The Washington times., 1902-09-10
Woman Mortally Wounds
Husband and Ends
Her Own Life.
MAN TELLS OF THE CRIME
Letters Written by Him Show That He
Planned Murder-She, However, Used
Revolver, Inflicting Injuries That Re-
suited in Death Two Hours Later.

NEW YORK. Sept. 9.-The killing o
Charles o'Neill, janitor of the Frui
Exchange Building. at rs Park Place
by his wife early this morning, and tn,
subsequent suicide of the woman wa,
the result of a confession of infidelit,
which Mrs. O'Neill made to her hus
band two weeks ago. The tragedy fol
lowed the first meeting of the two il
their own home since Mrs. O'Neill made
her confession.
IT came after O'Neill. in fit of jeal-
Gus rage. had placed the muzzle of ar
unloaded revolver at his wife's head
and threatened to kill her The WON
an did not know that the pistol was
unloaded. and invited her husband fc
shoot. Instead. he dropped the pistol
declaring that he could not hurt a wom-
an he loved as he did her.
She rushed from the room, secured 4
pistol from neighboring Office, came
back. shot her husband twice in :he
breast, and then blew her own brains
out. 0'Neill lived for two hours af-
ter the shooting, and during that time
he told the story of his troubles with
his wife. What he did not tell. lis
lawyer and confidant, Allan Caruthers,
told today
Were Apparently Happy.
Mrs. o'Neill was a handsome bru-
nette. She married O'Neill several
years ago. The pair were apparently
happy. Early in August, Mrs. O'Neill
went to Brooklyn to visit her parents.
She was there few days, and then went
There was absolutely no trouble be-
tween the couple during this time.
The first inkling that O'Neill had of
anything wrong was on August 25. when
he went to his father laws house
on visit, and there found a bundle of
letters signed Bob The letters lett
no doubt as to the relations existing be-
tween Mrs. O'Neill and Bob"
According to Caruthers, ONeill de-
clared that Bob was Robert Thomas.
clerk in the quartermaster's depart
nent of the United States Army. O'Neill
placed the letters before his wife. At
first she denied that she had been guilty
of anything wrong. but finally confessed.
O'Neill turned his wife from the house,
telling her to go to her parents Then
he took the letters TO Lawyer Caruthers
and instructed him to begin a suit for
$4,000 damages for alienation against
Thomas and a suit for absolute divorce
against hts wife.
Husband Lost Nerve.
The same day O'Neill got pistol and
went down to the Army building, re-
solved to kill Thomas. He went to the
door of Thomas Office, but lost his nerve
there and returned to his home.
Caruthers says that Mrs. O'Neill from
her home in Brooklyn, wrote and tele-
phoned to O'Neill daily, begging him to
come and see her and to forgive her. He
finally went to her mothers home told
her that he would not live with her. and,
according to Mr.. Caruthers. made her
confess to her parents
No one knows how the couple came
together on Monday night. II is assumed
tnat Mrs. O'Neill called at her old home
and tried to get her husband to take her
back. At any rate, the two went to
Bleecker Street restaurant. had some
dinner, and At midnight went back home.
There. according TO O'Neill's ante
mortem statement, they had quarrel
about Thomas, which ended in the shoot
ing.
The fact that O'Nein had intended to
kill his wife was shown by three letters
which he left on the gas meter in the |
cellar of the bui sling early in the even |
ing. These letters were addressed to |
friends