The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-11-18
SHOOTS THREE
CHILDREN And
THEN HIMSELF.
Chicago Father Kills HIS Three Little
Ones Yesterday, and Then
Suicides.
HAD PREVIOUSLY USED POISON
In EndeavOring to Annihilate His
Family-The Fourth Child in
a Critical Condition.

CHICAGO, Nov. H-carrylng out a
plot he had apparently planned with
deliberatlon, Cornelius corcoran to-day
shot four of his children. killing two Of
them, and then ended his own life. The
tragedy occurred at his home, 54Ol
Dearborn street. The dead:
Cornelius corcoran, forty-nlne years
OF age.
Margaret corcorap. i've years old;
died at Mercy hospital.
John corcoran, seven years old, died
at Mercy hospital.
The wounded: Kate Corcoran, FOUR
teen years old; may die. II she reeov-
ers she will lose her left eye; LizEie
corcoran, three years old; may die.
The police are convinced the man was
insane. Corcoran had lived with his
seven children in nat building at 54Oi
Dearborn street, for a month past, TO
all outward appearances he was kind
and conslderatc parent, For some days
he had plotted for the death of his
children, and he nearly accomplished
his purpose Tuesday night. Hearing
the children cough, he arose and in the
dark administered laudRnum to i've OF
them, clifford, Timothy, John, Marga-
ret and Lizzie. The first two were re-
moved to the Mercy hospital, where
Timothy died the next day. corcoran
exhibited such profound grief over the
affair that the police and the coroner
thought the giving Of laudanum was a
mistake. Baked in his purpose to end
the lives Of the young ones, Corcoran,
1t is thought, made deliberate plans for
his act Of to-day.
About 10 O'Clock the grandmother Of
the children, Mrs, Margaret Wrenn, ac-
companied by her niece, Mrs. Mamie
Corbett, called at the Corcoran home.
When they rang the bell, Corcoran CALI
ed out from the inside;
WHO'S there2"
TITS Mamie and your mother" replied
Mrs Corbett
door disclosing the fact that be was at
tired In his night dress and closed the
door again, eaylng:
wait just minute, Mamie"
The two women opened the door and
stepped into the hallway. Just then
three shots were heard, followed by a
succession Of screams - the panic tho
two women darted out the doorway and
ran down the street screaming at the
top of their voices,
"It's murderi it's murderH shouted
Mrs. Corbett frantlcally, and hurrying
10 an adjacent drugstore, word was sent
to the Fifteenth street and Hyde Park
police station.
An appalling sight greeted the eyes
Of Lieutenant Clancy, Sergeant Ryan
and other officers when they entered the
CorcorRn fat.
In the (lrFt bedroom, Just OF the par
lor, was the body of Margaret, lying IN
A mass of blood at the head OF the bed.
while at the foot lay John, unconscious
and breathing heavily. In the room TO
the rear, Corcoran,B dead body was
found on the floor, while that OF the
baby, Lizzie, rccllned on pillow.
revolver lay near Corcoran's right hand.
Five OF the chambers were empty.
Every one OF the wounds with the eX-
ception OF FAte's was inflicted behind
the ear. Kate was shot in the left tenn
pie. The police removed Kate and John
to the Mercy hospital and later the BABY,
INAEVE, WHO WHH Hkltl bANtaAhANeR w..
taken there. John died within a half
hour after his arrival at the hospital
and no hopes were held out for the re-
coVery OF the others
evidences OF cOrcoran's intention to
XIII his children were seen In the house
In one room empty whlskey and wine
bottles showed that he hnd given the
children literally of the liquor and stu
peeled them.
wears aEo in a collision with cable
car. while driving n mail wagon. His
leg was broken and his brain ahected. u
is snid. Six months ago Corcorans wire
became insane and since that time she
hHq been an Inmate OF an asylum AZ
Knnknkee. Cornelius has never been
right since his accident said Mra.
Wrenn, ale has always acted queeriy
and when my daughter became ill. y AZ
fccted him. He never would have Done
such n dreadful thing II he had been IN
his right mind" ,.,.,, ,,,.
Tho only child to escape injury was
Marion, i6 years old, who y At the nos
pItal nursing her brother clifford