The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-09-07
WEST SIDE EVENTS.
History Of an Unfortunate Family Re.
called by the Arrest Of One
of Its Members.

Eighteen years ago the family Of
Thomas Williams lived on the West
Side. Now. 1t is broken up by deaths
and the misfortune of the members, and
it's interesting history was recalled on
Saturday morning when Maggie Will
liams, one Of the children, was arrested
and lodged in the West Side station
house on charge of vasrancy.
This Maggie Williams was the only
daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Will
liams. The family formerly lived on
North Hyde Park avenue, but suddenly
a blight fell over the home and the then
growing Hyde Park was startled with
some peculiar happenings. The parents
indirectly accused a West Side young
man. who is now living, of the betrayal
of the daughter The case was aired
for a time, but nothing in the way Of
prosecution was done.
A few weeks after the birth of the
child the body of Thomas Williams was
found in the Mount Pleasant ravine.
When the discovery was made the
corpse was yet warm and life was not
quite extinct. Bruises about the head
and chest showed foul play, and this
theory was enforced by the actions of
the almost lifeless man, who muttered
a few times and then died. People who
were near him when he breathed the
last aver that Williams said that he
could identify his assailant If he could
again see him. He mentioned no names,
however.
The CONSERVATION that the death of
Williams created is still remembered by
- 80 I,
"He was surely mrdered," said an old
timer, as he rehearsed the case to a
Tribune reporter yesterday; civilians
had his enemies and 1t is crying shame
that nothing was done to ferret out his
assailant. But the matter was dropped"
Another incident is told of in connection
with the tragedy. When Williams left
his home he did so at the command of
his wife, who had quarreled with him.
She told him to go were he had been
to a salOon-and he never returned.
Left without a supporting head. the
widow and her daughter Maggie, whose
child was still living, removed from
Hyde Park avenue to North Main ave-
nue., where they opened candy store in
the old four-block house opposite to
where Clarke Bros stores now are.
This four-block house was afterward
torn down and the lot is now vacant
1t was while keeping this candy store
that another fatal accident happened.
Maggie Williams child, boy, was six
years old when, one day, he fell into a
we'll and was drowned.
Soon after this the girl went to Taylor
to live and afterward made trip to the
west. Her mother followed her and
died out there. While in the west, Mag
gle married man named Patrick Sheri-
dan and six years ago while Sheridan
was working in the coal mines at
Streeter, ILL.,. he had his hand crushed
by fall" and his right arm was ampu-
tated below the elbow.
After this accident Sheridan and his
wife became tramps., On Friday they
reached Hyde Park, which Maggie had
not once seen since she left for the west
eighteen years ago. They had been
here but few hours when Officer Saul
arrested them in the Scranton street
section. In police court they We're dis
charged. The woman is not altogether
bad looking, but she shows the effects H
hard life.