The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1870-04-29
HORRIBLE MURDER.

An OCCURRENCE unparalleled at lea st
in this4 community TOR frighttul and
relentless blUodthirstiness, took place
on yesterday afternoon about o'clock
at dwelling No. 50 on Central avenue,
or..Central street, near Jefferson street.
The partic liars appear 10 be these !:
At about the hour named, Sergeant
Heard, being in the vicinity alluded to
had his Attentionadirected by a rumor
that murder had been committed,
and IasteIied to the house mentioned,
the residence of Mr.. and Mrs. Dwyer,
and her married daughter, Kate Marsh
and her four children, found Mrs.
Dwyer, lady about fifty three years
of age extended beneath the front
porch, on the steps leading into the
basement, with her throat cut almost
from ear to ear. Passing into the pas
sage-way, in the basement child "a
bout two years old lay near the en-
trance dead, from a frightiul cash a
cross the throat; proceeding on toward
the yard another child about four years
old, was lying across the doorway be-
meath the back steps, with one one of
its feet engaged in n swing, also with
its throat severed ard near by its body
stood the mother, Mrs. Kate Marsh,
with her hands dripping with blood.
In the cellar OF the house was found
still another child-a boy six years old
dead, with similar wound in tile
throat: and upon search being made
by Officers Jackson and Mittendorff at
Public School No. IL, in the neighboJ :
hood. the body Of her eldest son James
eight years of age with the throat cut
In like manner was found in the JSiad.
The lady Mrs. Dwycr the mother OF
the wretched woman Mrs. Marsh, re-
ceived a once the attention ola pysi-
clan, and lies aow in a most precarious
condition.
From the testimony given by various
witnesses before The Coroner's jury, it
seems that Mrs. MARSH went out from
her house shortly before the tragedy
and BORROWED n buteher-knife with a
blade about twelve inches in length,
Il ON the provision store OF Nr. Bell,
on the corner, saying.tiIat she desired
to cut sumo meat with it. She then
pr oeeeded il is believed corcealiag the
weapon, to Public School No. IL where
having requested her son James pre-
since in the yard, she assaulted him by
cutting lis throat. Thence. she return
ed to her Owl dwelling and first at
tackled her mother, who was engaged
in sewing. went on subsequently, with
her work of destruction upon her re-
naming ehildreo, as above described.
The knife was found in the basement
room loking upon the yard and was
covered with blood.
Sergeant Heard, upon entering the
room in which the woman stood, near
the body of the child, whoee foot was
in the swing. Immediately took hold of
her. A that time she appeared to be
in state of excitement and exclaimed
thst her CHI ldren were snow in Hea-
yen." But subsequently on her way
to the station house. she appeared to
have spoken nationally about the affair
calmly ngiherself guilty. stating
that she was sorry for it, and would re-
call 1t If able and alleging great suffer-
log and trouble ia her family relations.
There was no evidence OF her having
used antexica:ing drinks at any time
prevfetls to or at the time 81 the MUIR
ders.
The verdict OF the Ccroner's Jury
was that the four children named had
come to their deaths through a knife
IN the hands OF their mother, Mrs. Kate
Marsl.
Drs. Yates and Bradford are IN at
tendance upon Mrs. iwyer, aged fifty
three. and entertain scant hopes of her
recovery.