Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-08-29

0ui iSoNNAo VIII nave pSfusCu viii
feelings Of horror and incfedulity the
frightful details brought to light by
the late inqueas in Norfolk, which
have been reported at length in our pa
per from time TO time. The special
inquiries which the Government tho't
proper to set on foot have now left lit
tie room for doubling that system of
wholesale murder has been carried on
for years, md to On extent now hardly
exactly discosgsable. A laboring man,
near fourssore years Of age, poisons
one ofhis children, eight at least of his
grandchildren, and bis wife; he is be-
lieved to have poisoned his father and
mother; he penetrates these atrocious
crimes without suspicion or disturb
ance, and apparently without motive;
he attends the death beds snd funerals
of his victims < conducts himself with
decency and respect, at last he takes
poison himself, and requests that rel
ic Of his wife's may be enclosed in his
coffin, bids an aifectionate farewell to
those around him, observes that he has
made his peace with God, and expires
with an appearance of piety and resig-
nation which leaves deep impression
on the minds of the spectators. tire
quires some effort to comprehend the
reality of such state of things as this.
The hypothesis, which, in the pres
ent day, is SO often resorted to for the
explanation or excuse of any extraor-
binary crime-tha., of the insanity of
the criminal-would appear at first
sight to be here recommended by far
more than its usual probability. But
apart from that SAVIOR of madness which
may be said to enter into the elements
of all crime whatever, and which can
not be held TO effect the responsibility
Of the perpetrator without a total sacri-
flee Of all ideas Of justice, we can dis
cover no traces of insanity in the ac-
tons of this internal miscreans. Not
only was his general course of life un-
marked by any symptoms OF such dis
=
these crimes indicate no small amount
of self-control and sobriety. Though
he reckoned so securely on the ignor-
ance of his victims as to dust the
white powder in the teapot before
the eyes Of the maid who was to par
take Of the mixture, yet he took great
pains to divert any more intelligent en-
quiries. He purchased his poisons
with the greatest circumspection.- He
was anxious to get the bodies under
ground as quickly as possible. He al
ways opposes any application to the cor
oner or surgeon, and his own death is
supposed to have been fastened by the
resolution OF enc of the bereaved moth
ers to repair to some medical adviser.
1t is remarkable that this monster
was without the influence of any ofthe
motivesto which such deedsas these can
usually be traced. He could reap no
gain whatever from his crimes; no
murder made him six-pence richer
His little victims were living at dis
lance from him under the care Of their
parents, and he seized the opportunity
of friendly visit 10 poison them sue
cessively. He was living on excellent
terms with them all; no murder was
the result of angeror malice. Though
receiving parochial relief, he was not
under any pressure Of penury or want.
Perhaps his first crime may have been
the result of some extraordinary mo-
tive, but in his subsequent career we
believe he was actuated solely by the
lust for murder. For fifteen or TWEEN
ty wears he has been exercising this
frightful power over the lives OF his
neighbors in secret, and with IMMUNITY;
and he seems to have cleaned hide
Gus qualification from its indulgence.
Since the first disclosures, people in
the neighborhood have now recalled
that ordinary laborers and strangers
with whom this wretch had no imagin-
able connection have died suddenly, az
ter being 10 his company. Practices
so monstrous seem beyond the limits OF
reality. aud almost beyond those of
Imagination, but it is certain that such
are on record both il ancient and mod
ern times. No doubt that the effects of
an epidemical contsgion have oftenbeen
attributed to systematic poisonings by
ignorant aud exasperated people, but
after making all allowance for such err
ror, more than one unquestionable in
stance could Be produced Of cases where
murder .sas become a passion, and
where a crime 50 foul and hineous as to
haunt the guilty TO death by its mere
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