The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-08-18
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.

A Mother Cuts the Thronts of Two Children
While They Are Asieep--Writes Touching
Farewell IetterSfo the Two Surviving Chit
dren and Her Husband, and then Cnt- Her
Own Throat, Lying Down TO Die on the Bed
With Her Children.
From the Kalamazoo Mich Telegraph
One Of the most horrible and soalsickenng tragedies
has been lot 10 chronicle took place AT the
Oshtemo side track tho township OF Oahtemo In this
county, Sunday night l2th inst. The family, which
Children retired about nine O'clock. Mr. and Mrs Rick
ard occupying the large family bedroom and the same
bed the ground floor; Ettie and Willie bed IN the
front hall the sumo floor; two other children tsons
the eldest about fifteen years OF sgel room
on the second floor tho head of the stairs.
Richard getting up. On being asked by Mr. Il. the
son. she said shc and restless and could not
Sleep and she would into the parlor aud finish some
letters which she had boon writing Being in the habit
of getting up the night and reading writing hour
or two Mr. thought nothing OF !, ana went 70 sleep
ing into his ROOM and he asked her If she had not got
her settled so sho could sleep. She said She
would come 10 bed and passed from the OF
DOORS when Nr. r. again fell asleep About one clock
the eldest boy awakened By noise beiow-a
gurgng sound in tho hall, and calling 70 his mother
asked her what tho natter She replied Nothing
Some minutes after no heard similar sound issuing
from the place, and called to his mother, and get
ting no answer and fearing something wrong, got up
from his bed and came TO the head of the stairs and
called TO HI: father several times but hearing no an
The father, hearing their cals came from his room
TO the door opening TO the hall and found Il
the bolt entered tho hall, snd was met by the two
boys. from the chamber. The three then passed
table on the opposite SIDE OF the room, lamp dimy
burning On turning up the Light they discovered the
going to the hail they found upon The bod Mr.. Rcksrd
aud the two Children Eue and wie with their throats
cut from ear to ear, welsrng IN their own blood Mrs
father and children started for the neghbors
for assistance, and when they came I, the house
they found the bodies stu warm though life was en-
tircly extinct Upon examination OF the premises IL
was asceraped from footprints and other marks that
@ r. after GU, o. s Sap a Msn,
TO the hall deliberately cut the throats Of her two
sleeping children with razor she then passed back TO
the parior put the razor her throat, and cut
il from ear to ear. With the blood flowing IRON the
wound she then, with her remaining strength, reaches
herself the foot oil H. The bed was dripping with
blood, and the floor vas slippery with tho same ensan
guined current Tho tracks OF biool could be seen In
The room above described and all the footsteps OF the
woman could be traced either by the blood tho bad
spilled or BY Other unms,akable sgns, The following
are OF the several letters left on the table BY Mrs.
Richard
nv DIAN gors-Sy hear. bleed. ior You ror YOU vii
;;SssEs ss II We ~, AZ as sss
BE s.ui fSS e sn hin , s'ss .As he .p ns
i.Ls care Of MIN, ,g 40 ~. no. !. ie. a inea.h X
sSa says s,D ~. AIM Ps ssf y
ss @ ss s & VA. s@a + q r s
%Ssre nc, SS.f Ss s ssS g ss &
ss, boys belize ms ( had .y sdr,a mere % and
always tell what is FOR he best. ~, your irns, IN
9 sv m% s SsF would % 70 "Ss = s s G
ns rs ns Sn sG sn 10
Win sS Ss .Ss s s,s -ns,s sc
looked forward yon attain the of manhood but
SG es.sa. ne
Ss y yoo a. co Sne p' , w n' ys 10" VII
v: VIM she ssi sGss 3 % ~ ~,
must 90, y sss ressp gcS @
H g y s. $ .as re b
$ f Henry a sfSs Z:
feson an education do not know ss you could spend
s s9s TsS b., .%s%s Y s % aas
=; .S: nat ss, lSr boz
moral worth See That they good kasuss. and .hss
Henry ses .n.r ,I ana s god sr:ss, e
20. .a. Ven q 70 ons IA sa %
fees nies.. you. Learn % 3 pTodep, ana loving
AI9s ?; NY "a 1as
s S's ss s;s !. ;s sss ny
S ~: s ne ,s y
=. sis i'fs * sS:s %
snd hos Of cas @ ons sell prpp
and ell demands our family have incurred then
take Henry Jefferson with and 90 70 Pennsylvania
pacs Henry with william and Addfe with ate
phen and Margaret for their future they will be
both h:v. sScd homes Asre and rha LIVE yGa ssi d.
that may 20 70 Eve our boys an education hope you
win DO a. said about gRe and have your sister Helen
ai she can Tor you. weuid on been thankful have
ed with you bat that cannot be, rust foryous
ssts and she love shs tcfs "a shs vi, DO Al che can
through Ss our I've. ss1 G
that IL even now unaocountsbe 70 would hare sscr
70 have children rsised up 70 be men aud women
But has bssn ohsrwiss wlsd ana may Goa have mercy
fiSsss yvv wm % sses 70 rsanylysns . haze ~.