Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1895-06-13
SET FREE BUT TO DIE
A TRAGEDY INVOLVING THE RUIN o.
TWO YOUNG LIVES.

The Killing of Mrs. 0ositx and GibIin'
Part In History That Begins with TIVE
Lovers Hopes and Ends with - Fam
iy's Despair.
On white cot In the consumptive ware
of st. Luke's hospital lies young mar
who has been rescued twice from death on
tho gallows and only lately has been freed
from that living death, imprisonment foi
life. His freedom came In the form OF
full unconditional pardon, granted by
Governor Morton.
Six years ago tho Giblin case was quit,
celebrated, and the story OF the sad little
family that had come to such unutterable
woe was well known. The young father,
then only 20 years old, had como to this
country when boy of IA TO make for.
tune for his sweetheart, n slip Of a girl mt
a parish school In Ireland. He went
straight to Worcester, Mass, and got em.
ployment In a wire mill. He rose from
grade TO grade until he was employed In
the Office, where he proved clever ac-
countant. He staid there until a few
months before the tragedy Of his life be-
gan. Meanwhile his sweetheart decided
to emigrate. She arrived In Worcester and
went into tho service Of "a family with
whom she remained six years. At tho 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 the little
home where they set UP housekeeping.
They were much happier when a 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 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 bakers
shop to buy food for his family. He ten
dered almost his last note In payment.
The girl clerk said IL was bad bill. Glib
lin replied that then he could not take his
purchases, as he had not any change to
pay for them, and, pOcketing the bill, he
started to 60. The girl called him back,
saying she would show 1t to the people
next door, as she was not quite certain
that the bill was bad. She returned pres
emily, followed by the keeper Of the ad-
joining shop, Valentine Goeltz, brother Of
the baker Goeltz announced that he
lin insisted that his money be restored and
stoutly maintained that it was no counter
felt, finally threatening to call a police
man.
The alteration attracted half dozen
persons. There was scene of violence. A
pistol was drawn by one Of Giblin's antag-
onists. Giblin knocked 1t to the floor, he
and Nicholas Goeltz falling upon 1t in the
scuffle. 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 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
Goeltz, wife of the man struggling with
him, and inflicted 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 terminer, before the
court Of appeals, at 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. FL, 1880 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 It's 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-
brieve."
This was the second time Giblin had
stood close to death and been drawn back.
During the go 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 deathwatch 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
deathwatch began. 1t was the morning
Of what would have been his last day on
barth when the news of the Communication
Of the sentence arrived. A week later Glib
lin was taken to Sing Sing.
Mrs. Giblin, o slight, delicate creature
with dark, sorrowful eyes and wonderfully
Soft, heavy hair, was very pretty once, but
she was only . mournful little ghost Of
per former sef when, turning away from
the prison, she took up the burden Of her
desolate life, saying with pathetic bravery:
II have my two children TO support and
Chasley's pardon to work for"
She worked for both rs long as she lived.
The pardon was granted, but Mrs. Glib
i'm died last February. The physician who
attended her said:
Eve can call her malady consumption,
but this woman Is dying Of q broken
heart"
During the scven years Of her tribula-
tions she had benefactress and friend
who wore the white cross and worked "in
his name" When dying, Katie Giblin said
10 her benefactress: