New-York tribune., 1895-09-27
ROBERT AND MAGGIE FAIR.

| Both the Fairs are dead-Robert Fair and
Maggie. his wife Nothing strange in that, TO
be sure: people are dying every day. But In the
manner Of their death there something I'M
usual-somethDg, in fact. uncanny and horrible.
For Robert Fair. in a fit Of drunken rage, had
first killed Maggie, his wife. and then hmseiI.
A neghbor found them Wednesday morning III
! their own apartments at No. POI East lhir!-
| fourth-st, lying dead upon the floor.
Twelve years ago Robert Fair handsome
well-bult, athletic fellow. twenty-eght years olu'
who had lust received an honorable discharge
from the Royal Artillery after five years ser
vice. married Maggie O'Flaherty. bright anu
| comely school teacher in County Galway, Ire
| land Eight years ago they came to this couh-
| try. and three years later they took the apart
ments at No. POI East Thirty -fourth-st.. where
Wednesday morning they lay dead. TO those
who in the exercise of official functions or from
neipbborly interest. or morbid curiosity, visited
the scene of the tragedy on Wednesday morn
ing there appeared in all the belongings or 'he
| aportments. the furniture and household equip
ment. the books and pictures and bric-abrac' ana
| tho small trihes which go 80 far to define the
| character of the home they adorn-in all these
tbere oppeared the unmistakabe indications or
|
two things that had deeper signifcance things
| Tho. anneoIed 70 the tenderer sensibilitles. For
over the body of Robert Fair the murderer ana
suicide. hung the portrait Of his mother and on
table not far from where his victim lay was
the Bible that belonged TO Maggc's mother
Sharp contrasts these suggested between the
beginning and the ending Of the two lives that
! had just gone out.
No need 10 dwell on the story OF this traBeu!
or It's cause The story Is. unhapplly, too IA
mlllar: the moral trite. stale. worn OUT. III
briefest outline Robert Fair was SUCCESSFUL lh
business to such an extent that he was nDle ~
build up and adorn with simple taste nome
for himself aud Maggie. his wife. Ihat tehu'r
sentiment ruled the home the portrait OF one
mother and the treasured Bible or the o'her
sufficiently attest. And II could hardly have
been otherwise than that these conditions were
attended by mutual affection and Kindness ana
,he domestic virtues which ditfuse happiness
and sweeten toll. II seems such pity mat
Robert Fair could not have been content Win
this simple domestic life Such pity That no
had not sufficient strength Of character ai'er
he had become acquainted with the charms ana
attractions Of the poor mems CLUBS, 10 give
them only portion Of his time WITHOUT sacri'
dcng TO them both his business anu MS nome
II Is not the fault Of the poor mems cluDs' OF
course that they are so attractive that such
men as Robert Fair are drawn to them IRE
sstibly II was Just Roberts weakness mat
was ALL So the poor mems clubs Deng open
day and night seven days in the week oil The
wear round Robert succumbed TO their flSclna-
tlons lie drank heavily. Which was his own
fault, Of course. The poor mems CLUBS were
not responsible for that.
Then he began beating and abusing Maggie
when he went home. And Maggie -prouu-
spirited little Galway County woman-put her
hand over her mouth and stood and took II, ana
tried in a plucky way to make the n"lghbors
think that Robert was good-hearttd ana kihd'
only that sometimes when he had been drihK-
Ing he was irritable, and perhaps she wasn't
herself 50 consderate n she shOnld be-and all
that-ihe old old story. All. the sanity women
of all creatures and all things that enter hui
man consciousness. worthiest OF worship-who
sit IN WEAKNESS. terror and dread for the home
coming Of besotted husbands from poor mems
clubs" 10 be beaten and bruised, and who walk
! with the serenity OF self sacrifice amid II all.
with fingers on their lips Verify. the Lives OF the
! Saints are not in books. They have been lived,
but never written So Robert Fair. weak fel-
low unable 10 resist ltie va Po"'
mems clubs" became worthless. drunken
brute. Not that the clubs were TO blame. tie
was weak That was all And Tuesday night
he shot poor, faithful Maggie TO death They
found her lying by the table on which was her
mothers Bible Then he blew out Els own
brains They found him stretched out under his
mothers portrait. Neither of them had for a
| long time had any rest. For though there was
a law which provided one day of rest III seven
for tired and bruised bodies and for oyertaXed
brains it was not enforced. While the poor
mems clubs were constantly in his way aiN
| omen Robert Fair never gave his nuuuiei
| brain or his tired stomach rest. and Maggie had
no rest from beatings, bruises and wounds.
| Doubtless she wished many times that by some
! means a little rest could be afforded her; say
one day in seven. Poor creature. She did not
know that II would be an infringement OF per
sonal liberty tc enforce law already passed
the ostensble purpose Of which was TO afford
inst such relief But she is at rest now. and so
is Robert. The poor mems clubs will never
disturb either Of them any more.
And what suggestive coincidence ii was that
N inst thc time when the tragedy of Robert AMI
Maggie Fair was closing preparations were IN
progress for great demonstration in favor OF
keeping the poor mems clubs open day ana
| night every day in the week all the year round
| They are a necessity. of course But really
| couldn't We get along comfortably II they were
closed few hours each week, TO give such men
as Robert Fair little time TO think before com
hitting murder and suicide?
|
THE MILK-DEILERS COMBINATION.
| Tha combination Of SINNERS and wholesale