Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-05-09
SALOON TRAGEDY.
O'NeiI Fires the Shot and
McCarty Dies.
Latter Then Took Own Life at Rox-
y bury, Mass.
49, ,,;...d Sunposed to Have
Men implicated Supposed to Have
Eeen Friends.

Boston. May S.-David w. oNeil was
ehut and instantly killed by Alfred NJ.
Nc,'arthv in the saloon ol j. j. McNa-
mara 123 !hlwmut avenue Koxbury,
afternoon. Immediately after
SNORING O'Neil. Mccarthy sent a bull
;nto his own brain and fell to the
f,oor dead, beside the man he had slain.
ma double tragedy occurred "A few
,rouents before = o'clock. O. Neil was
in the saloon leaning against the bar
lie had entered the place only n short
tim. before and was waiting for a
drink which he had ordered.
AS he stood there, Mccarthy entered
and without a word approached him,
i.uurimg the salutatiOns of SOME of the
others in the place with whom he was
..rounintcd. Before any of the by
ISLANDERS We're aware of his intention,
Mccarthy drew pistol from his pocket
and fred at O'Ncil. The bullet entered
o'NtirS head behind the ear, and with
- sind" groan he fell to the floor and
died Instantly.
Immediately there was panic in the
saloon. aad those in the place We're
terrified when Mccarthy again cooked
tn" weapon and for Il brief instant sur
veyod the body of his victim, lying ut
his feet. Then, without a word. he
placed the muZZle of the revolver
against his own forehead and dis
charged it. The bullet penetrated his
brain, death resulting instantancously.
For n few moments the witnesses of
the tragedy We're too Mortified to do
anything, but within n short time til"
Police of Division 10 were notified and
CAPT. Hanley dispatched Special Officer
Angel and Patrolman Cassidy and Kill
len to the scene of the shooting.
The bodies had not been disturbed
when the officers arrived. and the place
was in the utmost confusion. The news
cf the murder AMI suicide had spread
through the neighborhood and several
hundred persons gathered on the street
in the vicinity of the barroer1.
The police questioned the witnesses of
the shooting, but they gathered only the
barrett details No one had paid any at
teton to Mccarthy when ne entered. as
he vas well known in the neighborhOod
and not until he had fired did any of the
bystanders notice anything strange abou,
him.
O'Ne!l was 90 years Of age and lived
with his wife Mt 81 Williams street. only
Il few yards from the spot where he was
shot lie had no children. Mccarthy
who was 20 years old. lived with his wild
owed mother in the same house as
O'Nci. 1t Is one Of Il number of three
st lried brick buildings O'Ncil lived or
the street floor and Mccarthy on tn,
urrcf floor. Mccarthy was n stenS point
rr ana was employed on the lbUildlhg "
Process of erection on the site of thu
od rntscum. O'Ncil was n painter.
Both Mrs. O'Ncil and Mrs Mccarthy
were at home when Patrolman CasSid,
called to inform them of tho tragedy
when they learned OF It thcy uecarn,
hvsicIscrl and for some time the oiiic0
y.ar Obliged to watch them. 10th womei
declared that neither man had quarreled
hut. on the contrary, had been quit
friendly with each other.
Ms Mccarthy said that her son, who's
wurl: exposed him to all kinds of weather
lac. suffered from Il sunstrokc FOR tn
mast four years. When he was at worI
on q buildin. in 1850. he was prostrat e'
by the heat and had hc n Ill from it's cF
fcrts for seine time. II had affected hi
mind she said and only last ThurSla.
he returned from his work in nSdgsponti
cnt mood. He had eaten nothing. FRIDAY
hut, yesterday morning. when he left +"
work. he appeared to have recovered HI
sririts He returned to his home ahou
~ o'clock and told his mother lie wa
not feeling very well He left the nous
two or three times, and as lie Is no
known tn have possessed n revolver. II !
supposed that he bought 1t on one OF th"s
visits.
IL Is said that Mccarthy was the Victl'
of an haIlucination that his acquainI
anccs talked rbout him. and he Diam"
o'Ncii in particular in this respect bl
~ far as is known. the men had ncvc
really uuarr"l"d A., ,,.