Bennington semi-weekly banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 1894-1902, 1895-06-14
SET FREE BUT TO DIE
A TRAGEDY INVOLVING THE RUIN OF
TWO YOUNG LIVES.
The Killing of Mrs. GOeltz and Giblin's
Part In history That Begins With Two
Lovers Hopes and Ends with a Fam
ily's Despair.

On white cot in the consumptive ward
of st. Lulle's hospital lies young man
who has been rescued twice from death on
the gallows and only lately has been freed
from that living death, Imprisonment fol
life. His freedom came in the form of a
full, unconditional pardon, granted by
Governor Morton.
Six years ago the Giblin case was quito
celebrated, and the story of the sad little
family that had come to such unutterable
woe was well known. The young father,
then only % years old, had como to this
country when a boy of II to make a for
tune for his sweetheart, slip of n girl ut
q parish school in Ireland. He went
straight to Worcester, Mass, and got en-
ployment in o wire mill. He rose from
grade to grade until he was employed in
the office, where he proved n clever &C
countant. He staid there until few
months before the tragedy of his life be-
gan. Meanwhile his sweetheart decided
to cmigrate. She arrived in Worcester and
Went into the service of family, with
whom she remained six years. AT the end
of that time the boy and girl had each
saved little money, and they decided to
marry The good wishes of friends and
employers went with them to tho littlo
home where they set up housekeeping.
They were much happier when a son was
born, and they grew ambitious. They camo
to New YorL to live, expecting to mako
more money.
The best recommendations from his old
employers could not procure work for tho
man in those dull times. Their small
funds vanished. Mrs. Giblin fell i'll. Day
after day the husband tramped New York
and Brooklyn seeking employment
One night Giblin went into a bakers
shop to buy food for his family. He ten
dcrad almost his last note in payment.
The girl clerk said it was a bad bill Glib
lin replied that then he could not take his
purchases as he had not any change to
pay for them, and, pockcting the bill, no
started to go. The girl called him back,
saying she would show it to the people
next door, as she was not quite certain
that the bill was bad. She returned pres
entity, followed by the keeper of the ad
joining shop, Valentine Gocltz, brother of
the baker. Gocltz announced that he
would not return the bill to Giblin. Glib
lin insisted that his money be restored and
stoutly maintained that it was no counter
felt, 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 Giblin's antag
onists. Giblin knocked it to the floor, he
and Nicholas Goeltz falling upon it in the
scuille. Giblin, the under man, felt his
hand against the pistol as they struggled
there. He was slight of frame and weak
from fasting. The sight of one eye had
been destroyed years before, and blood
from a wound on his forehead was trio
king over the other. His fingers clutchcd
the revolver, and he fired several random
shots The last shot struck Madeline
Goeltz, wife Of the man struggling with
him. and inflicted n wound from which
she died the next day. She was standing
in the background watching the fray.
Giblin never saw her until he was taken
into her presence for Identification just be-
fore her death.
On the way to the station house, in the
courtroom of Jefferson market, before the
court of oyer and tcrmincr, before the
court of appeals, ut the reference before
Bernard j. Douras, through all the weeks
and 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 p, 1889. Giblin's 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
thcr was imprisoned. Then came a mes
sage from Governor Hill: "No man shall
be railroadcd to the gallows while am
governor of New York. Sixty days re-
pricve"
This was the second time Giblin had
stood close to death and been drawn back.
During the 60 days the reference was
had. When they were almost ended, the
referee had not completed his report. Again
Giblin heard the builders erecting the gal
lows, and again the dcathwatch was set.
AT the eleventh hour another respite came,
and 80 days more were given him. Then,
for the third time, Giblin was placed in
the death ward, and for the third time the
dcathwatch began. 1t was the morning
of what would have been his last day on
earth when the news of the Communication
of the sentence arrived. A week later Glib
lin was taken to 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 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
81 have my two children to support and
| Charlcy's 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:
1--WE can call her malady consumption,
but this woman is dying of n broken
| heart"
During the seven years of her tribula-
tions she had a bencfactress and friend
who wore the white cross and worked Gin
ais name" When dying, Katie Giblin said
to her bcncfaotress:
"Promisc lne to try for Charley's par
DON"
"But he Is III, and the prison doctor
says there is no hope. If he is released
after you are gone, will it not be worse for
him than to rcmainY
"No; promise me, I entreat you," plead
ed the dying woman. "My husband is an
innocent man, and 1 cannot rest if my
childrcns father is to die in prison. Prom
isc-promise."
The promise was given. Mrs. Berry
| fulfilled if faithfully She saw the district