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A SttBD£« Stary of m Murdrrer’* Di«app«ar-•dc« lo CailferDla.Eloped, September 25 Hit ” says the Ban FiancU^o Call. is thesiDgularemry that appears on the records of the Btockjon Avy-loot for the Insane opposite the name of Thomas I). Net re, who was committed to that institution from this city on the 20:hot February, I'CTS, by R. I Morrison, then Judge oi the Fourth District Coart.On the oigbi of Uie *;th of October, I TT, Neice, who had been a night watchman m the United States Mint, west to a bou o on Fifth street, between Jessie an i Mission, carrrSrg in his Land a large white bon iaet, which he cJVrfd to Jennie O’Neil, a nine-Ken year old girl, one of the inmates o! the hemte, whu was also known m Euiraa Meehan, She refund!!, whereupon he drew a revolver and Urea four shots si her, wounding her in several places. After hr had ceased Brine he approached the wounded woman, eaying: ’ Kfw me, for 1 must go, m I will swing for this. ” As hlt; was leaving the house he was arrested by Otlicer M. Murphy, As soon as he w#s in custody he said to the officer: “Take your revolver and kill me, for I have an old mother and do not want to disgrace her. ' The prisoner, who wes then twenty-one years of age, and was the sod of Adelaide Mario h a then well-known lecturers, and nephew of James E. Murdoch, the tragedian, came to this city from Washington, I). C., ia February pre-lt; eding the shooting, and soon after hie arrival obtained a portion in the mint. He formed the act;uaintanee of the woman he shot, who was a native of Santa Cruz, and married to n an named Meehan, but who Dad separated from her husband. After leaving her husband she went into a house on Bacracuento street, where she was shot at bv her husband. This shooting affected her mind, ana she was sent to the awluiu at Btcckton, from which place ahe had been dla-charged ss cared but a short time when Neice became acquainted with her. Oa the 20th of October the woman died from the effects of tbe wounds Inilicted by Neice, and just before dyirg she declared that Neice had shed her becans* she refused to support him. in 1 ebraary, 137S, Neice was brought up in Judge Morris’ Court for trial for murder, aud during tbe trial a jury wan sworn to try bis mental condition. The jury declared that he way insane, and. as a person of an* maud mmd can not be tried flt;r crime, he was sent to tbe asylum.On the 2U!i of May, 1'c, D. L. Smoot, then District Attorney, moved to dismiss the mii;ctment against Neice, staling that it was the intention to sand Neice to his mother in Philadelphia. In support of the motion there was r»ad a letter from Dr. SbuitleiT, Superintendent of the Asylum at Stock too, in which tbe writer said; **Although Neice is. still of weak mind and in poor bodily health, he is sufficiently recovered to go at large aud I would therefor# aiviss his removal.” Judge Ferial, then presiding ia Department 2 of the tfnper,or C ourt, before wbon the motion wan mace, sad: *'l have a tolerabe clear -ecolleotion ui this cm^. The tn aroeied woman was ft poor, wretched oaice«», while the young wan hada good position, and appeared to be surrounded by indornt ai friends.It is a matter of great surprise t*» end tne Snpe*int»ndeur -«f the asylum advising that Nefce houid hi per*untied to go at large. The man is dec a redlo have n hom cidai mania. yet it is deliberately proposed to send him to Philadelphia lo his mottf”, who i» taid to oa verging on insanity. Under lhe?e circumstances I can sot ami will not dismiss the indictment. If what baa beer, ttated is true, Neice could kill any one in the community and be wholly irresponsible. 1 dare not assume the responsibility of discharging such a man,”Decently itca e to th** koowledgs of a reporter for the Call thut Neice was no longer an inmate of the asylum, and ns he had not been discharged by any order of the Court a visit wai paid to the rsyluni, and the en»ry which heads this arlic‘e was discovered. The authorities at the asylum say they know nothing of Neice e present whereabouts,
Newspaper Details
Indianapolis Sentinel
Indianapolis, Indiana, US
Tue, Apr 07, 1885
Page 7
Full Page
Clipped by
Los A.
CA, USA 21 Mar 2024
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