Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-31
MAD SHOTS AT WIFE
Husband SavageIy Attacks His
Deserted HeIpmeet.
INFLICTS. TWO WOUNDS
Tries to Kill Mother.in-Law and
Sister.in-Law.
HAS BATTLE WITH POLICE
Fifty Bullets Exchanged When,
With His Cartridges Exhausted,
he Is Captured.
HAS BATTLE WITH POLICE

NEW YORK, January 31.-After q brief
but ardent courtship. Lillian Johnson,
one of the most popular girls Of Collins
vile, Conn.,, was married about q year
ago to John NJ. Kenefick. formerly Of
Hartford. For several months the cou-
pie were happy. Then the man deserted
his bride. Heartbroken, she went back
to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Arthur
johnson. in Collinsville.
Just before christmas a boy was born
to Mrs. Kenefick. 1t was thought this
might bring Kenefick back to his wife.
but apparently 1t only steeled him the
more against her. The slight wounded
the young mother, who is only nineteen
more cruelty than anything the man had
done.
Yesterday afternoon kenefck went to
the house, burst In barricaded door,
shot his wife twice. fired four bullets at
his mother-in-law and one at his wife's
sixtcen-year-old sister. Then he seized
his SON. who had been hidden in 4 pa
per box. ran to the front yard, and there,
with the infant lying in the snow almost
between him and the police. engaged In q
revolver battle that lasted fifteen min
utes.
This graphic story was told over the
lOuS-O1St8nC6 IeIeQnOne l89t night 0y
Chief Of Police A. H. Bushing Of Collins
Vile:
Wife Refused to Flee.
When Kenefick neared the house the
family. with the exception Of Mrs. Ken
efick. fled to a bedroom. They pleaded
with her to follow. but she said she
would meet her husband. With the baby
In her arms she went silently into the
sitting room. q door Of which opened on
the porch.
"Kenehck peered into the sitting-room
windows till he saw his wife. He beck
no attention to him. He flung himself
against the door. bursting 1t open. He
was In q frenzy of rage as he confronted
his wife. AS he saw the child at her
breast he halted and gasped. 1t was the
first glimpse Of his son.
He shouted curse, jerked q revolver
from his pocket and fired q shot into the
young woman's arm. She swung around
and as she did SO he fired again. The
bullet struck Mrs. Kenefick at the back
of the neck. circled her throat and lodged
just beneath her chin. She did not fall
at the first fire, but when the second bull
let struck her she toppled over, clasping
the baby more firmly in her arms.
Tries to Kill Mother-iu-Law.
Then Kenefck started for the door,
and as he had his hand on the knob,
Mrs. johnson. terror stricken, entered the
room and ran toward her daughter.
Kenefick called to her to stand back,
but Mrs. johnson did not heed him.
Drawing his revolver again. Kenefick fired
four shots at his mOther-in-1aw. but n ne
OF them hit her. Kenefick was ed In !.
toward the door when his wife's sixteen
year-old sister entered the room.
Lob hnA I'D IL.
in her arms and carried her to a sofa.
the baby rolling to the floor from his un-
conscious mother arms. Miss johnson
bent down to take the baby. Kenefick
told the girl not to dare touch his son
and began to reload the revolver. Seeing
his intention. Miss johnson showed him
aside. caught up the infant and darte
from the room. As she went through the
doorway Kenef1ck fired. the bullet lmbed-
ding itself In the wainscoting.
'.Kenefick was furious at his failure
and turned toward his wounded wife.
Mrs. Johnson had fed from the room.
Kenefick muttered something about eo.ng
to shoot his wife again, not SO that sne
he glared at her he raised the revolver.
but changed his mind and ran out Of the
room by the door through which Miss
johnson had fed.
-. Seizes Baby Son.
THE girl had run to the second floor
and placed the baby in a cardboard box,
leaving the cover open at one end so
the child would not be smothered. Then
she hid the infant in a closet and ran
down the back stairs. Kenef1ck- searched
the whole house before he found the
baby. With his son In his arms. still in
the cardboard box, he ran downstairs
and into the sitting room. where Mrs.
johnson and her daughter were minister
ing to Mrs. Kenefick
Then. going to the fireplace, he took
a burning brand and set fire to the house.
At this time some Of my officers and Il
had been notified. We went to the house
just as Kenefick came out
Battle With Police.
"He opened fire on us. Then, putting
the baby in the snow, he got behind
tree, the infant ten feet away from him.
Then the battle began. About fifty shots
were fired. AS we closed In on Kenefick
he put his revolver to his head and
pulled the trigger, but his last cartridge
had been fired.
1--WE arrested him and locked him up
here, but sent him to Hartford later, as
we feared the villagers might attempt
to take him away from u.s.