Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1904-11-30
DAMNED BY DRINK.
fOUNG FATHERS AWFUL CRIME AND
ITS FEARFUL LESSON.

We'll Educated and Able, hut Ruined
BY Rum. George Royce Kills His
Child, His Wife and Himself In Has
New York Home.
George Boyce, young man Of good
education and ability, was found dead
with his wife and six-month-old baby
In New York fiat. He had shot his
wife FIRST, then his baby and last him
self.
There was no motive for the crime
save despondency. There was no rea-
son for the dependency but whisky.
The story Of Boyce's Journey from
happiness to despair Is not to be added
to the quotations In the Liquor Trade
Manual. 1t would not look well be-
side the other inspiring selections in
that work, says James Montague In the
New York American.
But II might well be written over ey.
cry altar where marriage service Is
spoken. Perhaps In such place 1t
would speak louder than q great many
temperance lectures
Boyce was an Englishman who had
not been In this country very long.
When he first came he had no diff
Guilty In getting employment, for he
had brains and industry. He and his
wife made home and lived happily |
In 1t.
Then he began to drink. After that |
his story was like all the others-sus-
piciOn on the part of employers, dis.
missals less important and poorer paid
positions. until finally he was content
to find work as cOachman.
Last winter he lost position and
had hard work getting another. The
knowledge Of his falling had made
him shamefaced and sneaking, and no
body trusted him.
Finally he got job as coachman
with family named Coleman at West 3,
End, on the Jersey coast.
His wife and baby had been COM
PEELED by his failure to provide for
hem to leave their New York fat
and 60 to the home Of q relative at
slip.
BOyce saved little money IN his
lew position and ut last managed to
Iet his furniture out Of storage and
establish his family in New York.
All the while he kept writing love
etters to his wife, apolOgizing for his .
and making vain prom
yes to make amends. He also wrote
letter to his mother. in which he
lust have set forth his sorrows, for
he replied that no one can get through |
lis life without misfOrtunes, great or
mall
And then Boyce lost this last posi-. 1
on.
His whisky bltshted nature was D
nable to withstand the blow. and lie I
ust have decided that II would he
tier for his wife and child to die
an to try to fight the battle that had /
zen too much for him. 4
Coming home to his fiat, he fonnd bis |,
lie sitting beside the window nursing l.
r pretty baby. |
The drunkard had bought Il pistol. II
d. leveling 1t at the woman who IA
me had borne with him when every VI
e else had been estranged by his II
lnkenness, lie fired at her twice, II
ia bullets taking effect In her head. II
e died sitting bolt upright In her |
Dir. the baby falling from her arms
'oyce caught up the little one. held
Mt arms length and stilled its cries
sending the third bullet into its
in.
wo shots remained in his revolver. -
he fired these into his own tenn
3 In quick succession and fell head
x on the fioor. ~"
very effort was made to find Il mo- o"'
, for the crime. but without sue. p"'
J, for the simple reason that whiskY. W. Wv.
only whisky, was responsible for -