Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-01-27
BRUTAL MURDER
Of Mrs. Bridget KiIroy by
Husband While Drunk.
Beat and Kicked Her So Tint Death
Soon Ended Suf1erings.
Five Little Children See the Oeed-.Th. Father
Placed Under Arrest.

Bcston, Jan. 26.-Mrs. Bridget Kilroy
was beaten to death at her home in
East Boston, today, the terrible ending
ot d family quarrel provoked. the po-
lice say. by her husband Michael while
he was crazed with liquor. The hus-
bend Is under arrest ami after sleeping
OF the debauch will be charged with
murder.
AT the home on Marion street, five
young children mourn the loss of their
mother. most CT them too young TO
realize the awful charge agains; theil
father.
Michael j. kiiroy is a longshoreman
& giant in strength and a demon when
in liquor according to the stories told
by neishbois. He has been addicted TO
hard drinking the police say and his
temper made life burdensoTe for his
Wife.
lie came home in an ugly mood. late
last night. and began to abuse Mrs
Eilroy, his acts arousirg the neighbor-
hood. The children covered In terror
in the bedroom which all used in com
mon until the eldest boy, aged 10, at
tempted To leave to find a policeman.
The father. however. stopped him and
the children stayed in Il corner of the
room until daylight.
The boy says that about ! o'clock the
children heard their mother moaning
and that he crept into the kitchen and
found her on the floor His father was
asleep on the lounge.
The boy says ne awoke his father and
between them they got Mrs. kilroy to a
lounge, giving her drink Of water.
She then appeared to go to sleep, but a
little later the children became fright
ened she lay so still
They went for the neighbors. who
quickly saw that the poor woman was
dead. When the police came, Kilroy,
who was sleeping off the effects of his
spree of yesterday, was aroused and
taken TO Station Z.
A surgeons examination Of the body
showed that Mrs. kilroy had been
frightfully pounded on the head. in the
face. and on the lower part of the body.
From a quick examination 1t was
thought that both fist and feet had
been used in inflictlng wounds, but in
order that an autopsy might be held
the body was taken to an undertaker's
isittt SuONtu luaI .hTS.
Kiiroy must have suffered excruciating
pain before death came, for her face
was mass of bruises.
There was a deep cash in her fore
head. a cut over the right eye, lips bad
ly lacerrated and her throat dscolored
and swollen giving the impression that
the woman had been choked.
Whether the body wounds We're in
tentionally inflicted while the woman
was Frustrated or whether received
during the struggle, does not appear
but at least they must have added to
Mrs. Kilroy's sufferings.
The children left are: John, aged 13;
Mary Ann, 8; Francis Patrick, 4: Eliza
beth, 3; and Joseph. 1 year old. The
baby must have been hours without the
mothers care.
Mrs. kilroy was a hard working wo-
man and gave to her family all that
was possible, which was not much. for
her husband was both shiftless and
brutal. The family lived in two rooms
of three fiat house.
The most abject squalor and poverty
was in evidence. In the kitchen there
was an old table, rusty stove, three
broken chairs and an old lounge upon
which the mother lay dead when the
police arrived. The bed room was in
filthy condition. all sorts of clothing
having been used as covering and il
was in the single bed apparently that
the children slept.
kilroy will not talk about his assault
and the police have to take the story
from the two eldest children. Kilroy
has served three months for beating his
wife and one month for abusing the
Oldest boy.
The children have been taken in
charge by society and until they can ,
be disposed of. will receive the care
they so much need.