The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1866-09-20
NO o.
A Horrible Murder.
A MOTHER KILLS HER Two CHILpnIu
AND THEN DESTROYS HERsELS.
KALAMAZOO, Aug. 18, 1855.

KALAMAZOO, Aug. 18, 1855.
During the late hours of Sunday evening
and the early hours Of Monday morning, .
Mrs. Reckard, Of the town of Oshtemo, in
this county, committed a most horribla
murder, and ended the drama by self.des.
truction. She got up in the night, telling
her husband che was nervous and could
not sleep, and that she would sit up for
while in an adjoining room. She proceed.
ed 10 write some letters, and her husband
waking up about an hour afterwards, in
quired how soon she was coming to bed.
to which she replied, "in short time,~
and he again went to sleep.
1t seems soon after she went to an ad.
joining room, where two Of her children
were sleeping-Willie boy Of ak, and
Eta girl eight--and With o razor out
their throats. With such horrid desps-
ration was the deed done, that only the
bone prevented the severing of their heads
from their bodies The struggles and the
hard breathing of the poor children, un.
able to make loud noise, awakened bro.
ther of fifteen who was sleeping upstairs,
who inquired what was the matter, aud
was told by his mother nothing" and was
bid to go to sleep. She seems then to have
gone back and forth between the bed room
OF the children and her sitting room sever
al tines, and then cut her own throat.
Her struggles again awakened the lad
up stairs, who becoming alarmed, aroused
his father, who got up and went into tho
sitting room where he found the Kerosene
lamp turned down low. Turning it ND.
tracks and smears of blood were discovered
all around, and uspicion of the terrible
deed flashed across his mind. Going to
the childrens bed room the most ghastly
sight met his eyes, his two children lying
side by side, weltering in their blood, and
his vile lying across the foot Of the hed
with her throat cut from ear to car. The
bed was flooded with blood, and it was
running upon the floor in a stream.
1t would seem thai she did not cut her
own throat at the children's bedside, but
after she had murdered them, walked into
bed room adjoining. After turning down
the lamp in still another room-for tracks
, OF blood were seen oil over the Aoor-aud
taking the razor which she had used upon
her children, she drew it heavily across her
own throat, laid the bloody weapon upon
the pillow, and with coolness, delibera.
tion and fortitude which it is almost i'm.
possible to comprehend, while the blood
was rushing in torrents from the wound,
made her way out Of this room into that of
her children, and laid herself carelessly
down upon the same CORY bed, es if to sleep.
Both children lay with their faces to the
wall One of them had evidently strue.
gled while the knife was in its vitals, for
the blood was spattered over the clothes,
and the mothers hand and arm were en-
sanguined with the precious life currenk.
This sad occurrence took place at tho
Oshtemo side track, about ak miles west
of this place, on the NJ. G. r. r. Ths un.
fortunate woman was the wife Of Alexan.
der Reckard, we'll to-do. farmer.
A coroner's inquest was held this after
noon, and the verdict given was in accor.
dance with the above facts. She was I'M.
doubsedly insane. She appeared well and
cheerful on Sunday afternoon, aud was out
walking with her husband and two chill.
dren. But there is reason to believe that
she had meditated the act for some time.
On the evening before the commission of
this terrible deed, she gave away to differ
ent members of her family great many
articles, trinkets, &c, though, curious
enough, no suspicion was aroused The
letters found on the stand are we'll written,
both as regards penmanship aud language.
She directs how her two eldest children
shall be brought up, confding them to the
care of relative. "Etta and Willie" sho
says, 81 shall take with me-"
sue
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