The times., 1898-08-17
PATRICK CORBETT's CRIME
The Pugilisi'S Father Kills His
Wife and Then Himself.
INSANITY IN THE FAMILY
The Cause of the Deed Probably
Was Inherent Nania-He Was
Proud of His Sens achievements
The Ex-Champion Is Staggered by
the Awful Tidfngs

San Francisco. Aug. 16.-Patrick J. Cor
bett. aged sixty-six years, father of the
famous pugilist, James j. Corbett, shot
and killed his wife. Catherine Corbett.
aged sixty-two years, at the family resi-
dence on Hayes Street at an early hour
| this morning. He then shot himself in
| the mouth and died in a few moments
There is no doubt that the murder and
suicide were committed while Corbett was
temporarily insane.
| Last night the shooter sat conyersing
with members of his family until quite a
/ late hour During the evening he had
gone to the city hall to register and one
of the main topics in the family CONVEX
sation was the coming election and the
| fact that Mr. Corbett was one of the last
TO register. as the books closed last night
During the evening he gave no indica-
tion of a condition of mind that would
lead to the slightest suspicion that the
| tragedy of few hours later was contem-
plated.
There was nothing unusual about the
house until O'Clock this morning, when
| three shots were heard, in rapid success
sion. Esther, the daughter, rushed into the
room of her parents and found Mrs. Cor
bett dead with a bullet hole in her head
| and Corbett with a bullet hole also
| through his head. He had shot himself
in the mouth and lay across the bed
| Later il was learned that Corbett told
his wife last night, after they had retired
to the room, that he would not live in the
1 JJ1sx
out, but must have returned in.the early
| morning, for he was partly dressed when
| his son-in-law, Charles King, and his
| daughters, Esther and Katie, hearing
shots, rushed into the ROOM followed by
1 Frank Corbett, and found their parents
dead.
Mrs. Corbett was shot in the right tenn
pie and under the right eye Evidently
the pistol was held a. some distance from
| her face. Corbett was shot through the
mouth. the ball entering the brain.
He Tried to Purchase Arsenic.
Yesterday Mr. Corbett tried to purchase
some arsenic at the drug store near his
home, saying that he wanted 1t to Kill
rats. His actions were so suspicious that
he was refused. There is little doubt that
Corbett was temporarily insane and in
herits the mania from his ancestors. His
sister, Margaret Griffin, is now an inmate
of the Napa Insane Asylum, having been
confined there six years Like the case
of her brother, her insanity was periodic.
Patrick ]. Corbett was a native of Ire
land. For years he conducted livery
business at the stable beneath his fat
where he resided When his son, James
j., gained fame as a pugilist his father
shone in the reflected light. He was a
! III
liked by large circle of friends Mrs.
| Corbett likewise was native of Ireland.
To the couple had been born eleven chill
| dren, ten of whom still live.
The PugfIist's Keen Grief.
Asbury Park, N, J., Aug. 16.-News of
the double tragedy in San Francisco
reached Corbett at his training quarters
on Eighth Avenue about o'clock this
morning.
The telegram, which was from Corbett' S
brother, Harry. In San Francisco, was
received by Mrs. Corbett. After read
ing il she took il to the ex-champion, who
was training in the barn adjoining the
house. He was having boxing bout with
O'DonneIl at the time. and those who
were looking on say that Corbett was
doing the best work thus far in his train
ing. Mrs. Corbett said: -
Jim, some hing awful has happened
| Your father killed your mother and then
killed himself"
Tom Corbett. McVey. Kid Lavinge, and
Tom Lansing were all standing near at
the time. and they wSlt TO the assistance
of Corbett, who was staggered by the
| awful news. He was taken to his room
and dressed himself. He could not realize
the situation. and said but little and that
| only in answer TO questions from by
FFAylAe IN rf,
brother. was very much affected, and
could not restrain his feelings.
The news visibly affected Corbett, but
under it all, however, he kept up His
first impulse was to go to San Francisco
at once but when he thought that he
could not reach the Pacific Coast with
in five days and possibly longer he chang
ed his mind. The first news of the mur-
der and suicide was so meager that the
family was kept in terrible anxiety until
details were learned. Corbett telegraph
ed home, saying that he would come on
if the bodies We're embalmed
His Father Probably Was Insane
This afternoon Tom Corbett started for
San Francisco. Corbett said that in all
probability his father was insane when
he committed the awful deed, for there
was no motive for the crime. as both his
parents were very much attached to one
another
Last week he got a letter from his
brother Harry, which carried the news
that the senior Mr.. Corbett was acting
strangely. They had been to Bartlett
Springs. watering place but few miles
from San Francisco, and recently return
ed home.
Mrs. Corbett, John Mcvey, and others
who knew the family well, all agree with
the ex-champion that Patrick Corbett
must have been out of his mind when he
killed his wife and then turned the pis-
tol on himself.
Later in the afternoon ]. j. Corbett re-
ceived a telegram from his brothers Har
ry stating that the bodies of his parents
would be placed in a vault pending his
arrival The former champion immedi-
ately concluded to attend the funeral at
San Francisco and at once began prepa-
rations for his departure. He will be
accompanied by his wife.
NAVY SECURES A PATENT.