The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1895-10-09
R0ACH'S desperate deed
Fired Two Shots Into His Nife's
Body, Then Killed Himself.
ROBINSON STREET THE SCENE
Roach Was Printer and Was Made Furi
Gus by Conduct of His Wifc-Dc.
clared Some Time Ago In Jail
lie Would Kill Her.

uC VOuI0 Mil ueT.
Driven to desperation by his wifes
waywardness, Edward p. Roach. a
printer, sent a bullet through his head
and killed himself instantly yesterday
afternoon, after having fired two shots
into her body with premeditated and
murderous intent. One of the bullets
penetrated the left side of the head an
inoh below the temporal bone. This
wound was a dangerous one, but the
second shot took effect in her left side,
midway between the heart and abdom-
inal cavity. 1t was not a dangerous
wound. and the bullet was easily ex-
fracted The surgeons at the Lacka-
wanna hospital, whittier she was
brought, made no attempt to probe for
the bullet in her head. 1t went along
the base of the cerebellum almost to the
opposite side, and is lodged near the
right eye
The tragedy happened Yesterday af-
ternoon at 4.30 on the sidewalk where
Ninth street cOnverges with Robinson
street, on the West Side. The couple
had just come out of Daniel A. O'Con-
nor's saloon, 149 Robinson street, and
were walking toward the central city
No sooner had they started down the
street than a quarrel arose. and when
they got about a half a block Roach
suddenly whipped the revolver from
the breast pocket of his coat. pointed
1t at his wife's head and fired The
bullet entered her left temple and she
fell prone on her face. She sent up a
blood-curding shrek of agony as she
went down. without waiting longer
then the time it required to take aim
at her PROSTATE form. he fired the sec
Ond time. and the third shot he sent
into his own head and fell dead in his
tracks. She arose on her hands and
knees. cropping toward her husbands
dead body, the blood flowing in streams
down her face. She remained in a
half-raised posture until assistance
reached her.
Blood Flowed into the Cutter.
Mrs. Roach, after she had been shot,
appeared to want to reach her hus-
bands body, which lay five feet away
on It's back, but the eXertion was too
great. The blood from the wounds in
her body and in his head gushed forth
on the sidewalk and flowed into the
gutter. The bullet that went through
Roach's head entered an inch above the
right ear and took a straight course
through the brain. coming out the same
was large enough to insert the first
finger. A 3S-caliber revolver was the
weapon used.
Patrolman Martin Gurrell was not
far away from the scene of the tragedy,
and he telerhoned for the ambulance
Mrs Roach was taken first into O'Con-
nors saloon, which she had left only
n few minutes before. She sat on 4
chair. supported on both sides. and
drank a glass Of water. She was con-
scious and talked freely but refused to
say what reason she thought her hus-
band had for committing the deed. The
Lackawanna hospital ambulance ar
rived at 3 o'clock. Simultaneously the
undertaking wagon of VI. F. Wymbs'
came and in it was placed Roach's
body, and II was taken to Mr.. Wymb's
morgue where 1t was later viewed by
Coroner ]. A. Kelley. A jury consist
ing of Mr.. Wymbs A. E. Vorhs. j.. Fl.
Call. John !. Philbin. Timothy Jones
and w. B. Prosser. was empaneled and
the inquest was adjourned until this
evening at 40, at the undertaking es-
tablishment. on Jackson street. when
the testimony of witnesses will be
taken.
Some Who Saw the Shooting.
"A street car was waiting on the Rob-
inson street switch. Motorman John
Lynch saw the couple come out of
O'Connor's saloon and watched them go
down the street. He heard angry
words pass between them and saw
Roach take the revolver out and fire
the shots.
Mr.. O'Connor, in whose saloon the
Roachs We're. said that II was about 4.15
when they came in. They took seats
III =,
aside for the accommodation Of women.
They had drink of beer each and went
out While they Were in the room no
alteration of any kind took place.
Both appeared to be perfectly sober.
He heard three shots a minute or so af
tarward. and some one rushed in and
told him that two persons were killed.
He went down and helped to carry Mrs.
Roach to his house so that something
MIGHT be done for her
The tragedy was the culm.nation of a
period of u,rarreling and pickering.
Roach came here about eighteen months
ago from the New England states and
about a year ago she came here and
Joined him. He worked In various
newspaper Offices in the city. On June
go last he and she came out of Center
street together onto Wyoming avenue.
AT the entrance to the Gas and Water
company's office he raised a heavy
cane he was carrying and dealt her a
blow on the head. Alderman Milkar
was on his way down from his office
and r,e caused Roach to be arrested for
the apparently brutal assault.
"A warrant was made out with her as
prOsecutriX and in default of bail Roach
was sent to the county Jail to await the
action of the grand jury. He was inn
prisoned until Sept. %. thirteen days
ago having been then released because
the grand jury ignored the bin, Mrs.
Roach failing to appear to prosecute.
Often Sworc lie Would Kill Her
Many a time while lin Jail Roach said
he would put an end to his wife when
he regained his liberty. for about four
days after he was committed to Jail she
was sent up fer twenty days from police
court in default of the payment of a
fine for being drunk and disorderly on
the streets in company with a male
companion. Since she got out of Jail
she led a fast life and plunged deeply
into riotous excesses. A few nights ago
she entered one Of the lunch wagons on
I.ackawanna avenue and tried to kick
everything upside down. Before a po-
liceman could be got she had escaped.
They were together all the afternoon