The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1898-08-17
Jim CORBET WEPT
Like a China Wkon he JIsard Of HIS
YatlloF's Terrible Crime.

t94A4N = 4ktAGNSASCOf AANbu1S 4Vs ~ -
corbett. father Of James J. Corbett, the
heavyweight pugillst. this morning shot
and killed his wife and then turned the
weapon upon himself with fatal eject.
It IS believed that the murderer was
demented, He had been in extremely
poor health for some time. Death was
instantaneous IN both cases.
The shooting occurred at the residence
Of the Corbett family, No. $50 Hayes
street. Shortly before O'clock this
morning, Mr.. King,a son-in-law OF Cor
bett, who was living in the house, heard
two shots in his father-in-law's room.
Hurrying to the room he was Mortified
to find Mrs. Corbett lying In the bed
covered with blood, while his Eather-in-
law lay on the floor wlsh blood pouring
from his mouth Mrs. Corbett was in
her night attire, while her husband was
fully dressed, Death must have been In
Simultaneous.
There was a wound In Mrs. corbett's
temple and Corhett had killed himself
by turning the mpzzle Of the revolver
in his mouth. From the appearance OF
the bodies It & believed chat Corbett
arose early in the morning, dressed
himself and shot his aged wife while
she slept.
She had evidently died instantly, for
she still lay in her perfectly natural
position. It Is believed that Corbett was
demented He had Just returned from
Bartlett Springs, where he had been
stopping for his health.
NEW YORK, August l6.-James j.
Corbett was much shocked when he
learned OF the death of his parents. At
first he refused to believe It, but when
the news was confirmed, he broke down
and wept like a child. His trainers, Nc
Vey and White, tried to console him,
but TO no purpose. Corbett said that his
father must have become insane or he
would not have committed such ter
rlble deed. He could not account for It
In any other way. Both his father and
mother, he said, took deep interest in
his affairs and keenly felt his defeat by
Fltzsimmons at Carson City. They both
wanted him to retire from the ring af-
ter that.
Corbett said that until he had re-
csIved more definite information from
California he could not say what his
future plans would be. He will stop
training for the present and his fight
with Mccoy at Buffalo on September 10
may be postponed.
Corbett, after consultation with
some OF his friends, had something fur
Their to say about the tragedy In San
Francisco. He said that his parents
were each about fiftv-three years Of age
and that the family relations were al-
ways pleasant He received letters on
Saturday informing him that his faith
er's mind had become unbalanced, and
he thinks that while suffering mentally
his father committed the double crime.
Corbett said he had telegraphed to San
Francisco and that he would leave for
the coast this evening II the bodies ara
held until he can arrlve.N He says he
will send his brother Joseph home any
way.
be done about his fight with Mccoy. He
declared that II 1t was necessary he
would forfeit the $500 he had up. He
would not fight again, he declared, had
1t not been for the fact that he was the
chief support Of the family. He says
that what he makes hereafter will go to
help support his brothers and sisters,
Just as he gave funds heretofore. He
therefore says that It might be neces-
sary for him to fight Mccoy in order to
obtain money to support the family.
So far as can be ascertained, there
was not the slightest reason why the
husband should have sought to wreak
such awful vengeance upon his wife, as
for nearly half century the couple had
lived happily and in perfect content
ment.
Indeed, during last evening they had
chatted pleasantly together about their
fresIde with two other daughters and
t.
the slightest indication having been
next few hours. With Mr.. and Mrs.
Corbett resided their two unmarried
daughters, Catherine and Esther, and a
married daughter, Mrs. Charles A.
King, with her husband.
When Mr.. Corbett purchased the pls-
toll nobody seems to know apparently,
as he was never known to keep a
weapon in the house before he had pur-
chased this one with an object. Whether
during MS temporary spell OF insanity
he had contemplated the deed none can
tell.
There is little doubt but what Mr..
Corbett was temporarily insane when
he committed the terrible deed, and he
inherited the mania from his ancestors.
His sister, Margaret Griffin, is now an
inmate OF the Nnpa Insane Asylum,hav-
Ing been confined there six years. Like
the case OF her brother, her insanity
was periodic. Both the old people were
natives OF ireland, Mr.. corbett being
slxty-six years OF age and his wife four
years younger. The funeral ceremonies
will be delayed until James Corbett ar
rlves from the east, but the bodies will
be placed in vaults.
--A
Co"fornou Camp Meeting.