The Cleveland leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1865-1865, 1865-09-06

Kills neE and CnAAe, ana
then Stays RerseIE-SuPPOsed Ensan- \
ity Of Woman.
We ind In the Boston Herald the fol-
loving particulars of the tragedy at South
Dedhsm, Mass, already announced by tel
egrsph:
The tragedy occurred about two O'Clock
on Friday morning, Snd BY 1t an entire
has passed but of existence. The
were DR.. Carlos Marston and Cora
Msrst6n, his daughter, and the murderess
was Mr.. Susannah Marston, his wife, The
circumstances, as one Of our reporters
cleaned them by a visit tothe spot, we give
IN detail, as related by q Miss May, who
was present in the house as an Invalid, and
who; f-oni her connection with the temily
for several weeks past, was apparently
more coggnizant OF the facts than any other
person IN the vicinity. We commence,
then, with the assertion that for several
wears past Mrs. Msrston had been IN feeble
health, and that some five weeks since she
recovered from an attack OF the measles,
which apparently left her in q more pros
.trate condition mentally than before; and
we were informed thst she has acted very
strangely at times since, showing q wild
expression aboutthe eyes, and giving other
tokens of mental alteration, among which
was her act in getting up from bed late at
night, going out and wandering In the
darkness, which she did on Tuesday night
last returning after Sn absence Of about
hslfGm hour, saying she q had been over
TO East WalpoIe to get some cool water.D1
4 Is is also known that she went into the
little girls room on the same night, and it
is supposed she then attempted to admins
ter chloroform TO her; but upon being
qdesIIUnet in relation to the matter the
next day she asserted that che was bathing
the girls head in bay run. On Wednes
day she wss much Frustrated and absent
minded, did not appear to know where she
was, and mdulged in strange incoherent
utterAnces. On Thursday she appeared
better, but presented 8 wild and hsggard
look About three days previous she had
manifested q desire to possess and msnipu-
late her husbands revolver: and 1t was
feared she might destroy her own life
Hence the Doctor placed the weapon in his
trunk, having first drawn the charges, and
locked it, putting and keeping the key in
his pocket.
Z It appeared from the result that Doctor
Msrston entertained no serious apprehen-
sions of violence to himself; but that he
told Miss May, who seemed to be the most
fearful of any of the household, that she
might lock her room if she was afraid. On
Thursday night she AYERS that Mrs. Mars
ton came to her room late about q disturb
ance which q cat below stairs was creating,
and that she = MRS NJ said something
| about "killing him before morning" This
remark 30 alarmed Miss May that when
the Doctor visited her to leave medicine or
Instructions later in the night, she told him
LOT his wite's remark, and he replied that
he was going to bed and would lock his
door. Whether he did this or not is not
known, as no one now living saw him alive
subsequently.
Miss May now dropped asleep. About
two o'clock, she says, she was awakened by
noise which seemed to her like scufling
and 8 fall overhead. She presently heard
| the report of q pistol, and compromising
the condition Of affairs st once, she imme
distely arose, and crossing one or two
| apartments passed to the foot of the stairs
in the front entry. Here, being afraid to
go up stairs, she called loudly two or three
times to the Doctor, but from him she re-
ceived no response, for at that time he was
probably still in death. Mrs. MarstoD,
however, appeared st the head of the stairs
without q light, and in 8 firm, calm tone
which seemed TO indicate method IN her
madness, ordered Miss May to 90 to her
room and remain quiet under penalty of
having her brains blown out. The fright
ened girl could but obey, and after hastily
throwing OF her clothing she went out in
quest of help. She first met q Mrs. Harris
horn, who resided in the other part of fhe
honse and who had also heard the noise.
and they together went after some of the
neighbors. Before they LETT the house two
additional shots were heard, and ere they
grosns. Having procured the assistance
L CftS ~ SA~J -Ns~A4SN ~ SIC
nous9.
THE SCENE UP TAI
The entire party having procured light,
went up stairs and first visited DR.. Mars
toms chamber, which wa 8 front room up
one flight. Here q CHASTITY spectacle pre-
sented itself. On the bed lay the Doctor
upon his back, and resting upon n arm,
which was partially around her neck, while
her head reclined upon his shoulder, lay
the body of Mrs. Marston. Both were
quiet, motioRless, dead; and the revolver
was found in the bed.
The room of Cora, the little daughter,
was next visited. This apartment was
quite q distance from the last mentioned
room, in the back part of the house, and
was approached through a long corridor or
entry way. Here another h~eart.rending
sight presented itself to the gaze Of the
observers. Cora lay upon the floor near
her bed, her face turned downwards, her
clothing saturated with blood and her face
discolored with it. Avery strong odor of
chloroform pervsded the house, and a three
ounce bottle, nearly empty, was found. It
was clear the murderess had used It to
stupety her victims before finally taking
their lives. p
IAN EXAMINATION OF THE BODIES
was made at this time, 8 physician, Mr..
David s. Fogg, of Dedham, having mean
time arrived. DIR. Msrston was found 10
have received a shot in the breast which
Just, grszed the SternuDt or breast bone,
and penetrated the right lung. In the
opinion of the attending physician this
wound was not sufficient alone to have
caused instant death, which must have
taken place; and this is one theory which
leadsoto the belief that chloroform must
have been administered to him.
Mrs. MArston was found to have re-
ceiVed two shots, which we're about two
inches apart, both in the left breast. They
were found TO have passed nearly through
the body, and came as far as the skin on
the back, underneath which they are per-
Iceptible. Their position indicated that
then course must have been through the
heart and douDtless instant death followed
their passage, g1lat yll =. rt
suors, the little girl, received one shot
through the small of the back. 1t is sup
posed that she was not disabled by this,
and that she arose f ON her bed for the
purpose of resistance or flight, when the
iinhuman murderess shot her again, the ball
this time entering the right ear and lodg-
ing in the base Of the brain. Her fail
probably occAsioned the noise which
swokea Miss May, as she was directly I'M
derne3th. o. 5--5l1a zrT , @
HWhichsof the two was first shot is un-
certain, but tits believed that when Mrs
Msfston got up-which she did, although
we have not hitherto mentioned 1t-on the
night2in question, saying that she was
going into sleep with Cora, that she then
applied the chloroform to the latter; then
returned and administered it to her hus.
band next shot him, then killed CorA,
and lastly, after returning to her husbands
bse, shot herself.