New-York tribune., 1906-05-08
MRS. WATERS INSANE.
CoRONER rs CONVINCED.
A Suferer from Neurasthenia-
Details of Murder and Suicide.

Careful Investigation yesterday convinced Coroner
AeritelH and the police that the tragedy which
robbed John r. Waters Of his wife and dauEhter
Agatha IN their home. at No. rs West 18th street.
a. O'Clock IN the morning. told IN a late edi-
uon OF The Tribune. the result Of sudden IN
SANITY. Mrs. Waters had been sufferer from neu-
rasthenia for months. but no suspicion that her
reason was affected had entered the minds OF her
Iainiiy or physicians before she killed her daush-
ter and herself
MS Waters was Miss Mary GrisWOId before her
marriage. She was ifty-tWo years old. she had
four daughters. the oldest being the wife OF Rich
ara H Calling a grandson OF the inventor OF the
eating gun living at No. SIS West Sith street.
Asatha was the third daughter twenty-five years
I'D The other daughters are Ruth and Grace.
The Waters home is a bTownstone house N a roN
OF nne private dwelling houses 1lr. Waters - In
the fire insurance business az No. IS Cedar street.
his company being the Individual Underwriters. Ho
is also vce-presIdent and "a director Of the Irving
National Bank For few years the unmarried
daughters have been taking exercise at DuTland's
Riding Academy. The family attended the Church
Of the Divine Paternity. at 18th street and Central
Park West
The nervous trouble OF Mrs. Waters became no.
ticeable about two years agO. Lately she had been
treated regularly by DR.. Edward z. Fisher. of
West SD street. who also prescribed for daugh-
ter Agatha The fact that Agatha seemed be
becoming victim Of neurasthenia increased tho
mothers trouble A few weeks ago the physician
advised Mr.. Waters that Agatha's health would be
ruined unless she took ocean voyage and had a
change OF climate. Mr. Waters made arrangements
to send Ruth and Agatha abroad with chaperOn.
and they were to sail next Saturday.
. On Sunday afternoon Mr.. and Mrs. Waters the
Gatlings and Agatha went in an automobile
to Far ROckaway. calling some friends at Cedar
hurst on the way back On the drive Mrs Waters
seemed TO be much better than usual The party
returned 90 town early in the evenins. when a dis
agreeable drizzle had set in The Ciatlines were
left az their own home before the automobile took
the others to the house in 18th street
about 10 o'clock at night unexpected ring at
the telephone was answered by Ruth. who discov-
cred that somebody had made a mistake and had
called a wrong number Mrs. Waters became all
most hysterical She complained for nearly half
an hour that the ringing OF the telephone bell kept
sounding in her ears.
Mr.. and Mrs Waters and the Youngest daughter
Grace. had sleeping rooms on the second floor OF
the house, while Ruth and Agatha shared room
on the third floor. Agatha was unable to sleep
from nervousness. and kept Ruth awake until
nearly midnight Agatha had fallen asleep when
Ruth heard her mothers step at the door and
heard her mother say: Some IS ringing the
telephone again."
mo. mother" Ruth said quietly. speaking IN q
low tone 50 not to arouse her sister, ''the tele-
phone Is not ringing. Please go back to bed
She heard her mother go downstairs again. Her
father had been asleep. He was not aroused by
his wife's Journey upstairs. Mrs. Waters probably
did not return to bed. She must have searched in
possible burglars
Ruth fell asleep. but she awakened again
about a m. by hearing her mother walking IN the
ROOM She did not speak TO her mother then. but
raised her head slightly and saw her mother IN tha
dim light walking Agatha's side OF the bed She
had thought OF danger, because her mother had
walked IN her sleep and had entered the room in
the same way many times.
Then there was a shot. and Ruth sprang out OF
bed screaming. while Agatha lay dead AIrs.
Waters had placed the muzze Of the revolver close
to her daughters right ear before pulling the trig-
ger, and the girl killed Instantly.
On the other side OF the bed Ruth stood Tor
moment, screaming and asking her mother what
she doing. She her mother go out OF the
room like ghost She went to the landing and
looked over the stair railing in time 20 see the
hash Of the revolver her mother shot herself
Mrs. Waters had reached the third step from the
bottom Of the stairway when she sent bullet into
her brain. She fell dead at the feet OF her huS
band, who, awakened by the first shot and BY his
daughters screams on the floor above. had Jumped
out OF bed and had rushed from his room IN time
to his wife kill herself
DR.. r. A. Stewart living directly across the
street. and Dr. r. w Eastman. at No 40, were
called in as quickly possible. but they said after
examinations that mother and daughter had died
instantly. Mr. Waters and his daughters. Ruth
and Grace, needed the attention OF the physicians
for a time, but recovered from the shock Of the
tragedy later and related all the facts they knew
in talks with the coroner and police.
The funeral at the house viii be private. The
bodies Of Mrs. Waters and her daughter viii bs
cremated.