Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1896-02-27
THE SHOCKING ACT OF A. W. PAT
1ERSON.
AWFUL MIDNIGHT TRAGEDY
Both Victims Receive Bullets in the
Head-The Shooting Occurs After
Mills Meeting Happy H'emily,
and no Cause for the Deed Known
Except Possible Insanity.

A. w. Patterson shot his wife, Hat
tie, at IL O'Clock Monday night and
then turned the deadly weapon at his
own head and pulled the trigger. The
bullet struck him in the right temple
just back of the eye. Mrs. Patterson
gaping wound is just over and little
back OF the left eye. Both We're barely
breathing at a. M, and the attend
ing physicians, Drs l.. r. Head and
H. w. Evans, stated that they could
not live beyond a few hours at most
The cause apparently was temporary
insanity
They have apartments at e. e. Ste
vens', 202 North Carroll street, where
the murder ard suicide were committed.
All living in the house. except they,
had retired The household was
startled about midnight by several
shots Miss Jennie Patterson, an 49,
year-old daughter, was the first %
reach the scene OF the tragedy. She
found her mother lying on her back
in a pool of blood on the floor.
Kneeling at the led was her father.
In his hanos he clasped tightly the
little engine of death. His head was
resting on the bed Miss Patterson
fled from the sickening scene and went
screaming through the house.
Others of the household, awakened
by the shots, hurried to the Patterson
bedroom. John Thompson, Mrs. Eliza
beth's Browns eoachman, was the sec
ond one to enter the room. He took the
revolver from the gasping mans hands.
John Duff. ticket agent at the Illinois
Central depot, and A. Kroncke, also
roomers at the house, were soon on the
scene. Mr.. Kroncke telephoned the po-
lice and Officers Boyd and Shaughnessy
responded DR. L. r. Hand was first
summoned, but could do little to save
the life of Patterson or his wife. DR..
Evans was called later and together
they probed the bleeding wounds for
the fatal bullets, but with no success.
Patterson was fully dressed with the
exception of collar and shoes, slippers
taking the place of the latter. Mrs.
Patterson was in her night robe and
had evidently retired before being shot.
There is wound in her right arm. 1t
is thought that she threw her arm up
in front of her face while her husband
was firing at her and that one of the
bullets penetrated her arm and lodged
in her forehead The revolver, now in
the possession of the police, contains
four empty shells and one load,
or cartridge. The doctors can
find wounds inflicted by
only three bullets at most.
The cause of the awful tragedy was
evidently temporary insanity. Dr. G. II.
Hall, in speaking Of the deed said that
he had treated Patterson and that the
latter had admitted that he was not in
his RICH mind at times The doctor
is of the belief that Patterson was
crazy when he committed the murder
and suicide.
Patterson used to attend the univer-
sity years ago and he came back here
to give his children the benefit Of it
and the Madison public schools. He
has five ehildren-Albert % years
old, general and wholesale
merchant of harrisburg, Iowa; George,
attending the university: Jennie. in the
high school; and Allie and Hattie, the
latter IL years Old in the ward school.
Albert came to visit his parents
week ago and intended to return to his
home last evening. His father dis
suaded him FROM doing so, however, on
some slight pretext. The young man
is a bright business man and talked
freely of his fathers terrible deed.
Il have not the remotest idea why
my father did this awful act" he said.
He and mother, Mr.. and Mrs. Ste
vens, George and myself attended the
Congregational church in the evening
and heard Rev. b. Fay Mills. We all
came home in the best of spirits. At
ter getting home we chatted Tor a time
and George and myself retired 10 our
room Father came up TO our room
about II o'clock, perhaps and got the
Madison evening paper which he took
to his apartments TO read. He could
fa,. t4f,ro ae