The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-07-17
SET FREE, To DIE
A TRAGEDY INVOLVING THE RUIN or
TWO YOUNG LIVES.
The Killing Of Mrs. Goeltz and GiblioI
Fart In history That Begins With Twd
Lovers Hopes and Ends With a Fam.
uy's Despair.

uys despair
On a white cot in the constructive war
OF st. Luke's hospital lies young maj
who has been rescued twice from death OF
the gallows and only lately has been free'
from that living death, Imprisonment TO
hfe. His freedom came in the form Of
full, unconditional pardon, granted b!
Governor Morton.
Six years ago the Giblin case was quit.
celebrated, and the story of the sad little
family that had como to such unutterablt
woe was well known. The young father
then only 25 years old, had come to thi,
country when a boy of IA to make for.
tune for his sweetheart, slip of girl a,
parish school in Ireland. He went
straight to Worcester, Mass, and got en-
ployment in wire mill He rose from
grade TO grade until ne was employed In
the office, where he proved a clever &C.
countant. He staid there until a few
months before the tragedy of his life be-
gan. Meanwhile his sweetheart decided
10 emigrate. She arrived in Worcester and
went into the service of a family, with
whom. she remained six years At the end
of that time the boy and girl had each
marry. The good wishes of friends and
employers went With them to the little
home where they set up housekeeping.
They Were much happier when son was
born, and they grew ambitious. They came
to New York TO live expecting to make
more money.
The best recommendations from his OLD
employers could not procure work for the
in dull II
funds vanished. Mrs. Giblin fell ill Day
after day the husband tramped New York
and Brooklyn seeking employment.
One night Giblin went into a bakers
shop TO buy food foT his family. He ten
deTed almost his last note in payment.
Tie girl CLERK said 1t was bad bill Glib
lin replied that then he could not take his
purchases dis he had not any change to
pay for them, and, pocketing the bill, he
started to go. The girl called him back,
saying she would show it to the people
next door, az she was not quite certain
that the bill was bad. She returned pres
ently, followed by the keeper of the ad-
Joining shop, Valentine Goeltz, brother Of
the baker. Goeltz announced that he
would not return the bill to Giblin Glib
lin insisted that his money be restored and
feit, finally threatening to call police
man.
The alteration attracted half dozen
persons There was a scene of violence A
pistol was drawn by one of Giblins antag-
onists. Giblin knocked it to the floor bs
and Nicholas Goeltz falling upon it in tie
scufflc- Giblin, the under man, felt his
hand against the pistol as they struggled
there a eli oh of frat nd L
from fasting. The sight of one eye had
been destroyed years before, and blood
from wound on his forehead was trio
king over the other. His fingers clutched
the revolver, and he fired several random
shots The last shot struck Madeline
Eoeltz, wife of the man struggling with
him, and inflicted wound from which
she died the next day. She was standing
10 the background watching the fray.
Glblin nev6r saw her until he was taken
tnto her presence for Identification just be-
fore her death.
On the way 20 the station house, in the
courtroom of Jefferson market, before the
court of oyer and terminer, before the
court of appeals, at the reference before
Bernard J. Douras, through all the weeks
Rnd months and years which have elapsed
since his one tragic act, Giblin has always
told this one tale.
Giblin was sentenced To be hanged on
Aug. q, 1889. Giblin' young wife passed
most of the days near the spot where her
husband was passing what she believed
were the last moments of his life There
Were two children in her arms, for girl
had been born seven months after its ia
ther was imprisoned. Then came a mes
sage from Governor Hill: No man shall
be railroaded TO the gallows while am
governor of New York. Sixty days re-
prieve -
This was the second time Gibliu had
stood close to death and been drawn hack.
During the 90 days the reference was
had. When they We're almost ended, the
referee had not completed his report. Again
Giblin heard the builders erecting the gal
lows, and again the deathwatch was set
AT the eleventh hour another respite came,
end 80 days more were given him. Then.
for the third time, Giblin was placed in
the death ward, and for the third time the
de;.thwatch began. 1t was the morning
ri what would have been his last day OF
farth when the news of the communication
" the sentence arrived. \ week later Glib
lin was taken 10 Sing Sing.
Mrs. Giblin, "A slight, delicate creature
with dark, sorrowful eyes and wonderfully
soft. heavy hair, was very pretty once, but
she was only q mournful little ghost Of
her former self when, turning away from
the prison. she took up the burden of her
deSolate life, saying with pathetic bravery
Il have my two children To support and
Charley pardon TO work for. "
She worked for both rs long as she lived
The pardon WAS granted, but Mrs Glib
lin died last February. The physician who
attended her said:
We can call her malady consumption,
but this woman is dying of broken
heart
During the seven years of her trihula-
tions she had a benefactro6s and friend
who wore the white cross aud worked in
his name" When dying, Katie Giblin said
to her hcnefactresS:
Promise me To try foy Charley's par
don
But he is i'll, and the prison doctor
saws there is no hope. II he is released
after you are gone. Will II not be worse for
him than to remain:
NO: promise me- entIeat you, plead
ti the diving woman. My husband Is an
Innocent man. and I cannot rest if my
.hildren's faiaer is 10 die IN prison. Prom
ise-promiSe.
The promise was given. Mrs. Berry
fulfilled it faithfully. She saw the district
attorney. Judge Barrett and several 9th
Frs. whose influence was lent cheerfully
when once they understood how injustice
had been done. Giblin had been two years
in the prison hospital, and DR.. Irvine the
resident physici an. gave no hope OF his re
coyery under any conditions, although, he
-a;i -b,r, ,,,iyht h. some irnpr0yement II