The record-union., 1898-08-17
Patrick ]. Corhett Shoots and Kills
His Wife,
Then Turns the Revolver Upon Himself and
Commits Suicide.
No Known Reason for the COM
sion of the Terrible Deed-Be-
lief That It Was Committed
While Laboring Under the Eff
fects Of Temporary Insanity.

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. fitzpatrick
j. Corbett, the father of James j. Cor
bett, the pugiliSt shot and killed his
wife at an early hour this morning. lie
then turned the revolver upon himself
and committed suicide. The theory ac-
cepted by the family and intimate ac-
quaintances and friends of the house
hold is that Mr.. Corbett was laboring
under the effects of temporary insanity.
The terrible tragedy occurred at the
Corbett home, $40 Hayes street, over
the livery stable owned by the elder
Corbett. AS near as the time can be
fixed the shots rang out at 400 o'clock
a. M, Mrs. Corbett being killed as she
was lying asleep in her bed.
So far az 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 a century the couple
had lived happily and in perfect con-
tent together. Indeed, during last
evening they had chatted pleasantly
about their fireside with two of their
daughters, and at an early hour had
retired without the slightest indication
having been given of what was to fol-
low within the next few hours.
With Mr.. and Mrs. Corbett resided
their two unmarried daughters, Cath
crime and Esther, and married daugh-
ter Mrs. Charles A. King, with her
husband
When Mr.. Corbett purchased the pis-
toll, no one seems to know. Appar-
emily, as he was never known to keep
a weapon in the house before, he had
purchased this one with an object.
Whether during his temporary spells
Of insanity he had contemplated the
deed no one can tell. There is little
doubt but that Mr.. Corbett was tenn
porarily insane when he committed his
horrible deed, and he inherited 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 in the
case of her brother, her insanity was
periodic.
Both the old people were natives of
Ireland, Mr.. Corbett being sc years of
age and his wife four years younger.
The funeral ceremonies will not be de-
layed until Jim arrives from the East,
but the bodies will be placed in vaults.
JIM CORBETT GREATLY SHOCKED
Ne w 1oIlhy aug. 10 1OI
bett 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
McVey 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
I :f-I ~
for it in any other way. Both lis
father and mother, he said, took deep
interest in his affairs, and keenly felt
his defeat by Fitzsimmons at Carson.
They both wanted him to retire from
the ring after that.
Corbett said that until he had re-
ceived more definite information from
California, he could not say what his
future plans would be. He will stop
training for the present, and the fight
| with Mccoy at Buffalo on September
10th may be postponed.
Corbett, after a consultation with
some of his friends, had something fur
Their to say about the tragedy in san
Francisco. He said that he received
letters on Saturday informing him that
his fathers mind had become unbal-
anced, and he therefore thought that
while suffering mentally his father
committed the double crime. Corbett
said he had telegraphed to San Fran
cisco, and that he would leave for the
coast this evening, if the bodies are
held until he can arrive He says
he will send his brother Tom home,
anyway.
At present he could not say what
would be done about his fight with
Mccoy He declared that If it was
necessary he would forfeit the S2,oOo
he had up. He would not have signed
to fight again, he declared, had it not
been that he was the chief support OF
the family. He says that what he
makes hereafter will go to help sup
port his brothers and sisters, just as
he gave funds heretofore. He there
fore says that it may be necessary for
him to fight Mccoy in order to obtain
money to support the family.