New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1902-07-18
SHOOTS SISTERS OF MERCY.
FORMER WAIF THERE INvADEs FOUND
LING ASYLUM.
TRIES TO KILL HIMSELF FOR SECOND
TIME-wANTED INFORMATION ABOUT
HIS PARENTAGE.

An abortive attempt to kill two Sisters Of
Charity in the New-York Founding Asylum, in
East Sixty-eighth-st., was made yesterday after
noon by Henry It. King. demented man. who
was a wait in that institution thirty years ago.
After shooting the two women and wounding
them severely. King shot himself, inficting
flesh wound that did not prevent his arraign-
ment in police court. Apparently 1t was the
second time he had tried to kill himself. as he
took poison at the institution on May Z. HIS
desperation was caused by failure TO get IN
formation about his parentage- He had mace
himself feared at the Founding Asylum oy MS
persistent visits and his demands for Informal
ton which the records of the place did not
give.
At the police court King was held Tor eX-
animation tomorrow. In his pocket was found
a letter. which he had written TO the public. 1t
indicated that he had gone to the asylum in the
afternoon with the deliberate purpose OF COM
hitting murder. 1t read as follows;
the public aEgs T a tb n GOD wn aRf Ra
institution the New-York Founding Asylum, IN
such HGs s paes f AL the the Information that is
Ra du Ta ao9d tR Mhy shoad Sey be So careful
in taking an account of the time. even to the hour,
e ebd nG1 at H was paced ern Does this
absurd? I have begged and pleaded with this IN
year after year. even risked my own life on May
i cod t and gf9 s Rsnd Il dnce
It is either life or death WITH me fbo TO times
than to be denied this any longer for the anxlety
one e under under the face Of Gods sun that knows the
agonies that lie within my breast May God and
m MIS- fng snd forgive me- Tor az R RS{ K ESG
King recently has occupied furnished room
at No 727 Lexington-ave., and had had en-
ployment in a clerical position in downtown
office He had told his acquaintance that he
was in the founding asylum until he was seven
years DID, and later was EARNED out" to T. r.
Gardiner. Of Bryant Town, Nd. with whom he
lived until he was of age. Later he went to
Baltimore, and in 1898 he came to this city.
In 1900 he began suit In the Supreme Court to
compel the officials of the founding asylum TO
permit him to examine the books Of the institu-
ton and ascertain facts as to his parentage.
The application for the writ was argued before
Justice O'Gorman, when Jane C. McCrystal, the
treasurer since 1868. stated the record on the
books was the following:
Henry ]. King. day old; no name left
with child. October 2S. 1871 $50 p. M
Justice O'Gorman denied Kings application to
see the books OF the asylum. King continued to
make demands for information at the asylum,
and on May Z. when he was found insensible in
the hallway, an examination showed that he
had taken poison. He recovered In a hospital.
and was released upon his promise not TO modest
the people at the asylum further
Although strict orders had been given not to
allow him inside the building. King at 2:S0 p.
m. yesterday succeeded in getting by an at
tendant and making his way into the main
Office, where Sister Angela using a type
writer. He had the revolver in his hand. and
shot her in the right arm.
Sister Cvrfla, who was also in the Office.
alarmed by the shot and her companions cry
of pain, rushed at King. He fired again, and
the bullet went through her left arm into her
breast. indicting what believed to be a
serious wound. Then King rushed out OF the
building and into the grounds toward Sixty
ninth-st.. where he fired the third bullet at him
self. The bullet made flesh wound in his side.
He fell on grass plot and lay there until a
doctor examined him and policeman arrested
him.
AT the police station and at the Yorkville
court he talked like a mailman, declaring that
he was not sorry if he had killed the Sisters Of
Charity and saying he believed they had been
protecting his parents. who were rich He
seemed to be possessed with the notion that he
negitimate son Of some wealthy man
whose name was known to the people at the
asylum, and he said they had given as much
as $500 to him at different times. something
they never would have done if he had been the
child Of a poor man. In the court he made a
speech to Magistrate Hogan. saying:
I begged and pleaded hard TO get information
about my birth from the people in that institution
but they have constantly refused me- They have
a right to give this inforna ton. persevered
year after year for this information from them and
they have constantly refused me. When became
persistent what did they do? Judge, they turned
me oyer into the custody of the police; This in
stitutIon was incorporated IN 1869, and they keep
record of every child admitted 1 want that record
for myself. This thing has borne my mind night
and day. 1t has driven from position 10
another 1 cannot work. sleep or do anything
The law would not help me. and had to take the
law into my own hands
Magistrate Hogan stopped him and held him
without bail for examination tomorrow. King
was locked up in the court prison.
FILES LIBEL AGAINST THE PoWHATAN