The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1907-04-30
SHOT HER HUSBAND.
THEN SON, THEN HERSELF +
Terrible Deed Of Providence, r. +,
Woman Last Night During
Fit Of Insanity.


Providence, r. T., April so. Her mind
unbalanced, it is thought, because Of
long continued nervous trouble, Mrs.
Louisa Holden, 40 years Of are, last
night shot and almost instantly killed
her husband, Nee s. Holden, then turn
cd the revolver on her son, Louis a.
Williams, IS, shooting him iii the head,
inflicting q fatal wound. She then shot
herself in the head dying at the Rhode
Island hospital little over an honF
later The boys death Is expected at
any moment.
The tragedy occurred at the home Of
the Holdens, 97 Tabor avenue. The hus-
band ii a member Of the firm of Smith
s. Holden, dealers in oils and paints, and
the family il Wen known The couple
had been married for about five years,
Mrs. Holden being divorced from her
first husband. She evidently planned
the deed which was committed with d
80 calibre revolver.
MIR. Holden was shot twice, once
through the nose, the other bullet going
into the heart. The three bodies were
in a bedroom occupied by Mr.. and Mrs
Holden, the husband in bed, the boy on
cot and the wife and mother lying
unconscious on the floor between the
two.
The surgeon accompanying an anlbu-
lance saw at once that the husband had
probably been instantly killed, but
mother and son were hurried To the
hospital, where Mrs Holden died shortly
after arrival there. In the course Of the
evening the family spent several hours
together playing cards, all in the best
OF spirits.
Temporary insanity, produced by ner-
vous troubles, from which she had been
suffering for some time, is supposed to
have been the cause of Mrs. Holden's
act. On account Of her extreme nervous
condition her husbands rest had been
greatly disturbed Of late, and know
ledge Of this had troubled Mrs. Holden
greatly In order to relieve her hus-
band # the annoyance, shs proposed last
night that her son Louis aged, should
occupy the chamber with Mr. Holden,
while she went up stairs to the third
floor to the room where her son has
usually slept.
In the chamber adjoining that Of Mr..
Holden we're Mr.. and Mrs. George A.
Middlehrook, the latter being the mother
Of Mr.. Holden. They were aroused by
\ the sound of shots about Il O'Clock, and
kurrying into Mr.. Holden's room dis
covered the triple tragedy. Mr.. Holden
was lying dead in his bed, having been
apparently killed almost instantly BY
two bullets, one OF which entered his
head near the nose, while the second
penetrated his heart. On cot close TO
| the bed the boy Louis A. Williams, lay
unconscious, while the woman was on
the floor between the cot and the bed
IN a dying condition. Mrs Holden and
| her son were hurried to the Wood Island
| hospital where the woman died shortly
after her arrival. Late last night the
condition Of the boy was said to be very
serious and It was believed that be could
not long survive.
The theory Of the members of the
household Is iat after go..lg upstairs "a
the room on the third floor Mrs. Holden
actuated by sudden freak OF nervous
insanity, secured a revolver, and des.
cendirg to the room where her husband
and son were sleeping fired the shots al
they lay unconscious.
Mr.. and Mrs. MiddIebrook have only
recently returned from an extended stay
in Europe and have been guests at tho
HoAvn homie but short Time. Mr.
y Holden has been prominent in business
has member Of the firm of Smith 6
/ Holden. Mrs. Holden's brother, Arthur
L. Smith, is the senior member Of tht
firm.