The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-10-05
ffrom the Ohio Statesman, Thursday, Sept. 28
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
A WfeU1e Family DrOHned.
A Methsv 1ardsrs her Four CAildren and Con

a Mother Murders her Four Children and Com
mats Suicide.
Our citizens were shocked yesterday morning
BY rumor that terrible tragedy had occurred
near Grove City, village about nine miles from
this place, the particulars of which, as given 70
onr reporter on the spot, are substantially al
/ follows:
woman hy the name Of Christians Schining,
residing with her husband about half mile
from the village Of Grove City, jackson town
ship, in this county, yesterday morning, about
or O'Clock. during the absence OF her hus-
band, murdered her four children, three girls
and boy, by throwing them into well, and
afterwards Jumping in herself From the evil
dence elicited by the Coroner, and the state
meats made TO our reporter by the neighbors it
appears that Frederick Schlling, the husband,
was attending a wedding party, near Grove
City, when the deed was committed, and that
the wife, Christiana Schiiling, conveyed the
children from their beds to the well, distance
OF one hundred yards, while they were aslecp,
and then pitched them into it, and afterwards
Hung herself in. No possible motive can be as
signed for the deed, and it is the general i'm
preston among the neighbors that Mrs. Schil-
ing was insane. Neighbors passing the house,
which is miserable log cabin, standing about
quarter OF mile from the main road, say that
they heard the mother and her children singing
hymn about 10 o'clock at night. The hus-
band and father, it seems, did not return from
the wedding party until daylight, and before
that tine lady neighbor having occasion to
draw water from the WELL had discovered the
bodies of Ms. Schilling and her four children
hoating on the surface. She imme ediately gave
the alarm, and several gentleman came to the
spot and raised the mother and her four chill
dren from the we'll. The family consists of a
boy named Nsientine, 10 years of age, Christi
ana, girl Il Years OF age, Caroline, S years.
and Augusta, years Of age.ZMrs. Schling
was about 36 years OF age, and was, to all ap-
pearances, al intelligent, healthy and handsome
woman. When our reporter visited the house
the dead bodies Of the FIVE unfortunate beinss
were laid upon two beds in the only sleeping
apartment III The cabin, and more melancholy
spectacle 1t has never been our misfortune to
behold. The children all looked healthy. ro-
bust aud beautiful, and with the exception of a
slight scar on the forehead of the boy, no marks
oil violence we're visible. crowd of people of.
both sexes we!e in the room, all we. stricken by
the horrible catastrophe.
No evidence elected by the jury of inquest
goes to show that any other person than the
mother could have committed the deed. It is
generally believed that she was laboring under
a lt OF insanity. and it was stated that she had.
ooout sear aso, attempted 10 commit suicide
during tit oi phrenzy, to which she was sub
lsct. Tnis is she only probable or humane view
that can be tssen OF the matter /; and it is meet
that this mantle of charity should be thrown
over the deed. No relatives of the unfortunate
family reside in this country, but those intimate
~ acquainted with Mrs. Sching say that she
was an eccentric and superstitous being, and
that she frequently said she was "be witched"
and the neigh bors say that she had occasion to
be jealous OF her husband, that she was ill-treat.
ed, &c. A thousand vague and different rea
sons are assigned for the deed, but the true mo.
tive ID covered with veil OF impcnetrable mys
terry No res 9onsibility has yet been laid to the
husband of the deluded woman, aud no doubt
whatever can F,e entertained that he was entire.
y innocen. OF the deed. A horrible and mys-
FERROUS calamity has desolated his house, the
true history OF which Can only be unrayeled
BY history ligher than earth.
The lady who first discovered the bodies in
the we'll, says that she intended to get some wa
ter from the same, but found it impossible to
sink the bucket, and upon looking down, she
could see the clothes of the woman and chill
iren floating On the surface. She was at loss
TO imagine whatit was that obstructed d the buck.
st and was terrified when she found it was the
oedes Of the family other neighbors The well
. 35 feet detp, and contains about FIVE feet
of water. The windass and bucket were in
heir proper places when first discoyered. and
no signs whatever were visible, in the darkness
of the orning, of the terrible deed.