San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-08-28
SHOT 1T ACCIDENTALLY, THEN
KILLED 1T DELIBERATELY.
DR.. ANDREW OMALLEY'S HEART
ACHING TESTIMONY OF
THE DEED.
His Wife Heard Burglars, Both
Were Nervous, Got a Pistol and
it Exploded-A Sad, Sad Case.
Murder at 2lO Matagorda street,"

MURDER at 2lO Matagorda street,!
This was the message that came into
police station early this morning.
A LIGHT reporter repaired to the place
while the police officers summoned JUS
the patrol wagon.
The reporter reached the house before
the coroner.
1t is story adobe double house,
fronting directly on the street, with an
awning in front and a gate for side en-
trance on the north end.
For the past three weeks the house has
been occupied by DR.. Andrew O'Malley,
his wife, their three year-old little
boy, Justin, Mrs. O'Malley's sis
ter and the doctors nephew, lad OF 10
years.
DR.. O'Malley is a young man of % years,
who came TO San Antonio one year ago,
for the benefit of his health, being a suf
ferer from consumption. The family
moved to Fort Stockton and had only re-
turned three weeks ago, and the doctor
began practicing.
This much the reporter learned as soon
as he made known his errand.
Interrogating the doctor, who was in a
very incoherent state OF mind, he asked
him who had been killed?
u killed my little boy" said he with a
sob.
Composing himself he related his story:
II came home about s or $50 last
night, in DR.. BENEFITS carriage, as he
had cal out this way. l had come from
supper prepared in the back hall. She
was very nervous about burglars, as we
have been kept awake for the past few
nights with burglars proving about our
side yard, the back yard. and even at the
front door. 1t has made both my wife
and sister-in law very nervous. One time
a man deliberately walked into our back
room and into our bed room and then
ran out again. Another one, a
few nights ago, tried to open the
front door, and when opened it Suddenly
he ran away as fast as he could. We have
hardly dared lay down to sleep.
Last night,my wife noticed, after | sat
down TO the table, that | was within
range OF the side door, which is of glass,
and was afraid some one would shoot me,
We moved the table into the front bed
room. Then she heard, or thought she
did, man in the chldren's room. | got
up and she insisted that take the pistol
Not only that, but that | must cock it. |
did so, opened the door and went In.
There was no one there hut the children,
and to convince her that the noise she
heard was only one of the children NOV
ing in their sleep, showed her that my
nephew had thrown his arm against the
door, which caused it to slightly close and
squeak.
"'Tll stop the squeak said |, and |
then poked my nephew with the barrel of
the pistol to make him move over and
also poked my little baby boy with 1t. All
of Sudden the pistol flew from my hand,
there was a report and ! realized that |
- II l. hy, 70 cal Iv, = Il
through the side. He screamed oh.
Papa, 1t hurts, and looked up at me. |
saw he was suffering and would die
horrible death. Ny only idea then was
TO relieve him of his Sutferings quickly
and picked up the pistol, cooked IL and
placing it at his forehead, fired to kill
him to relieve him of his pain"
During this terrible recital, the poor
man would pause, and wander off the
thread of his story. always coming back
where he left off. The strain to his men
tai faculties was very severe. Mrs. O'Mal-
ley remained In another room all the
time with her babe in arms. She seems
dazed by the awful catastrophe.
The body of the child was found, lying
on it's side, cold and stiff in death. 1t was
i'm the same position as when ii first
stirred after the first shot, its little fat
legs and arms thrown apart, as many
children love to sleep 1t had
not been touched since 1t had
received its death wound and but for the
large bullet hole In its forehead, direct
ly over the right eyebrow, would appear
to he asleep.
The bullet hole in its side was found
and two chambers of the pistol were also
found to be empty. The weapon was
cheap, large self-cocking Al calibre re-
voiver. The barrel had beeu
placed so close to the child's
curly, haxen hair as to cause
the flesh to lie powder
burned and some of the hair crinkled in the
flash.
Coroner Jones arrived soon after the
father had finished his narrative and
began taking Mrs. O'Maley's testimony
first.
Coroner Jones heard Mr.. James Cuffs
testimony:
He rented the house to O'Malley a
month ago. Heard a shot, but no excite
ment, last night and went to sleep again.
O'Malley had several times called him
over to point out burglars in the back
yard but he could see none. Monday
night he called me aud said: There he
is, don'tyou see him?" but | found none.
He told me he suffered between the eyes
and nose with poison and that he treat
ed himself.
DIR. Hines says he came from Mexico
recently and said he wanted to be ap-
pointed surgeon on the Gulf Shore
road. Last night he asked me
for pistol for protection from burglars
and | loaned him mine. This morning
between and o'clock he came to my
house and told me he had accidentally
shot and then killed his little boy and
saw the child was dead with two wounds