The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-05-17


Tacoma Bureau OF the Post-Tnteliigeneer,
lf13 Pacific Avenue.
TACOMA. May es--The usuaI Sabbath
quiet was broken today By a terrible trag-
edy. In which = supposedly jealous hus-
band shot and killed hts wife and then
sent ieadsn missile crashing through his
own brain. all in the presence of his wife's
mother and sister.
The perpstrator Of this awful deed was
John A. Mccarthy. a weii-knovn train
man of the Northwest. who had held re-
sponsible positions ia this city. Seattle
and Spokane and had worked az brake
man In California and Montana The
shooting occurred at time when people
were returning to their homes from DE-
vine worship. and when IL Is naturally
supposed that human beings are at peace
with each other and the world in general.
No one seems To know the causes that
led to the termination OF these two young
lives, other than that they had not been
living together for some time. as a letter
written by the wife. shortly before ieav-
Ing her sisters home for church. showed.
The dead mans friends and former assoc
ciates IN thls city did not even know that
he was in the city until they heard OF the
shooting. and then they were more horri-
fed than words can express. as they had
always considered Mac" as they called
him. peaceabIe. honorable fellow.
1T Is hard To believe IL even now said
q railroad man. as he stood in the pres
ence OF death at the morgue during the
evening. 1T ID so unlike Mac TO do such
q terrible thing"
Nrs. Mccarthy. who was n rather come
~ blonde OF about 30 years. In company
with her mother. Mrs. McAtee. and her
sister. Mrs. McDougan. had been in at
tendance at ST. Lso's Catholic church and
was returning to the McDougali home,
which Is on the corner OF Eleventh and Il
streets. As they turned into Eleventh
street from Pacific avenue they were
joined by Mccarthy. whose presence was
evidently great surprise to them. He
il said TO have shaken hands with his wife
and the other ladies In friendly manner
and joined them I'm their walk toward
their home From all that can be learned
the conversation seemed to be a pleasant
one. as the ladies laughed several times
at some remark that had been made.
AS they neared their destination, some
ore In the party remarked TO Mrs Mccar-
Thy that she had evidently burned her
Ieek slightly with the curling iron These
words had no SOONER been uttered than
Mccarthy whipped cut revolver from his
pocket and fired ut his wife. the ball en-
half an inch from the outer corner Of the
eye. With groan she sank TO the side
walk. Seeing that he had performed his
tiendtsh work. Mccarthy turned the gun
on himself and fired. He was either ner-
vous or did not take good aim. as the bull
let glanced along his scalp and knocked OF
his hat. the gun falling from his hand. He
lost no time In recovering It. and placing
thu barrel Immediately behind the right
ear. pulled the trigger. the ball passing
inward and upward, coming out wen up
on the left temple.
His body fell with thud. striking the
sidewalk and. bounding on landed In a
ciump of bushes about six feet below.
At tho sound of the first report Mrs Nc
pougali ran away screaming. while Mrs.
McAtee swooned over the body OF her
child. who WAS In the throeS OF death.
a little boy named Oscar Erickson.
whose parents I've two doors east Of the
McDougalis. Witnessed the shooting from
the front porch Of his home. His cries
warr~sd the neighborhood and brought sew
erai people 20 the scene. So horror-strick-
en- were those who gathered about that Il
seemed impossible to do anything for the
wounded. The Erickson boy tried 10 To-
cate policeman. bur that was impossible.
Finally some one called up police head
quarters by telephone and summoned ply
sicsans at the same time. Capt. King was
ON the spot soon after getting the message.
and had the body of Mrs Mccarthy taken
Into the home Of one Of tho neighhors
Mccarthy remained where he had fallen
In about three-quarters Of an hour Or.
Armstrong arrived fIs was Joined shortly
afterwards by Drs. Smith and Ncy'ut-
cheon the three doing all possible To save
the couple. They ordered the body OF
Mrs. Mccarthy removed 20 thu Sisters
hospital. Mccarthyss 70 the Fanny Pad
dock where they continued their labors.
hut 10 no avail. the heartstfings o. both
swapping AZ about the same hour. 3
o'clock.
After death the bodies were taken 10 the
Undertaking iariers Of Conrad Hoska.
where they viii be prepared for interrnenf
The news OF the shooting spread like
wiitflya about The city crowds OF rnorhifiy
curious people lowering about the scene
Of The criine until driven away Then they
wenac8 their way TO the morsue ana
CAPPED in wonder on the forms of he twa
people who had eeen Joined in wealoek
eight years ago and had continued as man
and wife until death put them asunaer.
Tho murdered wofnan VAS a Miss Louise
McAtea. She married Mccarthy ia this
city about eight years ago. while the latter
Was IN the cmnioy OF the Northern Pa
eiTie As a train hand Two children were
born 20 the uasOn. Ethel. aged :. ard Raw
aged 4. IL has Always beer thought that
the couple lived happily taEsfher. the fifS,
Indication 70 tbs contrary being ta,,
tragedy mat esaasea 80 fatally today Nc
Carthy was yanifnan 81 the Northern Pa
etfe in this city five years awo. ana mas
held similar positions wIth the company IN
Spraguc and Spokane. Ahgut two years
ago he was employed - conductor OF q
freight On the Seattle Lake Share ano
F.aztern. running frysrn Seattle. which no.
Sitson he held uafll last September. when
ne was forceSf 70 res8ga on account " 81
health With hss wife and babies 10 went
"a Southern California in search ~ heaftf
T,he family lived there Until a short ttraa
axo. the wife ard casllarsn ssturuinx a.
Sns,kane ara Mccarthy 70 Montana. where
~, worked az rs business II seems now
though. that he tssn.-t shem az Spokane
Where ne has a hrether, who atrango "a
sar IL married 80 SISTER 81 nts wife
What happened there - roe knows. fgs
Sesa a boat s ycasa oh ana a blonde.
Ass,ns me letters found On Ms person was
sr, fres, Superintendent Newman kiins
sss the Seattle & International Offering htsl
his aia position on re rcss Fe was 5
n4-sher s>s ths. Railway Conductors As.
s.selAsson es iris city. and carried s. 90 in
sstraneN in feSor ef hss wife. TTsis vii
row q 80 sse ehsislren, K T. said By PEG
s,is. xhe kwaa Mccarthy taas ne has lately
contracted TIE isasoS hahgt.
Relatives Leave for the scene.
Special dispatch - the Post GntelIlxcncsr
SpsoKANG. Wash. Nav iS-T j. No
ssArtny ard hi@ wife. brosAer ana sister
~ the Tacnsna murssereF AfsS staseassa and
ria sgssinA. rcsgecsiXels lssg ms evrnkng
far the ssene as TIRE fatalities. Nestnar
would stsSasss shw crime.
1ssliee Osfscer 5ahn sullivan SAYS thas
7sh,rs4fsY sight aSs TIE susesas Was nlav.
,ne faro IN a ieeai ganaa3lax house ara
srrsastx ansier the lHsfasnce ~ lienar. re
amer sass Ass otHsr aefiens were - pe,su-
,sar As % tsa % tie he.les thai ne Mas