The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-02-26
AN INSANE WOMAN'S CRIME
Miss Julia Force, of Memphis, Shoots
Her Sisters, Florence and Minnie,
Then Walks to the Police Station and Asks for
PrOteetion-A Rejected Suitor Kills
Young Girl and Himself.

ATLANTA, Ga, Feb. 25.-This afternoon
Miss Julia Force, tw wenty -eiRht years of age,
shot and killed her two sisters. Florence.
thirty years of age, and Minnie, twenty
five years old. She then walked to the
police station and gave herself mp. saying
she had committed q crime and desired pro-
lection.
1t is believed that the woman is insane.
She has been considered irresponsible at
times, and had frequently threatened TO
kali members of her family. She says that
she has for year been writing out .
statement of the family troubles and
had just completed il. To-day when her
mother was absent from the house she
sent the servants out on errands. Then,
gong to the room where her sister Minnie
was sick In bed, she placed q pistol to her
right temple and shot her dead. Gong to
the kitchen, whore her other sister was,
she shot her in the same manner. None Of
the nelghbOrs heard the shots. Miss Force
locked the door aud went to tho police sta
ton as described. The bodies of the two
women were found by q brother to whom
her sister Florence was worse. In response
he went home to find the bodies Of his dead
sisters.
bonanza M.ckay IN No Danger.
San FRANCISCO, Feb. gb-Nothing of any
consequence developed to-day in connec-
tlOn with the shooting of John w. Mackay
yesterday by w. c. Rippey, the old man
crazed by misfortune. Rippey was con-
scious to-day, but too feeble to talk. In
response to questions hs would only move
his head languidly from side to side and
murmur some unintelligIble expression. 1t
hardly seems probable that Rippey csn sur
vive his self-inhicted wound. and ii She in
jury is to terminate fatally the end cannot
be very far distant. On the other hand,
the man whom the would-be assassin at
tempted to kill is thought by his attending
no danger. The Doctor paid several yisi is
to Mr.. Mackay to-day and dressed the
wound. II found" he said. that Mr.
Mackay had slept quite as well as could
have been expected. The wound looks very
healthy. Mr.. Mackay complains of con-
expected. Mr.. Mackay's grit has not de-
serted him, and be 10 In very good spirits
indeed. He would like to talk about the
affair, but We have forbidden il. No one
ants can see Mr.. Mackay, and no visitors
are to be allowed for several days yet"
One OF the curious features of the trag-
edy of yesterday was the letter which Rip
Dey leIb auuTcsscu TO morning news
paper. 1t shows plainly that he had
carefully planned his work. After dwell.
ing on the fact that he had always paid
his debts. and that he had lost $4,000 in
mining stocks, be added: Il have eowed
nv corn and have reaped tares, but the
man no sowed the tares l reaped. if he
don't harvest whirlwind it will simply be
because ! have neither nerve nor strength
to pull trigger. These men in Pine
street have driven me to desperation
II -
them all off the'face of the same city. They
have been the cause of more destitution.
more demented men. more suicides, and the
direct cause OF separation and destruction
of more happy homes than any body of
live"
A dispatch from Seattle. Wash. says:
Mrs. Bessie Rlppey. wife of Wesley {.
Rippey, who shot John w. Mackay. yester-
day, is a resident of this city. where she
keeps lOdginghOuse. She says she mar.
ried Rippey In Denver In 1876. Four years
later she was divorced from him. She says
Rippey while in Denver, was worth $3.50.
600. but lost it all by specializing in stocks.
He became so morose over his loss that she
couldn't live with him."
Shot His Sweetheart and Himself
GALVESTON. Tex. Feb. 25.-ThIs after
noon Frank Gilbough shot and killed Miss
Dora May Wsssam, then shot and killed
himself. Gilbough was twenty-six years
old, and was at one time employed in
the Gulf. Colorado g. Santa Fe general of.
fees. Miss Wassam was seventeen years
old, q daughter of q resident physician. II
seems GilbOugh has been an admirer oil
Mise Wassam for some months. and often
proposed marriage. Recently she gave him
assurance she could not become his wife.
Her parents had raised serious objections
on account OF the young lady's tender age.
To-day Gilbough went To the Wassam resi-
dence and inquired for the oupg lady. say.
ing: "Pye come to marry D0ra.o Mrs Was
sam informed him that Dora was not at
home. and. furthermore. he could not mar
~ her. Gilbough left the house. and short
ly afterwards met the young lady on the
street with a younger sister. He shot her,
then himself Both died almost instantly.
Gilbough had been acting strangely for
several days. and the act is ascribed to
temporary mental alteration.