Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1897-01-14
A MYSTERIOUS DEATH.
CONVICT M'CUe DIED UNDER SUSPI-
ClOUS CIRCUMSTANCES.
Luzerne County Prisoner in the Eastern
Penitentiary Went Insane aud Was Re
moved to Norristown Asylum, Where
He Died-Body Was Badly Bruised.


He Died-Body Was Badly Bruised.
William McCue, of Pittston, who was
serving life sentence in the lastcrn
penitentiary at Philadelphia, i, dead.
He was one of the insane prison rs who
were sent recently to the Norristown
asylum and died last Friday under sus
picious circumstances. A post-mortem
examination was held on Saturday, and
since then the authorities OF the insttu
ton have been quietly investigating to
ascertain whether the injuries were self
ilicted or were the result OF brutal treat
ment on the part of any of the attend
ants. These Investigations have not
been completed, but the coroner will
hold an inquest and then the true facts
regarding the mans death will come out.
When McCue was admitted to the
Norristown hospital as an insane piiS-
oner no physical examination of him
was made on the day of admission, but
it is said that subsequently he was so
examined. In common with the other
patients he was visited twice daily by
DIR. McCalfrey. Although classed as
violent, he was found to be very quiet
during the brief time he was confined in
the hospital.
On Tuesday of last week when DR..
McCaifrey entered his room he. found
that the insane convict was suffering,
although he made no complaint, and
was lying on the two mattresses, which
were the only furniture in the room.
His face was pale and had pinched cx-
preston. When asked ii he was i'll he
replied yes; but little or no further in
formation could be obtained from him.
An examination revealed that he was
badly bruised on the loft side OF the
abdomen.
When asked how he had been hurt
his only answer was low groan. The
following day his condition became
worse, and additional dark blush
marks, the result of bruises in other
parts of the abdomen, manifested them
sever, until nearly the entire surface of
the abdomen was dscolored.
From that time on he was visited
frequently BY the physician, but his con
dition steadily became more alarming
until Friday. when he died. Almost
until the time of his death he was con
scous, and was repeatedly pressed to
tell how he had been injured, but was
unable to give any intelligent or cohor
ent answer.
The post-mortem, which was conduct
ed by DIR. Florence Watson of the hospi-
tai, showed that McCue had been fright
fully injured internally and it was said
that these injuries could not very well
nave been inflicted by himself.
When McCuc was admitted to the
apparently in good condition. 1t is not
certain, however, that the injuries from
which he died were not received prior to
MS transfer from the pententiary, al
though the effects of them did not APP
pear until several days later.
McCue was serving Il life sentence, his
second conviction for murder in the sec
md degree. His first oifense was com
nitted in PittSton; his second in the
Eastern penitentary.
McCue was blacksmith by trade
ind was resident of pittston. The
,rime for which he was first convicted
was the murder of one of party of
cramps with whom he associated. On
May :, 1883, he was brought into the
,ourts of this county, and was sentenced
Tor the killing to ten years in the East
ern pententiary.
He had served nearly four years of his
term when he killed Keeper James A.
Bloomer by stabbng him with a shoe
makers knife. During this fight he also
stabbed Overseer Mahony in the neck
and almost killed him, too. For this
last crime he was tried and sentenced to
prison for life.
As result of the Investigation as to
The condition of the cOnvicts at the peni
tentiary McCuc was adjudged insane
and was sent to Norrstown on the day
before New Years.