The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-29
BIGELOW WAS CRAZY
AMY THILLs SLAYER CONFINED IN A
MADHOUsE SEVERAL TIMES.
of the Actor and Actress-What
Miss ThilPs Mother Says.

NEW YORK, March 2S.-That the murder
of Amy Thill and the suicide of her slayer,
John Bigelow, were the work of mad
man is made more certain by the state
ments to-day of John Holden, an intimate
friend of Bigelow's. Holden says that Bige-
low has been in insane retreats at least five
times within the last ten years. The last
time Bgelow was in a lunatic asylum
in the fall of 1892, when he spent some time
in a retreat at Hartford. He has also been
several times in Bloomingdale. His insan-
ity, in the belief OF Holden, is the result
of severe attack of Roman fever, which
he contracted when two-year-old baby in
Rome. This fever is often followed by a
weakening of the brain, which brings on
periodical attacks of insanity. In John
Bigelow's case these attacks were usually
hastened by the free use of tobacco and
stimulants.
In a notebook found on Bigelow's body
there was a pass for the Harlem Opera
House, made out In the name of Miss
Thill. 1t was dated March 20. There was
also an identification card which read: Go
ing to New York, March. 1857 height, 5
fee feet 1ola inches; weight lso pounds; hat.
read:
My darling sweetheart Jack. Au revoir.
A number of pawn tickets were found in
his pockets
The autopsy on the remains showed that
Bigelow must have been insane when he
committed the deed. A clot of blood was
the opposite side of the head from where
the bullet entered and it had been there
% h tine he autopsy bra on the the body body OF
improper relations between her and Bige-.s
low. The statement that a trunk fouEd in
Miss Thilfs room belonged to Rgelow was
denied to-day by Miss Leonora Bradley, an
actress now playing in a company through
the smaller cities of the State, and who
came to the city when she received the
report of the murder. She said the trunk
belonged to her. Miss Bradley said she adj
vised Amy to get rid of Bigelow as she
was afraid he might do something rash.
Amy, she said told her that sffe. too was
afraid of Bigelow, and that she intended to
go to Minneapolis as soon as she could ar
range her affairs.
Miss Mary Thill sister of the murdered
girl arrived to-day from Erie, Pa She
found awaiting her number of letters of
coincidence from artists for whom she and
her sister had posed. 1t was learned that
friend had gone to one of the family of
the murdered girl and told of Bigelow's
mental condition and his Incorporate hab-
it's, and urged that Amy be warned against
him. When Amy was told of this her SYM
pathies were aroused. Bigelow was with
out employment and she said she could not
drive him away. Bigelow's attentions to
Miss Thill had for some time been cause
sions he went to her room in her absence
and took possession of it. Finally. to pre-
the girl adopted the practice of locking
the room whenever she went out, and gave
the hOuSekeepef orders InaL b1SeiOW was
not to be allowed to enter the room unless
she was there.
The body of Amy Thill was placed in a
black cloth casket. with silver trimmings,
to-day and preparations were made for its
shipment to Minneapolis. 1t was taken to
the Grand Central Depot in time to catch
the o'clock train for the West. Mary Thill,
one of the sisters of the dead girl, accom-
panied the body. The departure was made
Quietly. and few persons knew that the
casket containing the remains of the dead
girl were on the train. The body of the
f1,ar s.ri,.n ir,a1 in he ya apady
low has been embalmed and placed in a re-
ceiving vault. Up to s o'clock tonight no
communication had been received from any
members of the dead actors family regard
ing the disposition of the body.