National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1873-06-20
Hester DethrIdge In Real Life.
Mrs. Lamb Forced by . Phantom 20
Poison her Children and Neighbors.

Mrs. Lamb Forced by . Phantom "a
Poison her Children and Nsighbors.
On the trial of Mrs. Charlotte J. 8.
Lamb, at Ellsworth, Wis.,, the prosecu-
tion rest after proving the facts as Ia
he killing of Mrs. Ottman. The de-
fence, admitting that Mrs. Lamb poi
soned Mrs. Ottman and volunteering
to prove that she also poisoned to
death her two children and her neigh
Dor Garland. have set up that the
woman, being of weak mind, unedu.
Gated, and superstitious, is, because Of
chronic disease, subject to periodically
recurring attacks of insanity which ut
the times she committed the murders
caused her to imagine she heard a
supernatural voice she dared not dis
obey directing and commanding her to
toho away tl,c,r hves. Tuis theory they
have supported by the evidence Of DR..
j. A. Bowker, OF Charleston, Orleans
county, Vt, who pronounced her in
sane twenty-three years ago, and at
that time knew of her insanity taking
such form. 1t is further supported by
the observations OF her intimate ac-
quaintances of late years, and by
examinations conducted by medical
experts. BY this time, also, it is prob
able that Mrs. Lamb herself has been
called to the witness stand, and has
repeated under oath the story she had
told to medical gentlemen and others
who have visited her since she has been
in jail. Were it not for the strongly
corroborative evidence, it might be
thought she borrowed her story and
the lawyers their theory of defence from
Wilkie Collins's "Man and Wife"
Her story is, as told to me by one OF
her friends, that when, in September,
1871, her husband fell ut his work i'll
the corntield and died few minutes
after, saying to her as he died that he
saw his Jesus, she sat down upon the
ground and lifted his head into her lap,
and thus held it for two hours, until
the neighbors came to carry the body
into the house. While she sat thus all
apparltion grew plainly visible to her,
which presented the form and features
OF beng having human shape but All
unearthly aspect. Only the upper part
Of the figure was clearly outlined-
from the waist down it being cloudlly
indistinct. The apparitlon spoke to
her, not with an audible voice, but she
telt rather than heard its words. BY
turns it consoled and ridiculed her grieI
at the death of her husband. 1t re-
minded her that he lad been good
Christian, that he was an old man to
whom labor had become hard burden,
and it argued that his death was
blessing from heaven, merciful relief
from ali the cares and sutferings of life |
in the body.
The apparition remained with her
until her husband was buried, and after
wards appeared to her and talked to her
at any time when she had trouble of
mind about her business or her respon-
sibility for the care of her property.
When she promptly acted upon it's
advice it was pleased with her and
smiled upon her, and she felt entirely
happy. When she hesitated or tried to
reason upon its propositions it would
'idicule her until she was shamed and
yrieved to the point of absolute sub
mission to its instructions. If she was
obstinate it would SO angrily frown
lpon her that terrible but indiscrib-
lble fear seized upon her. And yet
he mad creature had no thought but
What her phantom visitor was sent to
Ter direct from the abode of the blessed.
One day in May of last year her son
DON was trying to hold a plough in the
ield near by, while she was employed
t some work outside the house, where
he could see the boy stumbling and [
'eing jerked along behind the plough. I
he apparition became visible to her
nd soon began an argument to con- ,
ince her that the boy, who was sickly
tripling, would be better off in heaven I
ham on earth. She was easily convinced q
t that, and made little objection when {
advanced the idea that it was her t
uty as Christian mother to send the t
oy to the better land. 1t told her to G
i've him small quantity of strychnine 4
e had bought to kill squirrels, and n
tier he was dead to tell the neighbors v
g had died of heart disease like his @
lther. Following the phantom's direc- t
on she substituted strychnine mixed a
ith apple sauce for medicine with b
hich she had been dosing the boy, T.
i'd Donnie died and was buried the a
oparition seemed pleased with her, t
Id she was happy. t
The next month she was similarly v
ersuaded to poison her little girl, @
arah, only that she being a beautiful b
Id healthy child, the argument was e
at she ought to be removed from the II
Orld's temptations and from the dan S,
n of being condemned to such life is
drudgery as her mother had led. o
In Iul and onai, -, t1,1 |
lantom required that Mrs. Lamb Il
ould relieve. Mrs. Ottman: from her m
rthly troubles. The poor woman, it IL
id, was always i'll, complaining, and
lhappy, and it would be better that
e should be ..Len to world where
9 could have nothing to complain Of
first Mrs. Lamb thought this was cl
king too much, as she was not SO much m
in the welfare of Mrs. Ottman NJ
she had been in that of her younger ci
ildren. But at this the terrible anger nj
the phantom became more than sue tr
lld bear, until finally she gave the 81
man fatal dose of strychnine, when Ia
again beamed kindly upon her. and OF
ed her soul with the contentment fe
ich rewards those who perform what U
" conceive to be their duty. ST
however, was Mrs Ottman St
apped in her shroud before the ap- m
rltion demanded that Mrs. Lamb trl
,uld remove Royal Garland's soul to de
better land. g Poor, silly Garland" tn
aid, everybody despises him and IN
body will live with him; he is always wi
esome and miserable and he's of co
use in this world ; he would be ar
,pier and wiser if he was dead" In
5 case Mrs. Lamb stoutly resisted
reaty and command, and even braved cr'
anger af the nhautom-not becausa | of