Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1860-03-13
Ilrun the rasa>f ,ilf,lard, March u
The Tragedy III Syracuse.
FATHER roI,oNs HIS M CHILDREN AND THEN
COMMITS SUICIDE.

FATHER FHI'oNS MS 3h' e"ihpRtN AND THEN
'oNNlis S'''nt'
Yesterday afternoon We gave nnoicc ut the pois.
oning # a valuable hafst iy Peter Tinker, and
the attempt oi rnker himself to commit suicide
Ly tahu. laudanum.
Farther anl much more horrible details of this
terrible tragedy camr n Il za this morning, which
We rive below.
Although Tinker appeared To be improving Inst
nght and likely to recover from tho effects of the
laudanun. his ~ymat"ms hrraHr worse this morn
nr and died about nine ,lock II, he Park Hotel,
where he was first taken.
On a<ing or his boots several letters wcrc found
in one m hl, sarkings one OF which was directed
to his wifi, and another onc stated that his two
children girls Of six and cgh, wears of age, would
be faut! a>lc"pin the Medical College building.
Asthc children wore missing. considerable anxiety
was felt for thrir rrir, and Dr. Green proceeded
Immediately ,r the College luil ling, where, i'll the
northeast corner # tn lower ioor horrible sight
met the "yc. The two beautiful little chilircn,
named Flora and Lncinda, lay on a mattress dead
with the truth gathered about the mouth mud
bearing every evidence Of death from the effects Of
rosou--supposcd to be stryehnine. Tho poison
had probably been administered by means Of an
orange, and the children had been partially laid
out after death as thor arms were folded across
their breasts with some care, and the bodies laid
out after death, and the bodies laid in straight
position. The children we're beautiful ana incl.
ligent little girls, six aud eight years Of age, and
attended scloul until quite recently.
The news Of the finding oi the bodies spread
through the city like wlldhre, and hundreds oi
persons crowded to see the bodies. Among the
numbers who attended feeling of horror and in
dgnatun wns expressed. aud many threats were
INDUCED in against DR.. Scaties. whom some per
sons suppose to he responsible for the whole trag.
cly. Some the most excited ran to the City Hall
and attempted to sound the fire bell, but the po'
II / Hoo
The Chief Of pdlice and officer Mulholland pro-
cccded to Tie Office of Dir. searics aud took him
into custody for the purpose Of protecting him
from any assault. lie WAS taken To the rcnlten-
tiary by his own consent. but did not learn that
any charge IS preferred against him.
The dead bodies Of the children and the father
were taken in charge by Coroner Didaua, and an
inquest will be held as possible.
This tragic affair has created the most intense
feeling throughout the city. and much Indignation
is expressed against certain persons Tut we are in
some doubt ns to where the blame should rest.
We have kn,wn Peter Tinker for several years.
He was formerly salon keeper. and afterwards
kept the hotel now kept by Mr., Cuddeback. lie
was also employed by Mr.. Wilkinson to drive n
milk wagon aud also by Mr.. Thurber to drive
bread wagon. For some time past he has been IN
straitoned circumstances, and he had probably
become partially insane on account Of his pccuni'
ary troubles AMI domestic difficulties We knew
him we'll ard always regarded him os an honest
sober, well meaning man. but not over intelligent
or well calculated to mako good living for his
family.
Tinker confessed that he destroyed his
children or poisoned Dr. Searles horse, but yet
there can BE- very little doubt but he committed
both offences. lle seen with the children
about five o'clock on Wednesday morning. and
must of course have poisoned them after that time
lie persisted to the Jas, in saying they alive
and well. The room in which tho little innocents
Law when they were found was formerly occupied
by Tinker and his family, but of late has been
unoccupicd except rs a storeroom for portion of
T;nker's r,rniture A chair or two. nm old desk
and the mattress and bcdclothes on which the