Gibson had been suffering from
nervous prostrstion, which resulted In in
sanity. He had suffered from attacks Of
temporary insanity before About ayear
ago he tried to drown himself, but was
prevented from doing. 20. Again he ID
said to have chased his wife with q shot
gun. The gun was not loaded, and he
contented himself with swapping caps at
her.
Saturday his mind gave way under the
strain Of nursing an invalid wife day and
night and became insane. His mania took
the form of expecting some one to come in
and murder him. and when. in answer to
Mrs. Gilson's cries for help, Charles II.
Connor hurried up the stairs, he met the
insane man on the landing, armed with a
razor and prepared to defend himself from
what he surprised to be the attack Of an
assassin. His
First Blow Reached Its Mark.
When he saw Connor fall under the fatal
wound he partly realized what he had
done, and, rushing out, he inflicted upon
himself wound, from which he died,
after lingering six hours.
After being taken to the hospital the
murderer was rational upon all points ex
cept the one of cause for the murder. In
reply to questions upon this point his only
answer was that George killed Jim and
Harriet Holden, and he was going to kill
me-" This he repeated over and over
again as long as he was strong enough to
talk. He had known Connor, he said,
for seven years, but he did not know 1t
was Connor whom he had killed.
Mrs. Gibson told readily what little she
knew about the murder. Her husbands
name, she said. was Andrew Gibson, and
he was 46 years of age. He was born In
Lancashire, Eng, and came to this country
when young man. He was weaver
and loom fxer. and In these employments
he engaged here. After coming across he
was married to young woman of his own
nationality, who afterward died. Mrs.
Gibson said that she was his second wife,
and she is his senior by between 10 and Is
years. She had been previously married.
and has a married daughter nearly 30
years OF age.
Mrs Gibson IL IN Invalid
,,nd her illness has made her appear even
older than she is. She Is almost helpless
and her husband has had the care of her.
They had no children and Gibson had
none by his first marriage. Gibson was
naturally Of very nervous temperament,
and a very little drink would greatly effect
him. For some time before the tragedy
he had not drank anything intoxicating.
In relation to the murder Mrs. Gibson
said: my husband worked as a loom
fixer in the Stofford mill. Thrre weeks
ago he left his place to take care OF me,
for / was very weak and could do nothing
Cor myself He tended me night and day,
and became completely worn out. He
was a man OF good habits, and when he
was in his right mind never did anything
out of the way. Three days ago he COM
planned that he had bad headache and
went to see DIR. George s. Eddy, who
found that be was suffering from nervous
prostration. He had been acting rather
queerly, and
Saturday He Grew Worse.
''He went to bed after 10 o'clock, but
did not remain quiet aud got up in few
minutes to go to the door, where he said
that someone was making a noise At IL
o'clock he got up again and went to the
door. Then he began to walk around the
room, and became frightened and went
to the window and called out. sew
man passing, and called to him TO tell
Johnnie to come over, for / wanted help
Johnnie is John Doyle, who keeps the
saloon at the corner. ~
II heard someone coming up the stairs,
and when called for a light lit the lamp.
heard some one groan and fall. There
was not much noise, and was II
Too Weak and frightened
to go out and see what the groan was and
what had become of Andrew. --~~- j. 1
III went out Of the ward and saw some
blood on the stairs, but d not see any
one there. did not see Co or at all and
knew nothing about hin till someone
came here and told about his being killed.
Andrew had on nothing but his shirt when
be went out I did not see him again"
Charles p. Connor was 80 years OF age
and married. He was born In this city
and always lived here. He was a young
nan of good habits and well liked by all
who knew him. His father, Dennis Con-
nor, died several years ago. and since then
Charles has been the sole support of his
aged mother. He has been employed In
different provision stores rs clerk, and
after leaving his last he secured employ
ment with James Keely as a teamster,
driving horse and cart at the city's stone
crusher.