The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-01-02
From the Marysyillc Pribune Dec. 96th.
SHOCKING TRAGEDY!
Death of Hon. C. S. Hamilton {!


Hamiltons residence. adjoining
the west end of town, where they
soon found u sad confirmation of
the fearful report by bcholding his
lilclcss body. We have been care
full to collect all the facts and evi-
dence bearing upon tho case, and
present them in detail below.
Mr.. Hamilton's son Thomas, a
lad of about Is years, had been
showing evidences Of very deep
and singular melancholy for sever
al weeks past, which alarmed tho
family, and 1t was thought best to
send for Mr.. Hamilton, who was
at Washington, being member of
the present Congress. lie arrived
in Columbus on Friday week last
and there met his son who had
been taken to the city the day be.
foro and placed in charge of his un-
Gle, DR.. Hamilton, On tho same
day Mr., Hamilton returned homo
with his son and cndcavorcd to-
cheer him and divert his mind in
various ways.
Towards the litter part Of last
week it became apparent that the
boys melancholy was eliminating
into dangerous madness, and prep!
arations were at once made 10 con
vcy him to the Lunatic Asylum on
Saturday. But owing to some in
formality in the papers, and not
being ablc to remedy the dofcct in
time TO tako the morning train, it
was thought best to delay starting
with him till Monday. Mr.. Ham
iIton apparently kept strict watch
over him, and hadtho boy accom-
pany him wherever be went.
On Sunday morning. last Mr.. II.
went out about the barn TO do the
feeding, taking Thomas with him
as usual. IL is supposed that while
stooping down TO pick up some
fodder TO throw to the cattle on the
other side Of the fence, Thomas
struck him on the side of the head
with picce Of heavy two inch
plank and felled him to the ground,
and whilc PROSTATE struck him
again on the back Of the head, pro
ducing an ugly comminuted frac.
ture, sufficient to produce instant
death. There were no marks that
any struggling had taken place.
and it is quito likely the first blow
was fatal. The boy then covered
the body over with corn fodder
and hastoned to tho house with the
seeming view of dispatching The
remainder Of the family. On arri
wing at the porch his mother cam(
out of the house, and seeing some
thing unusual in his appearance
she impulsively cried out, "Thomai
you haven't killed your fathcr!'
lie replied, 80 | reckon not" anC
saying this he seized hold of AZ
axe standing on tho porch anc
started after his mother.
About this time Johnny,
younger brother, over II years old
made his appearance and diverted
Thomas attention. Io retraccC
his steps and took after Johney
The latter ran into the dining DON
and thence into the sitting room
designing to escape out the from
door; but on arriving at tho dool
Of tho sitting room leading to tht
front hall he found it locked, anC
was compelled. to attempt a retrcaI
tho Same way he entered, By thi,
time Thomas had entered the room
and Johnny in attempting to pass
him staggered and fell. While in
this PROSTATE condition Thoma.
struck tho blade of The axe into his
lott shoulder, iDAicting an ugly
though not fatal wound. Making
another cflort, he managed to get
on his feet and out of the way be
]
fore the blow could be repeated.
Hc ran across the lot in the direc-
tion of Mr.. Woods residence,
Thomas still following him Be-
fore no had gone far. however. his
attention was again attracted by
tho shrieks and cries of Willie, q
still younger brother, who it seems
was with or not far from his moth
or. Thomas took after thcm and
ran them to tho residence of Mr.
Guthrie, but fortunately without
being abIo to ovortako them before
thoy were safely sheltered. From
this point he started back for The
house, but meeting Mr. Lawrence
I'm tho road near tho gate ho took
after him and chased him some
distance, In the mean time John
ny ran back TO tho house & hunted
up his two little sisters, quitC
I young, and was taking them acros,
the lot towards Mr., Woods house
carrying the smaller one on his
uninjured side, the other following
after. When they arrived at Mr.
Woods wood pilo, about rs yards
from tho house, Johnny became
exhausted and left the littlo ones
and ran on somo distance and for
tunately saw Mr.. Botkin, to whom
no called TO como and rescue his
little sisters and him from death
Mr.. Botkin FASTENED over to whore
tho little girls were, He picked
them up and carried thom but 4
littlc distance, when ho saw Thomas
running across the lot with The
view of cutting off his retreat
Finding no way Of escape, Mr.. b
carried tho chiIdron back to the
wood pilo whore he found them
] and bopan To nronnre for dofnnco