The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-08-09
POISONING BY WHOLESALE.
The Guilty Woman Dies Along
g with Her Three Victims.

The most awful and appalling trag-
edy that has stirred the hearts of any
community in this section for many a
year, if ever before, occurred in Effin-
CHAM County, about two miles above
Station No. 81, on the Central Rail
road, about 8 o'clock yesterday NOR
ming.
Mrs. Ash, the wife of John Ell. Ash,
formerly of this city, killed her three
little children and afterward commit
led suicide, by administering q sufh-
cient quantity of strychnine to produce
almost instantaneous death.
1t appears from what we could learn
from a gentleman who was an eye
witness to the horrifying scene, that
Mrs. Ash, formerly Miss Laura Dash
er, Of Effingham County, has for a
short time past been slightly deranged
at least she was suspected of being
in this condition from certain singular
appearances and conduct, noticeable
to those nearest her and in most con-
tinuous association with her. How
ever, nothing serious was apprehend-
ed, except that her husband felt a lit
tie anxious about her, and communi-
Gated with her brothers on the subject.
This was all. Nc serious apprehen-
sion was felt, although her husband
continued to keep a strict watch over
her conduct. A short time previous
he had purchased a small bottle OF
strychnine for the purpose OF destroy
ing the rats and dogs that were rapidly
killing off their poultry. This be
secreted in the night time, taking the
precaution to lock it up in an old Blu,
reau drawer, hiding the key in a place
least likely to be discovered by his
wife, no other person in the house
knowing of the hiding place.
Sunday night all went to bed as
usual, though before retiring Mrs.
Ash sat down and wrote q long letter,
to whom we could not ascertain. Hel
husband read the letter, but did moi
suspect anything, although it contain
ed an account of her feelings toward
certain members of her family will
whom there was some unpleas'
antness. Mr.. Ash took all three o.
the children in bed with himself anc
his wife. Nj. George Patterson, /;
friend and relative of Mrs. Ash's, oc-
cupied an adjoining room.
About 8 o'clock yesterday morning
he and Mr.. Ash were aroused by the
cries of two of the children, and en-
tering the room, found Mrs. Ash ii
the act of taking a spoon from thu
mouth of the oldest child, little girl
who had struggled and resisted unit
her cries woke her father and hi
friend, both of whom feeling alarmed
asked her what she was doing. Sh'
replied: "Only giving the children
little powder, and I am afraid L hav
not given them enough" They beg
ged and entreated her to tell then
what she had given them. MI. Asl
tasting the powder which lie found OIL
the mouth of one of the children
discovered that it was quite bitter
She finally took him to the bureau
drawer and showed him the bottle O
.strychnine from which she had dose
herself first and thenleach of her tire
little n l. was but a short time a.
ter this before the mother, a youni
woman about twenty-five years old
and her three interesting little child
rem, two girls and one boy, were lyin:
stiff and cold in the arms of DEATH
Dying in rapid succession, the moth
er, although the first to take the poi
son, lived to see her children all di
and then followed them herself. 1
is said the struggles OF the poor it'll
creatures were awful, the oldest falling
backwards, was drawn together il
such a manner that her head and fee
nearly touched each other. The af-
ficted father held his little ones anC
wife in his arms till they preached
their last.
The time was too short from the
discovery of the deed to procure any
aid, although a physician was imme
diately sent for. He arrived in time
to save the father, who, in his efforts
to discover what the drug was, hac
swallowed enough to render his con
dition dangerous. Mr.. Patterson
came to this city yesterday afternoon
10 procure collins to bury the dead
and as soon as he returns an inquest
will be held previous to the interment
-[Savannah Georgia News of July
25, 1871.