St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1893-08-21


CHICAGO, Aug. 20.-Crazed by LIQUOR,
Douglas Curtis, switch thrower in the
employ of the Western Indiana Rail-
way company. made desperate and
successful attempt at murder and sui
eide at his home in Auburn Park today.
He shot and instantly killed his seven
year-old daughter Leslie, as she slept in
bed with her mother, and then, placing
the muzzle of the weapon close to his
wife's head, he sent bullet crashing
Into her brain. Satisfied that he had
killed both, and deciding that with
them gone life was not worth living, he
stretched himself on the floor beside
the bed, and, placing the muZzle of the
weapon in his mouth, sent a bullet
through his brain. Death for him was
instantaneous. His little daughter
never moved from the position she oc-
cupied when shot. But Mrs. Curtis,
bleeding from ragged wound in her
head, staggered from her bed and apart
ments to another room in the house,
from which place she was removed to
the Mercy hospital by the police. The
hospital physicians tonight could not
say whether she would recover or not.
The Terrible Affair
mad been deliberately planned Curtis
started out on spree about three weeks
ago. The little. money he had laid by
for rainy day was soon dissipated.
When it disappeared it did not lesson in
any particular his desire for drink. He
left his family in deep distress. without
any money to purchase food. and de-
pendent wholly upon the kindness OF
neighbors. Mrs. Curtis spoke of the
condition of affairs to her husband some
days ago, during a temporary period of
comparative sobriety. 1t seemed to
affect him greatly, and he promised to
do something to bring his family from
the pitiable condition into which they
had fallen on account of his conduct.
But the unfortunate Curtis. if he in
tended to make an effort to reform,
seems to have forgotten it when away
from his wife's side. The next man to
whom he spoke about his actions
was Samuel Leper, who lived
across the hall from him. 1t was
a conversation Numerically opposite
to that he had held with his wife.
From his pocket he drew revolver
and said: II am going to kill myself,
my wife and Leslie" Curtis arose
about O'Clock this morning. and went
into saloon close by for his morning
drink. He took several, and his mood
changed. He waited about moment
and then left the saloon with nervous.
unsteady step. Everything shows that
from this point he had at last intended
to murder his family and himself. He
walked up stairs and let himself into
his own room. Pulling off his shoes,
his coat and vest, he drew chair to the
washstand and wrote the following
note:
His Last Letter.
Please notify John F. Craig, No. 10 North
Fifth street, Keokuk. 10. ; also Myran Curtis,
La Norpe, Hancock county, III. Cause, adj
versity. DOUGLAS CURTIS
He drew revolver from his pocket
and crept into the room where his wife
and daughter were sleeping. The
crazed man reached across the bed and,
thrusting the muZZle of the revolver
close to his daughters mouth, he pulled
the trigger. The bullet went crashing
into the child's brains from the revolver,
which was held close enough to burn
the flesh. The terrible thing bad done
its work well. killing the girl Instantly.
The shock had III a measure unnerved
the murderer. With the report his
hand trembled and ha fell forward
across his wife. Though slightly deaf,
the stunning report and the heavy
weight of her husband across her in the
bed awoke her, and she struggled to get
free. AS she turned from him in her
efforts to get up, ne placed the muZZle
of the pistol to the back of her head.
There was fash. report, and smoth-
cred groan. and she fell back on the
bed unconscious. though not dead.
Then, cooking the revolver with his
left hand, he placed the muZZle close to
his own head and pulled the trigger.
Death was instantaneous. 1t was some
moments after the last shot had been
fired that Mrs. Curtis blindly staggered
from her blood-soaked bed, reached the
door. and, descending to the floor be-
meath. walked into Mrs. Warehouses;
apartments. "Glve me drink, am
shot," gasped the wounded woman.
Mrs. Whitehouse led Mrs. Curtis to her
own bedroom and sent for police Off
Ger and physician. When the latter
arrived they found Curtis and his
daughter dead and Mrs. Curtis uncon-
scious. She was at once removed to st.
Luke's hospital. and the bodies of the
dead were removed to the morgue and
prepared for the coroner's inquest,
which will be held tomorrow. Mrs. Cur
tis' relatives live at Keokuk, 10. Her
father is w. B. Ray. of that city. He is
said to be quite wealthy.
DOWN WITH POLICEw