Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1860-03-13

tragedy of a terrible nature has just caused the
greatest excitement at Syracuse, N. Y. On
Wednesday last, Peter Tinker, whose wife had
abandoned him for DR.. Searles, committed su-
icde by taking poison, after having first poison
ed his two little daughters with strychnine. he
was seen staggering in the streets that evening
from the effects of laudanum, and was carried to
the Park Hotel by his friends, who supposed be
was drunk. He died next morning about o.
clock The Standard has the following particu-
lars of this extraordinary affair:
On taking off his boots several letters were
found in one of his stockings, one Of which was
directed to his wife, and another one stated
that his two children, girls of six and eight years
of age, would be found asleep in the Medical
College building AS the children were miss
ing, considerable anxiety was felt for their fate
and DR.. Green proceeded Immediately to the
College building, where, in the northeast corner
of the lower floor, horrible sight met the eye
The two beautiful little children named Flora
and Lucinda, lay on mattress, dead, with the
froth gathered about the mouth, and bearing ev.
cry evidence of death from the effects of poison
supposed to be strychnne. The potion had
probably been administered by means OF an or
ange, and the children bad been partially laid
out after death, as their arms were folded across
their breasts with some care, and the bodies laid
out in straight position. The children were
tended school until quite recently.
The statement of the wife of the unhappy sui
eide is that her husband became very poor, and
she went to live with DR.. Searles and his wife in
in order that her work there might support her
self. Some time since, the second Baptist church
to which Mr.. Tinker belonged, took the matter
under consideration and she was discharged from
the church, on the charge that she did not live
with her husband and walk with the church
aud had attended lectures on spiritualism. Il
may be proper here to state that Mrs. Tinker ii
not and never has been spiritualst, and thai
tie absurd stories that are in circulation abou
free-love are all false.
Mrs. Tinker is a lady apparently about thirty
} five years of age, with no particular pretension
} to beauty, and apparently not very gay. She il
much more intelligent than her husband, ant
: appears to feel very much depressed by the hor
rible circumstances that surround her at this
t Time She evidently teels the loss of her lttl.
girls very keenly, although she is not SO demon
strative as some females.
: Mrs. DR.. Searles, who is very intelligent ap
pearing lady, Indignantly spurns the idea that a
2 ny improper intimacy existed between her hus
band and Mrs. Tinker. She says she invited Mrs
Tinker to make her house home from pure mo
> tives of belevoence, as she well understood
their depressed pecuuiary Circumstances.
, For the Spectator.
ReOrganize!
, We de not mean the "Qpposi tion," or an,
thing connected with the political elements, bu
the '.Staunton Lyceum," which has at severa
pc iods been an association credltabe to it
members and the town. Under different titles
once that of "The Henry Clay Club" its stated
: meetings were oncs place of resort for the pur
pose of moral and mental improvement, not on
y OF the yonng men of the town, but of old
steady, professional men, and our most perma
nent citizens, as participants in the exercise
2 and as spectators. But for want of energy, ant
other causes, the last attempt at reorganization
proved signal failure, and as evidently true 81
: the reasons are, which have been urged by TIT
first literary men in our country, why such as
socations should be formed wherever it is pos
sible, yet Stanton is without such an one, fac
that can probably be said of no other town ir
! Virginia, as large, and enjoying the reputation
that Stanton does for all things of this kind.
With the view, then, of permanently estab
fishing such an association, we ask that there b.
meeting ON Friday night, 18th March, in thu
room over Tue county UOuFC OIefkS ONCE,
the friends OF the ''Staunton Lyceum," and OF al
such as feel an interest in the young men of thu
town, which meeting we hope will be ATTENDED
by such men as will lend dignity and perma
nence to whatever measures may be adopted
We mean such of our citizens Col. Baldwin
, Messrs. Hartman, Imboden, Skinner, Doyle, Bay
lor, Watts and a number Of others who might b,
named all Of whom, we think, feel sufsicien
interest in the subject to encourage with thei
presence and assistance, this effort which ha
been set on foot, to once more raise this now
fallen association, for mutual IMPROVEMENT.