The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-07-28
= 'rFrpm the Savannah NEWS, Sys July e5.1

1 aNne4 Den9ST of ,Azta Wife and Three
Little sChsIdsens2 Poisoned by Her
/ Own Hand.
The. most awful and appalling tragedy
tiiat has stirred the hearts Of any comml.
nlty IN This section for many year, If ever
before, occurred in. sEflineham county,
the Central railroad, about 3 O'Clock YES
Mrs. a Ash, the wife Of, John q. Ash, for.
merly of this city, killed her three little
children and afterwards committed suicide
by administering a sufficient Quantity of
lstryehnine to produce almost instantan eous
1t appears ffo0m what we could learn
from n gentleman who was an eve. witness
to the horrliying scene, that Mrs. Ash, for
merly Miss Laura Dasher, of Eflingham
county, has for a short time past been
slightly deranged, at least she was suspect
ed of beingin this condition from certain
singular appearances and conduct noticea.
bic to those nearest her and in most con-
tinuOus association with her. However,
nothing serious was apprehended, except
that her husband felt q little anxious about
her. and communicated with her brothers
on the subject. This was all. No more serious
apprehension was felt, although her hus-
band continued to keep strict watch over
| her conduct. A short time previous he had
| purchased small bottle of strychnine for
| The purpose Of destroying the rats and
dogs that were rapidly killing Off their
poultry. This he secreted In the night
time, taking the rrecautlon to lock IL up
in mn old biircall drawer, hiding the key in
| q place least likely to be discovered hy his
| wifa-no other person In the house know
| Ing of the hiding-place. .., ....,
| Sunday night all went to bed Is usual,
though before retiring Mrs. Ash sat down
and wrote L long letter-to whom we could
not ascertain. Her.husband read the letter,
but did not suspect anything, although IL
contained an account of her feelings to-
wards certain members Of her family, with
whom there was some unplaasantness. Mr.
| Ash took all three Of the children in bed
| With himself and wife. Mir. George Patter-
son, n friend and relative of Mrs. AshS, oc-
cupied an adjoining room:
| About 3 O'Clock yesterday morning he
and Mr.. Ash were aroused by the cries os
two of the children, and entering the room,
found Mrs. Ash in tlle act Of taklng spoon
| from the mouth of the Oldest child. Il little
girl, who had struggled and resisted until
! her cries woke her father and his friend,
both of whom were alarmed, and
asked her what she was doing. She
replied: "Only giving the children a
little powder, and [ am afraid p l
have not given them enough" They
begged and entreated her to lell them what
she had gwen them-Mr. Ash tasting the
powder which he dscu7cre} OIL the mouth
of one of the children, discovered that il
was qube bitter. She finally took him 10
the bureau drawer, and showed him the.
bottle of strychnine. from which she had
dosed herself first, aud then each one "f
her three little children. 1t was but short
time after this before the mother "a young
woDian about twenty-five years old and
her three interesting little children (two
girls aud one boy) were lying stiff and
cold in the arms Of death. Dying in
rapid succession, one after the other, the
mother, although the first to take the
poison, lived to see her children all die ard
then followed them herself. 1t is said the
struggles of the poor little creatures were
awful; the oldest, falling backwards, was
drawn together in such a matuer that her
head and feet nearly touched each other.
The afflicted father held his little ones and
his wife in bis arms till they bre9thei their
last.
The time was too short from the discov-
cry of the deed to procure any aid, although
a phySic was immediately sent for. He
arrived in time to save the father. who, in
his efforts to discover what the drug was,
| had swallowed enough TO render his c0ndi-
iion dangerous. NJ. Patterson came to
this city yesterday afternoon to procure
collins TO bury the dead, and as soon as he
| returns m inquest will be held previous to
| the intcrmcnt.