The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1897-11-02
MURDER AND SUICIDE
Edward Hamilton of Wor-
Cester, Shoots His Wife,
!. His Children and
Himself.
THREE WILL PROBABLY DIE
Insanity Said to Have Prompted
His Act-Details Of the
Crime.

WORCESTER, Mass, Nov. 2, 1s97.-Ed-
ward Hamilton, for twenty-five years an
employee of the Worcester County 1nsti-
tuition for Savings. this morning shot ana
killed his wife and one child and fatally
wounded another child. The murderer
then shot himself, with probably fatal re-
suits. Hamilton and the two wounded
children were removed TO the City Hos
pital.
The shooting occurred at Z O'Clock this
morning at Hamilton's residence. No. 81
William street. Hamilton had been IN
i'll health for a few months past, and had
suffered from neuralgia. He had praeti-
callv lived on opiates for a number of
weeks, and is supposed to have suddenly
become insane. Fl
1t appears that the only witness to the
tragedy was the domestic employed in
the Hamilton household. AS soon as the
news of the tragedy was reported to the
police, officers We're sent to guard the
house, and Inspectors O'Day stone
were detailed on the case.
The servant girl was at once conducted
to Police Headquarters, and was clos
eted for over an hour with Chief of Po-
lice brennan.
Liz a 4AFNo
street up to a few days ago, when they
removed to William street.
Mr.. Hamilton was married about seven
years ago to Katherine Long, a profess
sionaI nurse, who had nursed him during
a severe illness from pneumonia Their
married life had always been regarded
as a happy one, and they were blessed
with two children, a girl, Katherine Pres
GOOD ah0,,% 4hran n,nd q hnU Ed
ward Prescott, about one and a half years
old.
1t was difficult to get at the facts this
morning, but it was stated by a neighbor
that shots were heard about Z o'clock. 1t
is said that Hamilton became seized with
a maniacaI fury shortly after arising,
and taking his revolver fired at his wife
and children. The wife and little girl
were almost instantly killed. The boy was
badly wounded, and the father completed
the CHASTITY work by turning the revolver
on himself. -
The sleeping apartments of the family
are on the second floor, and the three VIC
tins of the tragedy were in three rooms
fronting on the street.
Mrs. Hamilton. was in the room at the
left, facing the street, and she was shot
first. Thu bullet passed through her right
temple, and must have killed her in
stantly. Mr.. Hamilton then passed into
the room where the baby girl was Sleep
ing and shot her, and then went to the
third room, the one at the extreme right s;.,t
Then he applied the weapon to his own
head and fired.
The weapon used was a 32-calibre re-
volver. Only the four shots were fired.
Mr.. Hamilton has been i'll since Fri
day, and there is no doubt that he was
not in his right mind.
ATadfaa1 ~, IL - Tr CLo-In~
D.. Wheeler, who were summoned as soon
as possible, gave this as their opinion.
As soon a8 word was received at Sta
ton l sergeant Hill was sent to the
house in an ambulance and took Hamilton
and the little girl tosfhe hospital, where
it was said the former could not recover.
Hamilton expressed the wish that his
wound would be fatal. The baby boy is
said to have a chance of recovery.