The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-07-13
THE RHODE ISLAND TRAGEDY.
Temporary Insanity-A Mother browns Her
seIf N Tyy0 thtIdreu.

sell ana Two Cnti0fens
The Providence Journal of yesterday gives
the following in addition TO the news already
received of the terrible affair in Rhode Isand-
Mrs. Mary E. Smith, aged 33 years, wife of
Mr.. jeremiah Smith, residing on their farm one
mile north of Slocumville, in North Kingstown,
drowned her only daugher, Mary E., aged three
years, and her youngest son, Jeremiah E., aged
eleven weeks some time Friday night, by taking
them out of bed while asleep, and throwing
them into a rain-water cistern containing water
four feet deep. She then jumped in herself.
This terrible proceeding occurred without
waking her husband, who occupied another bed
with her eldest son, of about five years. Search
was made Saturday morning by Mr.. Smith and
the neighbors, and the mother and children were
found in the cistern, the babe only floating.
Mr.. Smith states that he arose Saturday morn
ing quite early, and found the back door un-
fastened and light burning in the window, as
if to throw light outside. He opened the door
and called to his wife, and, receiving no answer,
looked around the premises somewhat, during
which he saw that the cover to the cistern curb
was off and resting on the ground against tae
curb but, supposing he had neglected to replace
it after drawing water the night before as he
had sometimes done, he thought nothing strange
of it, and put it in its place, casting, at the time
glance in the cistern, but it being then quite
dark, saw nothing, and in few minutes
went to the bedroom, when he found
the children gone. This startled him, and,
suspecting something wrong, he went to
a neighbors, a Mr.. Franklin, and inquired
if his wife and children had been there; and
receiving an answer in the negative, informed
Mr.. Franklin they were gone, and asked him to
Join in the search. Mr.. Franklin at once went
to Mr.. Smiths house, while Mr.. Smith went in
another direction to the house of his wife's
father. On being informed she was missing, her
father, Mr.. George Northrop, came back to the
house with Mr.. Smith, where they found Mr..
Franklin searching. On coming within speak
ing distance, Mr.. Northrop sang out to Mr..
Franklin, ''Look in the cistern; l believe she is
in there" Mr.. Franklin did so, and discovered
a portion of the babes dress floating. Hooks
were procured, the babe taken out, and further
search discovered the bodies of the mother and
the older child.
The cistern was about twenty feet from the
back door, and contained about four feet of
water. The curb was some two feet high from
the ground, built of boards, with an opening of
about eighteen inches square, and tapering to
about thirteen at the bottom, which was some
three feet from the water. From appearances,
Mrs. Smith had undressed the children and put
them to bed as usual, hanging up their clothes
in their wonted positions, waited till both were
asleep then taking off her shoes that she might
not disturb her husband, who was sleeping up
from the bedroom, through the sitting
room and kitchen, out OF the back door
to the cistern, probably going twice, and then
jumped in herself. 1t would seem almost be-
yond belief tha. she could force herself through
SO small an aperture as the lower part of the
cistern curb, only thirteen inches by about
fifteen, and that, too without disturbing trough
which extended an inch or two into one end, or
wrenching the rotten and broken boards apart.
When found she was dressed, with the eXcep-
tion of shoes and stockings, and the sleeves to
her dress were pinned up as when at work
about the house. Her arms, near the elbows,
were bruised and scraped, caused, doubtless,
while forcing herself through the curb, but
otherwise there were no marks on the body.
| Everything about the house was as usual.
| The bed had not been tumbled, excepting where
| the children had been laid for short time. She
| is said to have been of very nervous disposi-
| tion, and unable to bear trouble. The only cir
| cumstance that points to any premeditation in
| the tragedy was the fact that three ropes, two
that were used to let butter into the we'll to KEEP
it cool, and clothes line, were found or
! Saturday, away from their ordinary posi-
tion, carefully concealed in the cham
Der, which looks as though she nigh
have intended to commit the deed in another
| way than was done. There are the usual hints
among. the neighbors of difficulties between
| Mrs. Smith and her husband, but nothing tan
! gible can be learned, and the probabilities are
they are mere suppositions arising in the excite
ment and horror at the deed, and the common
| desire in such cases to give the cause. An(
the fact that he and his wife occupied separate
| apartments, which seems to be the ground o
| these hints is not very remarkable, when it il
| remembered that there were three small chill
| dren to be taken care of during the night.