The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-06-23
PRICE TWO CENTS.
II0LYOKE'S CHILD MURDER.
KILLING HIS CHILDREN BEClUSR MA
COULD NOT SUPPORT THEM
First Giving them Poison and then Shooting
them-The Mother Insane over her Loss
81 Loved them, and so I KILLED them"

thcm-Tho Mother Insane over her Loss
"I Loved them, and so I Killed them"
SPRINGFIELD, Mass, June 22.-John
Kemmler. the South Hoyoke child murderer.
slept soundly in his cell last night and ap-
peared as calm and philosophical as ever this
morning. He is a medlum-size German, 40
years old. with broad and rather expressions
less face. which is ornamonted with black
moustache and chin whiskers. His eyes set
widely apart. arc ordinarily dull and flshy but
when he spoke OF his children they kindled
with an unpleasant light, which gave one the
impression that his mind Is not sound.
Kemmler had been out OF work for some Tina.
and he was despondent. Yesterday afternoon
he ordered his wife to 90 to the store and make
purchases. He then took his children UP stairs.
locked the doors. and tried TO poison them with
cyanide Of potassium. that he had prepared for
them in Cruel. but the Oldest girls stomach re-
iected the dose He then took one OF the twins,
three years old. into the front bedroom and shot
her back OF the ear with revolver. The othef
her in T like ken manner. ann leaving her body % on the
floor. The third and youngest girl he then laid
on Q bed In the same room and ehot her behind
revolver was placed against the head. as the
powder burns clearly showed. and the bullets
went straight through both parletal bones.
To-day. whom taken to a photographers by
the police, to have his picture taken. he mani
est;sd some 'p desire Les to ooG as well as possible. sable.
graphed again very soon. He spoke readily
and willingly OF his crime. and. answering re-
peated questions. said:
" / shot poor little Annie. Lutwer, and Amy.
and they arc now in heaven. l could not sup
port them and / could not bear to have them
como on the town. and. perhaps when they
grew up. sec them go into bad houses. loved
them. and 80 killed them. put the revolver
up to their heads, Just like this (motoning with
his hands,. and they died easily, My wife can
support herself washing and with other work,
as she has no children. don't care u they do
hang me- II makes no difference what becomes
Of me-. / am good Protestant Christian.
though have not been to church IN Holyoke,
because had to work Spndays. did not shoe.
myself. because II would be wrong, and should
go to hell. II | could make the laws l would
have II fixed so that children would not coma
on the town and go. to the bad. would have
them all killed first"
Lutwiler did not die yesterday. as was. re-
ported, but fingered until this morning. When
her father heard OF this he offered to go out and
finish killing her II the officers would let him.
kemmler talked with strong Teutonic accent.
and said he had been thinking OF committing
the murder for ten days.
Mrs. Kemmer has gone crazy from her loss.
ana her cries for her children are heartrend-
ing. At times she seems TO realize that they ara
dead. and then she bege to be allowed to follow
thcm. oh. why did John kill them and let
me livc2" the poor. broken hearted mother
asked repeatedly, as her friends tried to soOthe
hor. II IS doubtful whether she RECEIVERS her
reason. A public funeral of the victims will be
held at the City Hall to-day.