New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1903-08-31
CUT DAUGHTER, SLEW SELF
DENENTED MOTHER'S ACT
Took Child on Lap-Deed Laid tc
Drink.

Presumably in fit of insanity, following week
of heavy drinking, Mrs. Kathleen Johnson, an at
tractive woman of thirty years, living with her
husband. Alfred ]. Johnson. in apartment house
at Fifth-ave. and Observation-Disclosures yes
terday attempted to kill her daughter, Alice, seven
years old, by cutting her wrist with carving
knife. She then slashed her wrist and throat
with the weapon, inhicting injuries from
which she died at the Harlem Hospital few hours
later. The little girl. it is said will recover.
The Johnson family. according to John Wright,
the janitor, has occupied its apartment for about
three weeks. Mr.. Johnson it is understood Is in
the employ of the Fuller Construction Company.
week last Friday he left the city vacation.
and it is believed went to Saratoga. He returned
Friday
In the husbands absence. the janitor says, Mrs.
Johnson daily received bottles of brandy from
nearby grocery store. After Mr.. johnson had been
away for few days Philip E. Smith. of No. 1863
Pleasant-ave., Mrs. Johnson's father. who is con-
nectod with the Boiler Inspection Department and
sister learned Of the daily delivery of the liquor
end its source They went TO the grocery store and
asked the proprietor to stop sending the brandy to
Mrs. Johnson. Since that visit, which was week
Sunday, neither the father and sister. the jan
itor says, nor any one else except the grocer's
clerk who delivered the goods succeeded in gaining
admittance to the apartment until the husband re-
turned. The appeal of Mrs. Johnson's father and
sister evidently dsregarded.
What may have taken place between Johnson and
his wife after he retu- I'd from his vacation Fri
day is unknown. he very reticent- He left
the apartment about 10 m. yesterday. little
later Mrs Johnson's sister arrived. She was ad-
mitted by the janitor. A ring at the door of the
johnson apartment brought little Alice. pale as
ghost and hardly able stand from loss of blood
from a great slash across her wrist.
Mamma struck with a carving knife" she
whispered between sobs land she cut herself, too.
The aunt picked up the little girl, laid her on
bed and ran into the kitchen to look for the mother
Mrs Johnson lay unconscious the floor, with
terrible gashes in her throat and wrist Miss
Smith ran out to a drug store and sent call for
ambulance She back TO the apartment and
Gid what she could for the little girl She could not
help the mother.
Before the ambulance arrived Johnson entered
the apartment. He dazed when he saw what
had happened and rushed out to summon friends
Meanwhile, DR.. Krauskopf of the Harlem Hospital
arrived Mother and daughter we're hurried TO the
hospital AS the womans condition was seen TO be
critical, Coroner Jackson was informed. He could
learn little. The daughter only able to say
that her mother took her on her lap in the dining
room. and there sashed her wrist with the carving
knife. Then the apparently demented wols4an ran
to the kitchen and cut herself. The husband him
self, who went to the hospital, seemed utterly un-
able to account for his wifes act. He told the
that his wife idolized their child. and that
their home life had been happy. He said that ne
thought his wife must have been temporarily de-
mented Mrs johnson sank gradually, and died
without regaining consciousness.
When the mother and child taken TO the
hospital together DR.. Krauskopf detected an odor
of paregoric or some other compound of opium.
The stomachs Of both patients emptied. and
the hospital doctors We're satisfied that the mother
taken it herself before she did the cutting. Mrs;
~ ~ SUI ~ Io % sG b,e y,srIe "Ier her eve and
on her throat. The marks appeared to be recent
Coroner Jackson is much displeased at the mac
ticn Of the police of the East One-hundredzand
fourth-st. station in investigating the case Ihelr
report was said to be a meaSfe one