Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-20
A DOUBLE MURDER.
New Haven the Scene of a Most
Revolving Crime.
Edward Duff Shoots and Kills His Wife
and His Aged Mother-in-Law-The
Murderer Captured.

New Haven, Conn.,, Jan. 19.-Edward
A. Duff 40 years old, shot and killed his
wife Nellie, and his motter-in-law, Mrs.
Mary Maher, at their home, As Greene
street. shortly before o'clock, tonight.
The affair came near being a triple
tragedy, as James Reilly was fired at,
but the bullet just grazed hisCneck. The
murder was probably the outcome of
domestic troubles. Mr.. and Mrs. Duff
but for the past two yeas have not
lived together.
Duff is a machinist by TRACE. and has
been working in Hartford. 1t is said
that last Christmas he called upon his
wife, and, at the point of a pistol, made
her return to Hartford with him. She
remained there but a very short while.
While Mrs. Duff and her mother and
Reilly, who boarded with them, were
about to sit down to supper this eve
ming, Duff entered the house and We
hemently demanded that his wife re-
turn to Hartford. Mrs. Maher would
not listen TO the proposition. Then,
without more ado, Duff aimed a revol-
Yer at his wife and threatened TO kill
her. She ran out of the house, followed
w IllG CTdZ6u HUSBAND, anu,
just as she had reached the front door
to re-enter the house, she received a
shot in the left lung. A second shot
was fired as the woman turned about,
which struck her in the right ear and
passed through her head, killing her in
stantly. The murderer then went into
the house, and fired at Reilly, but the
bullet just grazed his neck. Reilly fed.
n the meantime, Mrs. Maher had es-
capped to bedroom adjacent, and
locked the door. Her refuge was of lit
tile avail, as Duff forced the door. and,
placing the revolver against her chin,
fired, the bullet shattering the jaw, and
passing through the head. Another bull
let was fired as the woman rolled over
on the bed, which pierced the left shout
der and came out through the breast.
For parting shot, the man discharged
the revolver again at her. The bullet
struck and shattered the right elbow.
, Then Duff rushed into the street.
Despite the extent of her injuries
aged Mrs. Maher was able 10 walk
from the chamber, through the dining
room to the kitchen, and was putting
water on her clothes, which had been
set aftre by the shots, when she ex-
pired.
IN the meantime the news of the trag-
ady had spread and a crowd had gath
~ IL Inc Vicinity OF the DUH home.
put 1t was held at bay, as no one cared
to face the ugly looking weapon that the
murderer was furnishing about wildly,
Lieut.. Condor of Station a, fire DEPART
ment, made an effort to approach him,
and Duff attempted to discharge the re-
volver, but luckily it missed fire. A de-
tail of police from the Grand avenue
! precinct consisting of Officers Enright.
: Doody an Lindsey. about this time
put III an appearance, and without any
hesitancy officer Enright rushed up to
the murderer and grasped him by the
hand which held the revolver. His com
panions followed, and after a severe
struggle disarmed Duff. He was then
taken to the Grand avenue station, and
later removed to headquarters.
The revolver is a siX-shot, A calibre
Colts and is over foot long, having a
regular rifle barrel
After committing the murder, Duff re-
loaded the revolver before going out on
the street, and when searched at the
police station, a number of cartridg es
was found on him.
The officers who made the arrest
claim that the murderer showed no
signs of liquor. He has been previously
arrested four times for drunkenness and
resisting an officer.
There are two children, boy and a
girl, aged 10 and II years respectively,
who made their home with the mother.
They were not i'm the house at the time
of the tragedy.