New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-13
WITH PISTOL AND RAZOR.
.. BROOKLYN SEXTON MURDERS HIS
WIFE
-.rrs LITTLE DAUGHTER THE ONLY WITNESS
srHE HORRIBLE AFFAIR-HE WAS INSANE
"A NEIGHBOR ALSO SHOT AT-TIIE

"A NEIGHBOR ALSO SHOT AT-THE
MURDERER ARRESTED
rsanas Holt sexton of the Episcopal Church
.A Atonement. at Fifth-ave. and Seventeen h
p,ooklyn murdered his wife last evening n,
,,sr home. No S6l Seveneenth-st He was
'%,,ntly insane at the time. and was not respon-
.hls for what he did. Holt is forty-nine years
"a and followed the business OF a photographer
a, addition ID being sexton of the church He
10 had nothing to do of late, the church being
,lossd and business slack. For a fortnight he
,.a acted strangely and appeared affected by
lamentations One Of his delusions was that
h,rglars were trying to rob him. and he armed
,nself with a revolver and a knife On Friday
hs went 10 the Fifth-ave. police station and told
rsnain Murphy that he wanted police protec-
ZION. He said his wife drugging him when
no was asleep and he felt the effect of the
doses she gave him. The captain assured him
that he could not be drugged when asleep. He
also said that there were men following him
a, night and hiding behind trees and lampposts
He was tod that he would be protected by the
police. and went h ome reassured
Yesterday morning he related 10 his family con-
ss,.ng OF his wife two sons. Thomas, eighteen
years old and Frank. sixteen. and a daughter,
10 him in a dream that bag of treasure was
hidden in the cellar of the house. After break
fast he took a spade and dug holes in the cellar
looking for ii until his persuaded him to de-
fer the work 10 some other day. Yesterday after
noon he worried again over burglars. and wanted
Ills son Frank 10 get some cartridges TO load his
revolver. The youth did so. After supper he
went ou. in the yard for smoke and his sons
went out for 2 walk.
Mrs Holt and her daughter were In the house
singing hymns at $50 o'clock when Mr.. Holt
suddenly entered brandish.ng revolver and
shouting that some one had shot him In the head.
His wife screamed and cried out I'm afraid papa
will shoot me- and as she did SO Holt fired
q shot which took effect in her left breast, and
another that penetrated the right breast. He
then took carving knife and tried to cut his
wife,s throat. As the weapon did not seem sharp
enough for his purpose he secured a razor and
drew II across her throat. cutting frighuul
cash Wounded to death the woman. weak from
loss OF blood staggered to the stairs and started
10 ascend them. and Holt fired third shot at
her which set her clothing fire.
The noise Of the deadly struggle aroused the
ne!ghbors, and Charles Wirth. OF No 1853 Seven
teenth-st. rushed into the house. He was trying
TO extnguish the burning clothing OF Mrs. Holt
when her husband saw him and fired a shot at
him. which led him To hastily run upstairs.
The madman did not follow him but ran into
the street brandshing his revolver. Policeman
McCoNern, or me lWeNlE-Sercnu ITSCE!Ct, was
at his home. No. 365 Seventeenth-st.. and heard
the commotion. He saw Holt with the revolver
and securing him with the aid Of his club. took
him TO the Eighth Precinct station. Holt was
morose and sullen, and would scarcely give his
name. The only witness of the terrible tragedy
was the little girl. who said that she and her
mother We're playing church when her father be-
gan shooting.
Holt has been highly regarded in the Church
of the Atonement and had served II as sexton
for several years. He began TO act somewhat
hre ITAIts,
vas Caroline and she about thirty eight
years old.