Murder of Mary M. Tracy, Afton, NY - 1892

That Afton Murder

Utica Daily Press, August 28, 1892

In Saturday's issue of the Press was contained a statement that Edgar L. Tracey had shot and killed his aunt, Mrs. Mary M. Tracey at Afton, Chenango county, on Friday afternoon about 6 o'clock.  Owing to the fact that the wires were down, further particulars could not be obtained until today.  The facts of the tragedy are as given below.

 

Friday afternoon Henry A. Tracey, his wife, Mary M. Tracey, Edna Brookins and Martin Pearsall, drove to Coventry.  During their absence [Edgar L. Tracey, nephew of Henry A. Tracey,] went to the house of the former and obtained entrance through a screen door.  He secured a .38 caliber revolver and some cartridges from a cupboard in the kitchen and was seen by the neighbors frequently during the day, walking up and down the road in front of the house.  At times he shot at a mark.  About 5 o'clock the party returned from Coventry and found Edgar L. at their house.  They talked a few minutes, and Henry A. drove about 40 rods to the house of Amy Tracey to deliver some parcels they had purchased for her.  He had been absent only a few moments when he heard pistol shots.  He looked around toward his home and saw Edna Brookins rush out of doors. She exclaimed, "Ed has shot grandma."  At the same time Mrs. Tracey came to the door and fell to the ground, where she expired almost instantly.  She had received a shot in the right side of the neck.  the murderer walked coolly into the road with the smoking revolver still in his hand.  He raised it and attempted to blow his own brains out, but his hand was unsteady and he only received a light flesh wound in the neck.  He attempted to escape but was weak from the loss of blood and as the alarm had been given, Deputy Sheriff Herkimer easily captured him in his home about one and one half miles away.  A coroner's jury was summoned and evidence taken from which it was found that Edgar L. Tracy had deliberately murdered Mary M. Tracey.  The murderer is 24 years of age and has always been a dissipated young man.  He has figured in many minor affrays.  The murdered woman was 83 years of age, and had lived in a happy home with her husband in Afton, on the road between Afton and Coventry, for many years  There had never been any trouble between the murderer and the deceased and no motive can be assigned for his fiendish act. Deputy Sheriff Herkimer brought the prisoner to Norwich last evening and he now occupies the murderer in a cell in Chenango County jail.  The Press correspondent had an interview with him this afternoon, but he was reticent and gave no reason for the commission of the foul murder.  Both the deceased woman and the murderer have many wealthy and influential relations living in Chenango county. 

 

The Trial

Elmira Telegram, September 23, 1894

 

Norwich, N.Y. [Chenango Co.]:  The trial of Edgar L. Tracy for murder commenced here before Judge Gerritt A. Forbes and is still on.  Considerable interest is taken in the trial in this county, especially around Bainbridge, near where the murder was committed.  The prosecution claims that Edgar L. Tracy shot and killed his aunt and neighbor, Mrs. Mary M. Tracy, in August, 1892.  It appears that he was on the inside of her house, and as his aunt was entering the door fired, killing her almost instantly.  After he committed the crime he tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the neck and mouth, but the wounds were not dangerous.  As Tracy was drunk at the time of the murder it is the general impression here that the defense will try to prove temporary insanity from drink. 

 

After deliberating eight hours the jury in the trial of Tracy for the murder of his aunt, Mrs. Mary M. Tracy, rendered a verdict Friday night of murder in the second degree.  He will be sentenced on Tuesday.

Sentencing

Utica Weekly Herald, October 2, 1894

Norwich, N.Y.:  When the doors of the court house were thrown open this morning a crowd of anxious people soon filled the court room to hear the sentence of life imprisonment pronounced upon Edgar L. Tracy.  --- Noyes called court at 11 A.M. and Clerk Carr asked the prisoner the usual questions.  When asked if he had anything to say why sentence should not be pronounced upon him he replied that he didn't think he was fully to blame for the crime that he was to suffer for.  After addressing him for about twenty minutes Judge Forbes sentenced Tracy to imprisonment for the term of his natural life at Auburn state prison.  He received the sentence in the ever deliberate manner he had displayed during the trial and his nerve held out to the last.

Seeking a Pardon

Chenango County newspaper, December 13, 1905

Attorney W.B. Matterson went to Albany Thursday to plead for the pardon of Edgar L. Tracy who was sent to Auburn prison, Sept. 25, 1894, for the murder of his aunt, Mrs. Minerva Tracy.  While confined in prison, Tracy has made an excellent record as a model prisoner and it is the belief of all those who are connected with the case that it will be wise to grant him his freedom.

Many residents of Chenango county will remember the story of the crime.  It was on August 25, 1892, that Edgar L. Tracy, while intoxicated and in search of cider, went to his uncle's house three miles from Afton. there his aunt found him.  The details of the murder were never fully known, but a fatal shot was fired which resulted in the death of the woman.

At the trial the case was prosecuted by D.L. Atkyns and W.B. Matterson, while the prisoner was defended by Joseph I. Sayles of Rome and J.W. Church.  The trial commenced Sept. 18, 1894.

The jury was made up of the following:  George Coy, Coventry; Edgar C. Rowe, Oxford; Albert D. Newton, South Otselic; Jesse Inman, Plymouth; John Parker, New Berlin; Gurdon C. Gale, Oxford; John E. Jones, German; Laverne Smith, Guilford; Sam'l M. Roys, Oxford; Walter E. Purdy, Sherburne and John F Drew, McDonough.  Edward A. Lally was sheriff.

Juryman Jesse Inman of Plymouth has died since the trial.  The consent of all the others to the pardon has been obtained.---Sun

Sentence Commuted

Utica Herald Dispatch, November 27, 1906

Albany, N.Y.:  Governor  Higgins yesterday commuted to twenty years the sentence of Edgar l. Tracy, who was convicted of murder in the second degree in Chenango County in September 1894, and sentenced to imprisonment for life in Auburn.  The pardon was granted on the recommendation of the Judge and District Attorney who tried the case on that of Supreme Court Justice elect Gladding.  Tracy was convicted entirely on circumstantial evidence.  He was intoxicated when the crime was committed and is alleged to have shot his aunt at her home. Tracy was on his way home on the night of the crime and stopped at the house of his uncle while the uncle and aunt were away.  On the return of his relatives he is supposed to have shot his aunt while his uncle was at the barn putting up the team, as the uncle heard a shot and going into the house found his wife dead and Tracy shot in the back of the neck, the ball coming out of the mouth.  Under the commutation given him Tracy will be released in about two months.

Released

Owego Daily Record, January 29, 1907

C.H. Emens was in Auburn yesterday and on his return was accompanied by Edgar L Tracy, whose life sentence in state prison was commuted recently and whose term expired yesterday.

Mr. Tracy is already known in Owego from the efforts made in his behalf by the Hon. F.M. Baker and Charles H. Emens.  He has entered Mr. Emens' employ and has with him many curios which are on exhibition at Mr. Emens' store.