The weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1869-18??, 1870-05-04
THE BALTIMORE HORROR.

Particulars of the Frightful Butchery of
Four Children-Scene and Manner of
the Tragedy-The Victims as Found
Testimony and Verdict.
From the Baltimore Sun, April %.
The vicinity of Central avenue and Jeffer-
son street was yesterday afternoon thrown
into state of the widest excitement by one
the most frightful tragedies that has perhaps
ever taken place in this community. Mrs.
Catharine Marsh, residing with her father,
Michael Dwyer, at No. SO Central avenue,
near Jefferson street, killed her four young
children, by cutting their throats, and cut
her mother also in such manner that but
slight hopes are entertained for her recov-
cry.
SCENE AND MANNER OF THE TRAGEDY.
1t appears that about four o'clock in the
afternoon Mrs. Marsh proceeded to Primary
d. School No 13, on Jefferson street near Caro-
line, where her eldest child, named James,
bright boy of eight years of age, was at
school She took him from the school room,
it is said against his wish, and conducting
him to a shed in the yard, cut his throat
from ear to ear with large butcher knife,
which she had previously borrowed from a
neighboring grocery store on the pretence
of desiring to cut meat Leaving the child's
body where she had slain it, Mrs. Marsh
then proceeded 10 .her ianuz-sHith tsse knife
feeking with the blood Of her first born con-
cealed under her apron, where she found
her mother, Mrs. Nellie Dwyer, aged fifty
three years, sitting at the front window sew
ing. She at once approached her, and with
the same knife cut her throat in such ter
ribIe manner as to render it doubtful, in the
opinion of the physicians, if she can recover.
She then cut the throats of her three re
manning children William, aged six years;
Mary Jane, aged four years, and George
aged two years. The heads of the children
were nearly severed from the bodies.
THE BODIES AS FOUND.
Mary Jane and George were found in the
room in which their grandmother lay, but
William appears to have been murdered
while engaged in swinging in the yard, as
he was found with his feet hanging to the
swing. Some children entering the yard
caught glimpse of the horrible sight of
little William hanging thus, and raising an
alarm. Sergeant Heard, of the Eastern dis
trict, hurried into the house, where he was
shocked to find Mrs. Dwyer with her throat
frightfully cut; he also found two of the
children with their throats cut, and on 60
ing into the yard he found Mrs. Marsh there
brandishing the butcher knife within a few
feet of the body of the child killed in the
swing. He at once arrested her and took
her to the Eastern station house, where she
remained until after the Coroner had been
called and held an inquest, when Captain
Kenny and chief detective Crone placed hel
in a hack and conveyed her to Jail, she pass
ing to the carriage very quietly, with her
head bowed down. While at the station
house a gentleman had an interview with
the unfortunate woman. She was seated ir
corner of the lookup with her hands GOV.
cred with blood, clasped acrossed her knees
On being asked if she wanted anything,
she desired drink of water, which wa:
given her. She seemed calm aud collected
in her manner, and in answer to querie
said she was born In the county OF Kerry
Ireland, and was twenty seven years OF age
To the question if she had any recollection
of what she had done, she answered, :.
have now they were going to take my chill
dren away from me-they were pecklng a
their necks" On an expression of pity TO
her unfortunate condition she burst int
tears, and exclaimed, 80, my children J"
THE TESTIMONY AND VERDICT.
Coroner Carr summoned a jury of inquest
before whom the following testimony va
elected:
Mary A. Edgerton testi6ed-Resides il
the house where the murders were commit
ted thought that Mrs. Marsh drank a little
had never seen her Intoxicated, but ba
smelt liquor about her; she often complain
ed of the trouble her children caused heI
her husband went away about eightee
months ago and she had not heard of hiI
since; did not think she was out Of he
mind: never talked as if she was; she di
not seem to care much for her children; me-
er treated them cruelty, but seemed indi
ferent to them; she had lett the house veI
angry at one time during the day and sal
that her mother had the devil in her; di
not know anything of the murders until 9
ter Mrs. Marsh had been arrested and Il
eldest boy brought home dead from ii
school. Htt ' tl.
Sergeant Heard testified that he was
Jefferson street at the time the alarm W
given ran into the house saw the old La
in the passage with her throat cut; saw o
of the children lying on the floor dead, al
ran into the yard, and there saw the wom
with large knife in her hand, and the b
William hanging by the right foot from
swing, with his throat cut; arrested
woman and took her to the Eastern stati
house; when he got in the street with
she asked him to 60 tn the school hou
and she would show him another of {
children; on the way to the station ho
she said they were all better off, and thai
was their fathers fault, and said she '
sorry for what she had done.
Miss Rebecca Dwyer, sister of the accus
testified that she went out of the house
the time of the murder; did not think
sister was insane; she always talked rati
ally: she was very high tempered.
officer Turner testitied-Went into
house soon after Sergeant Heard asked
woman why she did it; she said they '
in Heaven now, but it was all their fatt
fault: one of the children was lying in
basement passage, another in the mi
room, and the other was hanging IN
swing by the right foot, with its throat
from ear to ear.
The jury then retired to another rt
snd in few moments returned with vel
aThat the children came to their de
from a knife in the hands of their mot
Coroner Carr then committed Mrs. Mari
isil for the action of the Grand Jury.