The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1874-06-18
A MANIAC MOTHERS CRIME.
Her Three Children Murdered and
her Husband Dying at her Hands.

LII 1he second STORY Oh bne DTlcK Jene
ment at 35 North Eighth street, Will
liamsburgh, Mary Ann Dwyer, a blue
| eyed young Irish woman, murdered her
three children and fatally injured her
husband. Michael Dwyer was one of
the striking coopers from the oil works.
He married his wife in Bristol, r. l.,
eight years ago, and being thrown out
of employment soon afterward, found
employment in Brooklyn. With the
large body of coopers who threw down
their tools six weeks ago, in opposition
to the demands of their employers,
Dwyer quit work. r.i
Two weeks ago his provisions were
low, and his wife begged him to go to
work again, and he did so. His society
men ordered him away from the works,
and he obeyed them. He had been at
tending the coopers' meetings regular
| ly. He returned home at night after a
society meeting, partially under the in
| fluence OF liquor. His wife talked with
him about how poorly they were living
on the small support the Union gave to
him, and told him to go to work on the
next day. He said he thought the
strike was over, and he would see by
the papers whether the coopers were
going to give in.
His wife then told him that she
couldn't stand his his being out of
work any longer. She asked him
whether he didn't lie when he said that
the strike was over. He said no, and add
ed that the papers would have the truth
about it in the morning. They prepared
to retire, yet talking about Dryers 60
ing to work. Mrs. Dwyer had put her
three children to bed in the back room
| Maggie, the Oldest, seven years old,
with her head at the foot of the bed,
and Jimmie, aged four, and Timothy,
aged two, at the head on two pillows.
Mrs. Dwyer lay down by her husband
on the folding lounge in the front room.
| She did not clear off tho table when
| they had taken supper, but raked out
| the fire in the cook stove and laid out her
fiat irons ready to iron their clothing.
AT halfpast five the next morning she
was dressed and moving about her
| room. She looked into the hall the first
thing to see whether the newsman had
brought the paper. 1t was too early,
and she went into the street to buy one
| The newsboys had not reached that
part of the city, and she returned and
| told her husband. He dressed and went
into the street and found one. He met
Owen Murphy, cooper, who worked
| with him. Murphy said that he was
tired of waiting for the Union to COM
promise or conquer, and that he was
going to work. Dwyer said that he
wouldn't hold out much longer.
Mrs. Dwyer awaited his return and
asked him what the paper said about it.
He said he had not read it yet, but he
had just met Owen Murphy, who said
| that he was going to work on the next
day. eff Owen Murphy, who owns q
house and lot, can afford to go to work,
you can," said Mrs. Dwyer. The hus-
band said he thought he would in day
or two. His wife replied that they were
getting out Of food and she did not
want him to lay about in the saloons
with the idle men who were on the
strike. Dwyer sat down by the front
window to read. He told his wife that
the strike was not over and he was talk
ing about what he had read when sud-
denly he was struck to the floor by a
hammer in her hands.
At 6 o'clock the tenants below heard
a heavy fall to the floor, and, running
into the hall, saw Michael Dwyer dart
into Mrs. Slaven's room, just in the
rear of his own, having his head bent
down. Blood was dripping over his
coat. He called to Mrs. Slaven to do
something for him, saying that he was
hurt. She put wet cloth to his
wounds, and told him to hurry for a
doctor. Mrs. Dwyer then entered the
room with coopers hoop hammer in
her hand, and darted toward her hus-
band. Mr.. Slaven wrenched the ham,
mer from her, thrust her out of the
door, and stood against it until he
heard her shut The door behind her IN
her own room. Then Dwyer ran into
the street, and meeting Sergt. Fielding,
told him that Mrs. Dwyer had struck
him with hammer, and that if some
body did not go to the house she might
hurt the children. The Sergeant hur-
ried and met Mrs. Dwyer at the door.
He arrested her and started for the
police station with her, telling her that
she had almost killed her husband.
"The children are dead, too," she said
calmly, looking into his face.
He took her to her rooms, and she
led the way to the door. One of the
tenants met the officer, saying, Mrs.
Dwyer says she has killed her little
children" The Sergeant looked into
the room and saw that the woman's
words were tue. The three dead
bodies, bloody and repulsive, lay in q
mangled heap on the bed. He quickly
returned with his prisoner to the police
station. She went willingly, and calmly
gave her name. She said that she was
twenty-five years old, and, without q
culver in her face, added
Z" L wanted my little children to be il
heaven, and 1 thought at first l would
go there alone, but then L thought
would send chem there before me"
She was quiet and lady-like, but there
was restlessness in her eyes. Nothing
else in her manner justified the suspi
cion of insanity. In the cell she quietly
took her seat and remained almost I'M
movable.
Captain Woglom and several officers
hurried to the house. In the dark bed
room back of the front room were the
three dead and bruised bodies of the
children. The heads of all were rec
with blood. NIaggie's head was mashed
in, the skull open, the brains protrud
ing. Her little brothers were in tn,
same position as when they slept
James's face was to the wall, and hi
skull burst open. His night shirt wa
dyed deep red. The infant nestled il
it's own imprint in the soft mattress
The nude form was dotted with blood
His face was as calm as though he haC
not awakened from his slumber. Th,
white walls were stained with blood, ant
c,.A..t.. laLELAl tlnn naililcr IIlI