The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1865-09-08
Terrible Tragedy IN South Dsdham.

The citizens of South De,lham were.
yesterday morning. awakened TO hear Of
the occurrence in their community OF an
other OF those terrible tragedies which
have of late become so common. AT
about 2 o'clock, a. NJ. Mrs. Marston.
wife of DIR. Carlos Marston, homeopathic
physician in this place. murdered her hus-
band and daughter 10y shooting them with
revolver, and afterwards killed herself
with the same weapon. Mr.. Marston's
health had been poor for some time. with
symptoms of mental alteration, but these
latter had not manifested themselves 10
any very noticeable extent, until within a
week past, when it was feared that she
was meditating self-destructioli Indica-
tions of this nature had been observed by
a lady, residing in the family, and Thurs
day she communicated TO Dr. Marston her
suspicious that his wife was worse than
she had been, casually remarking that she
would "kill him before morning.
About o'clock, Thursday night. Dr.
MarSton came to this lady's room and told
her that his wife was very restless, and
had left the room TO sleep with her daugll-
ter, and advised her to lock her own door
as precaution. This she did. and went
TO sleep again. About an hour after.
about 2 o'clock. she WAS reused by the
report Of a pistol, and fastening to the
staircase, met Mrs. Marston standing
there with pistol in her hand Mrs
Marston threatened to blow her brains
out if she did not return TO her room, y
and she hurridly retreated. Escaping soon
after, she went to arouse the family, liv-
ing in the other part Of The house. While
there, other reports were heard. and he
fore help could be obtained, fourth and
fifth shots were fired, when the neighbors
gaining admittance TO their apartments. a
horrible sight presented itself. On the l,ed
which had been occupied by herself and
husband, lay their liteless bodie>-he shot
through the breast. and evidently having
died without Il struggle-she shot twice
through the body. In another room. upon
the floor, lay the dead body of their adopted
daughter Cora, a girl of 10 years. shot
through the head and through the back.
and weltering in her gore, Life was ex,
tinct.
There is no question whatever of the in
sanity of Mrs. Marston in The commitl;,l
of this horrible deed. hot only from The
entire absence OF any other motive. bul
from the display She had previously made
of that method in her madness which Is
So frequent in cases of this nature The
pistol. from which the fatal shots wer,
fired, was obtained from trunk OF which
DIR. M,rston constantly kept the key. 1hi-
key he had missed few days before. and
had thereupon taken the precaution imme-
dlalel y TO draw the charges in the pi>tol
lest any accident might lie ocr.:-ioncd
thereby. When the room was entered after
the commission of the murder and suicide
4 powerful olor of chloroiorm was di>-
covered. winch. with other circumstances.
leads to the belief that Mrs Mar>ton had
first supplied her husband with chloro
form, and obtained possession OF the pisto
and the necessary cartridges with which
the murderou> and suicidal deed was after
wards mpli>led.-Blstou Josanm Sep
t,aber 2d.