New-York tribune., 1896-07-23
WOULD-BE MURDERER DIES.
A DRUNKEN ARTIST FATALLY SHOT
AFTER SHOOTING AT TWO OTHERS.

HIS WIFE SAYS THAT SHE ACCIDENTALLY
TURNED THE REVOLVER on HER HUs-
BAND WHEN SHE WAS TRYING TO
WRENCH IT FROM HIM.
George c. Lawrence photogravure artist
whose wife conducts a furnshed-room mousse a'
No 3IG Pcarl-st.. attempted to shoot her ana
a young man. John Halligan employed In the
house. shortly after noon yesterday. but in
struggle with his wife he himself was shot in
the head and died almost instantly. While
Lawrence's death is presumably accidental or
suicidal, there is air Of mystery surround
ing the tragedy. and the police are inclined to
believe that possibly Lawrence did not die by
his own hand. as they first supposed. Halligan
was slightly wounded in the breast. According
to his statement and that of Mrs Lawrence.
the revolver was accidentally turned against
Lawrence and discharged as she was trying to
Wrest it from him.
The house in which the Jawrences live is a
white two-story frame affair, In which General
r. S. DalSin died nearly twelve years ago. and
is now owned by D. s Robbins. The Lawrences
moved there last November and opened the
place for light housekeeping tenants and ROOM
ers. There are several families in the house.
Lawrence and his wife had ben married about
began to drink, and whenever intoxicated. which
was quite often. abused his wife. and threatened
to kill her. as he threatened others. He had
been employed by photogravure firm in New
York, but for the last two months did little
else but come home drunk and terrorize the
household About week ago Lawrence left
the house and took room in West Thirty
eighth-st New-York. He suddenly appeared
at his wifes house Tuesday evening. and after
picking up a quarrel with her, started away.
He was drink at the time.
Don't go away tonight" pleaded Mrs. Law
renee but the man brushed her aside and went
| out. Nothing more was heard of him until
about 12:45 yesterday afternoon. when he rang
the front door-bell Halligan answered.
WHERE THE MYSTERY BEGINS.
From this point comes the mysterious part OF
the tragedy Haligan says that Lawrence asked
for his wife. She was in a to the left OF the
hall. Halligan closed the front door and called
Mrs Lawrence. AS she came out, Lawrence
said to her. Il want TO John alone" at the
same time pointing to a room on the opposite
side Of the hall in the rear. Mrs Lawrence stood
| still. Hagan started to turn. and JUS: as he did
| so Lawrence. without a word OF warning. pulled
| a revolver and fired The bullet struck him and
| gancing from his coar-bone plunged into the
| ceiling Mrs Lawrence so Halligan says, was
standing between them. Just the shot
| fired she screamed and made jump for the
! revolver. There short struggle and Mrs.
Lawrence. according to her statement and Ha-
| gan's. in wrenching the revolver turned it
| toward her husband unintentiCrally. 1t went
| off, the ball entering his face under the left
nostrl and lodging in the brain. Lawrence fell
to the floor without a word. the blood streaming
he W. cd
| for an instant and then screamed. In the mean
time Charles S. Clifford. a lawyer, of No. 162
| Reade-st., NewYork, coming up the front
| steps. Clifford had been employed by Mrs Law
| renee, who was known to him Florence NJ
| Horton. to see about some injunction proceed
| ings against a NewYork woman to prevent her
| forecosing a chattel mortgage piano As
he reached the top step and rong the bell the
first shot rang out almost Immediately followed
by the second. At this instant Mrs. Lawrence's
voice rang out shrilly: Don't John Don't do
| that.
| Clifford opened the door. and the first sight
| that met his eyes the body Of Lawrence
stretched out on the floor Blood pouring
| from the wound in his head and collecting in
| large pool at the foot of the stairs. He saw Mrs
Lawrence standing near the body Of her hus-
band dazed and terrified Hallisan was ten
1
the steps to the Adams-st station and excitedly
| Informed the police that murder had been
| committed. In he mean time Mrs. Lawrence
| told Ialligan to run for a doctor, and then she
began walking up and down the hall wringing
her hands and crying: my husbands shot!
| My God what shall do
Several women in the house heard the shots,
ard ran from their rooms to see what the MAJ
/ ter was Mrs. Morrison. who lives on the first
floor front. opened her door at the second shot.
| and seeirg Lawrence lying at the foot OF the
stairs hastily closed and locked IL. After the
police and Coroner Coombs had taken possession
OF the place and began questioning the inmates,
| Mrs Morrison said she also heard Mrs. Law
rence's cry Don't, John. don't do that
! Captain Miles O'Reilly detailed Detectives Nc
| Cormick and Brady to take charge Of the case.
The officers had great difficulty in getting a
herent statement from Mrs. Lawrence She be-
| came hysterical and screamed and cried for
hours after the shooting Her story was sub
stantiated as heretofore told She did not,
however remember making the outcry credited
| TO her by Mr.. Mccormick and Mrs. Morrison.
She complained that her husband had fire.
| quenty beaten her and threatened her life.
"Once he threatened to stab me-" she said.
land frequently he has threatened to shoot me
| but never paid any attention to him, as did
| not believe he would ever carry them out. once
he struck me with chair. He has not contrib
| uted anything TO my support FOR years. The
| shooting was all an accident"
| HALIIGAN'S STORY.
John Hagan. when questioned by Detective
| Mccormick said that he had never had any
| trouble with Lawrence. His story Of the shoot
| ing agreed with the story told by Mrs. Law
renee Halligan however. was i'll at ease, and
al times appeared not TO know Just what to say;
! He denied that he had weapon OF any Kind
with him when Lawrence came in
Are YOU sure" asked Detective Mccormick.
that you never had any trouble with Lawrence,
or was he never jealous Of you?
"Neycr" was the reply. Lawrence frequent
lv threatened to shoot me, as he had others, when