The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-06-02
A MURDEROUs LAMB.
Mrs. Lamb, Wisconsin Woman, Charged with
Poisoning Her Son, Her Daughter and Two
Neighbors-The Slain Children Those
She Saved Heroically During the
Indian Massacre Of 1882


ELLSWORTH, Wis.,. May "a 1873.
murder trial opens here tomorrow which In OF
a particularly interesting nature details OF which
have as yet been published in none OF the
Eastern journals. The alleged criminal Is charged
with having taken human life as freely as did
Lydia Sherman, and by the same subtle agent
poison. At the same time she Is wife and mother
whose character has always been above suspicion
and who, in the Indian massacre eleven years ago,
bore herself as heroicay az any OF the women OF
two centuries ago in the old Indian wars. The
facts In this case are briefly as follows:-
The alleged criminal is Mrs. Chauncey s. Lamb,
who, with her husband ana baby, went to Sibley
county, Minnesota, from Vermont about fifteen
years ago. Settling on farm near Arlington they
lived and prospered for four years. two more chill
dren being born to them. Then came the mem,
Orable massacre OF 1882 when the red wave OF saw
age invasion swept over the young State
OF Minnesota and left what had been
smiling land o waste of bloodslaked
ashes Mr.. Lamb was absent from home at
the time. but his wire fed for safety. With her
baby daughter on cushion in her arm, her eldest
boy running by her side and the other son toddng
with dificuty holding to her apron. she walked to
ST Paul, where her husband joined her. Fer es
cape was part of the history OF the massacre and
was published far and wide by the HERALD and
other contemporary journals. After the
family had been reunited they decided
to abandon the Minnesota homestead,
whence they had been 80 rudely frightened,
and removed to Trimbene, Q small town in this
Pierce) county, six or seven miles from Ellsworth.
Here they secured q farm and prospered. Their
infant children grew up to boyhood and girlho0d;
they worked necessarily and diligently; both or
them were apparently devout Christians, and there
was not sick bed for miles around whittier Mrs.
Lamb was not summoned and where she was not
cheerful and tireless in her ministratiOn.
DEATH OF HER HUSBAND.
In september, 1871, Mr.. Lamb and his eldest son
were at work In the field near the house, stacking
corn, when suddenly the father fell to the ground.
Mrs. Lamb, who was in the porch, ran to him,
could only gasp in broken sentences s'Yes-my
when ne died Ills wife remained alone with her
dead. believing the face now set and unrespOnsive,
with her tears for TWO hours until her returned,
with assistance and the body was removed. Mrs.
and in the ensuing Spring leased the tilabIe land
on shares to a neghb0r, James w. Ottman. Just
one year ago to-day Dan orrin, her younger son. a
hoase with him but his mother at the
time OF his DEATH She gave out that the
boy had died of heart disease, and stated
that his suferings had been intense,
spasms and commissions having rapidly succeeded
each other and internal agones having knotted
the muscles and bent the body TO the shape of a
bow: Her sorrow was deep for the loss OF the
child, who ten years before, had chung to her apron
strong with the might OF mate rnal love, as they
fed from the tomahawk OF the ruthless savages.
Less than one month afterwards on the 21st of
June, 1872, the angel OF death again entered the
sorely stricken household. Her only daughter,
Saran the baby that she had carried on pillow
for many miles at the time OF the massacre, died
as suddenly as had died her brother, with pre-
csely the same symptoms and sulferlngs as had
been displayed In his case. The mother was alone
In tire house at the time.
Six weeks later another mysterious death oc-
Cured at the Lamb homestead. The victim this
tsvr,o Af fbn fnrn hut
Ottman, the wife OF the Ottman who had leased
the farm on shares On the morning OF the Sd OF
her husband and. agreeably to her custom, called
on Mrs. Lamb and spent some moments in CONVEX
saton with that lady. Feeling Ill, Mrs. Ottman asked
Mrs. Lamb, who had widespread local celebrity as
acullera and cOmp0under OF herbs and other simples
to give her something to do her good Mrs. Lamb
the time relieved her Mrs. otman then M walked o
home. Mrs. Lamb accompanying her and lavshing
on her every mark OF attention. Arrived at her
own house, MIS- Ottman'S
sPAsMs OF AGONY
returned and she requested Mrs. Lamb to give her
more medicine. Mrs. Lamb went home and re-
turned with another dose, which she administered
1t brought no relief to the sufferer who died in a
couple OF hours.
The fact that these three healthy persons had
died within few weeks OF each other, the sole at
tendant and physician in eacn being Mrs.
Lamb, and the symptoms displayed by all the suf-
terers being Identical, had, despite the high char
ac.er and general popularity OF Mrs. Lamb, caused
no scanty comment Whispers that there had been
foul play had been heard. though none loudly, or
even openly gave suspicion BREATH for suspicion
In these peaceful rural localities is ga plant Of
But twelve days later deadly finish was given
to conjecture, and The passing bell for another
tones none could mistake or refuse to hear. Royal
Garland. an unmarried farmer in the vicinity had
u number of hands engaged on his farm in harvest
ing, and, as he had frequently done BEFORE en-
ployed Mrs. Lamb to go over to his house and
COOK dinner for them. on the 18th OF August
they all partoOk, with their usual heartness,
Lamb hen
shortly after Mr. Garland felt unwell, ana, going
to the house, asked Mrs. Lamb to give him some
cured vial OF pain-killer and gave him some in q
cup. Soon alter drinking 1t lie was seized with
developed themselves in the other cases.
During the paroSysms she knelt by HIM
and tended him assiduously, paying no less
attention to the veal OF his soul than to the well
fare OF his body, and eXhortng him to .look to
Jesus" TO ''pnt his trust in the Lamb" to pre-
meanwhile, NJ the heavenly throne, in most
edilying and exemplary manner. DR.. Cotton was
sent for, but arrived TOO late. He found Mr. Gar
land dead and Mrs. Lamb watching over the body.
MRS. LAMB ARRESTED.
After this 1t was impossible that no legal pro-
ceedings should be instituted and on the 26th of
August Mrs Lamb was arrested, upon the afildavit
OF James W. 0ttman, whs accused her of having
caused the death OF Royal Garland, Irene Ottman
and her own two children, Dan and Sarah Lamb.
on the 9Th OF September she fully committed for
trial, her attorneys waving an examination. The
bod es OF these four persons well as that OF her
husband, were az once eXhumed, and the stomach
and other organs OF each removed and submitted
10 chemical analysis The results OF all these tests
were the
FINDING OF sTRyCHNINE
in all the bodies save that of MIR. Lamb, from five
TO six grains being discovered in each. Search
being made In Mrs. Lambs cottage among her
bottles and walls was found one containing
extract OF sarsaparia, in which the same
deadly poison was largely mixed. It was
only natural to expect that after the down.
fall of this idol OF the country side those
who had been the wavncst OF her supporters and
10 the opposite extreme and find in tribes light as
air. which before had hardly been noticed, confr-
nation strong of the unhappy woman's guilt Her
numerous charitable deeds, the unswearinp as
siduity with which she had always nursed the sick
all these were now regarded parts OF deep
laid and deviish plot 10 satisfy the cravings or a
morbis and desperate heart for the Likelihood OF
victims
Amid all this babb.e OF scandalous tongues II
not long ere theories accounting for her
crimes presented themselves. 1t is believed. so
Tar as human reason can go towards unraveng