The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-18
DESPERATE DEED.
SHOOTS FOUR OF HIS CHILDREN
AND ALSO HIMSELF.
Had Previously Attempted to Poison
Then, Bat 1t Was Th0ught to
Have been an Accident-He Was

CHICAGO. Nov. 1T.-Carrying out a plot
he had apparently planned with deiioera-
ton. Cornelius Corcoran today shot four
of his children, killing two Of them. and
then ended his own life. The tragedy oc-
CURED at his own home. No 5aoi Dearborn
street. The dead:
Cornelius Corcoran, aged ~ years.
Margaret Corcoran, years old, died at
Mercy hospital.
John Corcoran. 7 years old. died at Mercy
hospital.
The wounded:
Kate Corcoran, IA years old II she recov-
ers will lose her left eye.
Lizzie Corcoran, years old. may die.
The police are convinced the man was
insane. Corcoran had lived with his sew
en- children in a fiat building for a month
past. To all outward appearances he was
kind and ccnsiderate. 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 admins
tered laudanum to Ave Of them. Clifford,
Timothy. John, Margaret and Lizzie. The
first two were removed to the Mercy hos
pital. where Timothy died today. and Cor
coran exhibited such profound grief over
the affair that the police and the coroner
thought the giving Of the iaudanum was a
mistake. Baked in his purpose 10 end the
thought. made desperate plans for his act
Of today.
About 10 o'clock the grandmother Of the
children, Mrs. Margaret Wrenn. accompan-
led by her niece, Mrs. Mamie Corbet:, call
ed at the Corcoran home. When they rang
the bell Corcoran called, Who is there"
It's Mamie and your mother replied
Mrs. Corbett.
Corcoran thrust his head out OF the
door. disclosing the fact that he was at
tired in his nightgown, and closed the door
again. saying: Wait just a minute.
Mamie"
The two women opened the door and
stepped into the hallway. Just then three
shots were heard. followed by a success
cession of screams
In the panic the two women darted out
of the doorway and ran down. the street,
screaming at the top Of their voices.
Hurrying to an adjacent drug store, word
park police station. An appalling sight
greeted the eyes of the police officers
when they entered the Corcoran fiat. In
the first bedroom. just Of the parlor. was
blood at the head of the bed. while at
the foot lay John. unconscious and breath
Ing heavily. In the room TO the rear Cor
coran's dead body was found on the floor.
while that of the baby. Lizzie. reeiined
on pillow. A revolver lay near Cor
coran's right hand. Five OF the chambers
were empty.
Every one of the wounds with the ex-
ception of kates, was behind the ear.
Kate was shot In the left temple. The
police removed Kate and John. to the
Mercy hospital and later the baby, Liz
zie. who was still breathing. was taken
there. John died within haf-hour after
his arrival at the hospital. and no hopes
were held out for the recovery of the
others. Evidence of Corcoran's intention
TO kill his children were seen in the room.
empty whisky and wine bottles showing
that he had given the children literally
OF the liquor and stupefied them. Corcoran
was injured about three years ago In a
collision with a cable car while driving a
mail wagon. His leg was broken and his
brain was affected. Ii Is said.
Six months ago Corcorans wife. the
daughter of Mrs. Wrenn. became insane
and since then has been an inmate of an
asylum at kankakee.
The only child to escape injury was
Marion, is years OF age. who Is at the
hospital nursing her brother Clifford.