Year: 1866

|


CONJUGAL FELICITY.


Remarkable Murder and Remarkable Con-


fession-How a Husband Beats his Wife


to Death with Stool.


| in Chicago, recently, a man named
Joseph Short, while under the influence
of liquor, attacked his wife without
provocation, and killed her by crushing
her head with Il stool. As soon as the
deed was done he went into another
room, sat down and commenced smO-
king. Short offers the temporary
delusion theory in expiation of his
crime. In his confession" before
the coroner he said:


"My name is Joseph Short. Ispell
it j. o. S. E. p. II. L. l came from
Ireland, and have been in this country
for nine years. l first stopped in New
Jersey; have been in Chicago seven
years. I worked along the wharves,
and sometimes at the iron works. l
got married in New Jersey, and soon
after the marriage, started with my
wife to California, but l got some let
tiers from Corunna which spoilt my cal
culations, and went from one place to
another, and finally came to Chicago.
l worked here. steadily for long time.
In January last l went down to ST.
Louis for six weeks. When | came
back l couldn't get no work, and ]
went to drinking. l commenced drink
about year ago ] heard this morn
ing that my wife was dead. This gen
tleman pointing to an officer, told me
about t. Well, expected she would
be. I thought she was dead before !
left her, but suppose hadn't give her
enough. intended to kill her, and if
she wasn't dead, then / would have Kill
led her anyhow. HTd a thought there
was drop of blood in her when l left
her, I'd a taken it out o her, for de-
signed to kill her, and if she wasn't
dead when l left her, I'm willing to suf
fer just the same as if she was. The
reason why came to kill her was this !:
There was two ghosts got into my in
side, and got up so high, (placing bis
hand upon his stomach. } Then aspir
! it appeared to me and said she was 60
ing to kill me, and accused me of things
that never happened. You see it was a
dead man, but he was speaking to me
the same as if he wasn't dead. Well,
he walked away, and then another
came, and finally both attacked me. l
resisted them, and called for my wife to
help me, but she wouldn't do it, and
said that she didn't see the ghosts.
Then different shapes, they come and
20 out of the window. and then back
and spit fire at me. At last got up
and went out to get away from the
spirits, and thought to myself as ]
was walking round that if my wife
wouldn't take my part I might just as
we'll kill her So l made up my mind
that would 60 back and do it. The
folks thought l was crazy. Well, l
went back to my house, and said to
myself, by gosh, l will kill her right off.
So went in to where she was to get it
done. l first jumped on her and gave
her couple of kicks, but l found / was
doing no good, because had no boots
on, so / took ND q stool-thats the
one-(pointing to broken stool on
the table, and hit her over the head
Then l went down to give myself up,
when the policemen they came into the
house, and came over to the station
here. l thought if she lived few min
utes after it makes no difference, be-
cause ! never would have left her until
l done it. / was satisfied when came
to the North Market Hall that ] had
made it all right. l considered that l
was right in killing her, but l don't
know, Of course. l may be mistaken.
/ never had two hard words with her
all the time that lived with her. We
were like two children"
On being asked if he was still an,
noyed with the ghosts, he said: "N-no
not at present. / saw some of them
last night at the armory. They were
not the same as was after me before
They were only just the kind of spirits
as there always is at the calaboOse."
| Having made this statement Shor
retired to another part of the ball. ant
listened to the rest of the testimony al
| II be felt no further interest in the pro
ceedings. 'f