Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-12
AUNT KILLS CHILD
AND ENDS OWN LIFE
WITH SAME RAZOR
Miss Emily James Gonce
Stays Brothers 8-year-
old Son as He Sleeps,
Then Cuts Own Throat.
Father Finds Bodies.

Murder and suicide ended the lives OF
an eight-year-old boy and his aunt, 20
years old. early today. The woman's
mind is believed to have been unbalanced
by a succession Of deaths in her family.
She cut the throat Of the boy while he
/ slept in his cot and then slashed her own
throat The dead bodies were discovered
four hours later.
The woman was Miss Emily James
Gonce, Of 547 North Hobart street. The
boy was John Gonce, son Of her brother,
| James Gonce, for whom she had been
housekeeper since the death of her sister
| in-law, Sarah. three months ago. DIR.
NJ. c. Briggs, of 55s North 5sth street,
pronounced the pair dead.
James Gonce found the bodies today
when his sister failed to appear for break
fast. That of his son was on the cot
while his sisters body was face down
ward on the floor. The razor was still
clutched in her right hand
Three months ago Mrs Gonce died at
the West Philadelphia Homeopathic Hos
plta'. giving birth to a baby girl. The
chllu life was saved. II is still at
the hospital. Miss Emily Gonce then be-
came housekeeper for her brother. She
took the place of mother to her brothers
eight-year-old son.
Six months ago Mrs William 7. Gonce
mother of Emily GOnce, died. She was
about 60 years old. About two years ago
on Easter Monday, another son Of James
Gonce, then four years old was burned
to death while playing with matches in
the rear yard Of the North Hobart street
home.
The three deaths in the last two years, |
coupled to the difficulty she had making |
ends meet, owing to her brother being |
out of work, preyed on the mind Of Miss |
Gcnce She became moody and despon- |
dent She also suffered from an afflc
tion of the throat that became so bad in |
the last few weeks she could not speak |
above n whisper.
Nclghbors say that Mrs. Sarah Gonce
made a will shortly before her death three
months ago asking her sister-in-law,
Emily, TO care for the children in event
of her death. Mrs. Gonce did not want
any one else to have the little ones. Re-
Gently Miss Emily Gonce began 10 fear
that she would not live long, the neigh
bors say. She is said to have intimated
she would some day end her life and take
her darling boy" with her.
Last night a neighbor sent the boy on
an errand. The lad, who was deeply at
tached to his aunt, went into the house
first to get her permission. He found her
asleep in a second story rear room. About
an hour later he retired, sleeping on a cot
In the same room. Gonce. his father,
came in at 10 o'clock and slept on the
first floor.
William II. Gonce. grandfather of the
dead boy and father of the suicide. also
lives in the North Hobart street house
He Is about 62 years old Both he and
his son, James Gonce, are prostrated by
he shock
The boy attended the George Brooks
School at Fifty-seventh street and Hav-
srford avenue. He was in the second !
grade. Every morning the aunt took the
little fellow to school She went there
n the afternoon to meet him He was
'arely outside the house without her.
Frequently the two went to the hospital
ogether to see the boys infant sister,
pulsed.