Margaret E. “Maggie” Wilcox (Rondeau)

Sylvester Coolidge, 49, of Lake Placid, shot and killed Mrs. Herman Wilcox, 45, of the same village, Monday afternoon, November 28, 1927, about five o'clock, while she was preparing supper, and then killed himself by blowing part of his head off with a 30-30 rifle. No motive was given by police for the double slaying.

Mrs. Wilcox, who was the mother of three children, was employed at the home of Miss Elizabeth Osgood on River street, Lake Placid, as a domestic. Coolidge who was married and the father of five children, was employed as a carpenter in that village. He had been married for 25 years.

While Mrs. Wilcox was preparing supper at the home of Miss Osgood, Coolidge approached the kitchen window, and when Mrs. Wilcox was about six feet away, it is claimed Coolidge shot her. The bullet entered her breast and she fell to the floor dead.

Chief of Police Thomas Black of Lake Placid was summoned to the house by neighbors and when he reached the scene he was informed that a second shot had been heard. Going to the rear window of the house in the back yard, he followed footsteps to about one hundred feet away from the building. He was startled to find Coolidge lying on the ground with half his head blown away and the rifle by his side. He was still breathing and was hurried to the Lake Placid General Hospital where he died ten minutes later.

Coroner John Crowley of Lake Placid was summoned and directed that the two bodies be brought to Wilkinson's Undertaking establishment, where an autopsy was held later in the evening.

Mrs. Wilcox's husband, Herman Wilcox, was employed at the Lake Placid Club and both he and Coolidge had been friendly. It was also stated that Mrs. Wilcox and Mrs. Coolidge were friends and the members of both families often times spent the evenings together.

Mrs. Wilcox was a former resident of Au Sable Forks, New York and two of her sisters resided here. They were Mrs. John Breen and Mrs. Sherman McCasland. Two of her brothers, Joseph and William Rondo, lived in Black Brook and a third brother lived in Cobalt, Canada.

News of the double tragedy spread quickly throughout Lake Placid and shocked the village. Both Coolidge and Mrs. Wilcox were spoken of in high terms by residents of the village.

Mrs. Wilcox was buried in Holy Name cemetery, Au Sable Forks, after the funeral mass at 10 o'clock in Holy Name church there, Thursday, December 1, 1927.

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Aug 31 2019, 11:17:06 UTC
• Residence: North Elba, Essex, New York, United States - 1910
  • Reference: FamilySearch Record - SmartCopy: Aug 31 2019, 11:21:59 UTC

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