Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-12-25
From the Broom County N. Y. Republican.
a HOUSE OF MOURNING g. OF BLOOD
THE LIVES OF TWO CHILDREN TAKEN BY

THE LIVES OF TWO CHILDREN TAKEN BY
THEIR MOTHER.
Seldom has it fallen to our lot to record so
shocking an occurrence as the followng:-
Cornelius Mersereau, Esq. Coroner, on Mon
day last, was called to hold an inquest over the
bodies Of two children, daughters of Mr.. Ed
mond II, and Samantha Locke, of the town of
Union, in this county. 1t appeared in evidence
before the jury summoned on this melancholy
occasion, that early on Saturday morning last
Mr. Locke, and his two sons arose, and went to
the barn to attend to their ordinary out door
business. Mrs. Locke also arose. passed into
the room where a niece of hers, who was sick,
and her little daughter slept, asked her niecel
how she rested, and then took the child from
the bed, under the pretence that her niece might
remain undisturbed the remainder of the NOR
ming.
She then took the child up stairs to, the bed
occupied by the other child, (the eldest five, and
the youngest two years of age,) and got into
the bed herself About this time, one of the
sons returned from the barn for some corn, and
went up stairs for that purpose. His mother
urged him to hasten down with it, which he did
Mr.. Locke, in a few minutes also came in, and
| inquired where his mother was. He replied
sup stairs, playing with the children" Mr. L..
Immediately went up, where sight as appalling
as ever ives witnessed by mortal eyes met his
view. The three lay in the bed, with their
Threats cut from ear to ear, weltering in their
blood! The children were quite dead, and their
mother struggling as if in the agones of death !!
Mrs. Locke, during the last winter and spring,
and at times on former occasions had been in
sane. Everything which kind husband could
do, had been done by Mr. l.. to alleviate her dis
ease of mind, and with this view he took her on
a long journey the past summer, and returned
with her. as he hoped, fully restored to health
No particular symptoms of her malady had been
discovered, save occasionally wild appearance
OF the eye, until the commission of the fatal deed
Mrs. Locke still survives and Doct. Burr, who
was Immediately called, thinks she NAV possibly
recover The razor was found in her hand, and
it took the united strength of two individuals to
force it from the manac's grasp. She has par.
TALLY recovered her senses, expresses her re.
greet, and hopes that she may recover so as tc
"suffer the penalty ofthe law
The jury rendered verdict, "That Ruth s
Locke and Mary II. Locke, children of the sale
Edmund II. and Samantha Locke, came to the
sudden deaths on the morning of the 18th day
of December instant, by the hand of their moth
err, by her cutting their threats with razor
while the said mother was in state of INSANITY
The funeral of the children took place or
Monday, and their remains were followed tc
their last resting place by large concourse O
sympathizng friends. The feelings of the
heart broken father, and surviving children cal
neither be imagined or described, nor can the,
receive any consolation, except from an hghc
than an earthly source, that will in the least as
suape their deenly seated corroye