The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-12-19
from the Cairo ml) Democrat, Dec. sth.l
AN AWFUL TRAGEDY.
A Mother Attempts the Murder Of her
Children, and then Cuts her own
Tbrnuf -v-..H-.

The tragedy yesterday near the cor
ner of Eighth and Cedar streets, is, by
far the bloodiest and most terrible IN
its nature ever committed in this region
of the country. Intimations of its Oc-
currence reached us about 10 AN. We
at once repaired to the spot. which is in
the rear of C. Feuchter & Co.'S brewery.
On entering the building, which is a
one story structure with two rooms, we
were appalled, at the sight before US.
Upon lounge the bloody corpse of a
woman was extended, her head half
severed from her body, and the walls,
the floor and furniture smeared and be-
spattered with blood. In the adjoining
room, the floor and walls of which were
also covered with blood, were two child
rem, one boy about 9 years of age and
the other girl about Z years, both OF
them with their heads bandaged, lying
upon bloody bed, utterly insensible.
5 Extending inquiries we were put In
possession of the following details The
name of the deceased was Theresa Lie
hermann. Her husband, Leopold Lieber-
mann, is q brewer, in the employment
of Messrs. Feuchter & Co. About half
past nine o'clock yesterday morning Dir.
l.. heard the cries of his children while
he was engaged over the mesh tub, but
thinking the mother was merely cor
recting them for misconduct, he gave
the matter no attention. The cries OF
the children continuing, however, and
growing more earnest and pitiful, he
abandoned his work and made haste to
his residence-distant about fifty feet
from the brewery. On entering the
door the bloody spectacle burst upon
him in all its horrors. His two children
were lying upon the floor weltering IL
blood, which was pouring from gaping
wounds in their heads. The woman,
pasping her last, was sitting on the
lounge in the adjoining room with her
head resting against the wall, and the
blood squirting from CHASTITY wound In
her neck. The little boy, still con-
scious, replied to an interrogatory rs to
what was the matter, that mamma
had tried to kill them with an axe, and
the bloody axe Upon the floor near the
children corroborated the terrible story.
There are many conjecturcs as TO how
anu WHY tHc tidSVuN ""o NO"''e'
The most reasonable is that the woman
was in q temporary fit of mental de-
ranrement. She had complained Of
feeling heavy-headed only short time
before, and the wild look of her eye
strengthed the conjecture, During this
alteration she seized the ax, which was
convenient, chased the children round
the house, dealing them heavy blows as
she could, and then, thinking she had
dispatched them, she took butcher
knife and cut her own throat.
The wound i'll the wOmans throat
shows that there was most desperate
determination on her part to end her
existence. 1t is clearly the result not
only of three or four terrible cuts or
swiping lick, but looks rs if the knife
had been sawed too and fro across her
windpipe. The cash was about seven
inches long, and the trachel was nearly
severed, and the carotoid artery was en-
tirely severed. 1t was most CHASTITY
wound, and gave evidence of desperate
resolve and endurance on the part OF
the woman shocking to contemplate.
The little girl received three heavy
cuts on the head, and the little boy five,
all inflicted by the axe in the hands OF
the mother.
The mother was dead before medical
assistance arrived. She gasped her
last, indeed, when her husband entered
the door, only minute or two after
hearing the outcry of the children. The
condition of both of the children is crit
| itical. The prognosis as to the little
girl, though badly cut, is favorable.
| The little boys recovery is doubtful.
The wounds of the children were
promptly and skillfully dressed by Doc
| tors Gardner, Gerriek and Taggart, and
the assistance of experienced nurses
was at once rendered and accepted.
When we left the scene of blood, the
! little sufferers seemed i'll a $ ate of deep
inscnsibility.
1t is quite evident from tho appear
ance of the rooms, the walls, floors anu
furniture being bespattered with blood.
that the desperate woman not only
| chased the children around the room,
dealing them blows with the axe rs
they ran, but that she Travelled around
the room herself after she had cut her
throat. The walls of one of the rooms
looked as if they they had been sprink-
led with blood in one place to the height
of several feet. The floor of the room
in which the body of the woman was
found was slippery with gore.
Mrs. Liebcrman was woman of fair
education and strong practical sense
at least this is the testimony of those
who were acquainted with her. The
children are healthy, well-formcd, and
good looking, and give evidence of
kind, considerate parental care before