The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-02-20
Fearful Wholesale Murder and Suicide.
A special from Lancaster, Pa, to the
Philadelphia Press dated Feb. Ii, SAYS

A special from Lancaster, Pa, to the
Philadelphia Press, dated Feb. Ii, says:
one Of the most horrible tragedies in criminal
history came 10 iIrht on saturday shortly before
noon in the quiet little village of Balnbrdge NJ
rPru miles from Lancaster 5nd the strangsst part
ofit is that no knowledge Of The tcrrIbl. affair
reached this city until late last evening. The
BaiuGridEc correspondents of the Lancaster press
we're 20 ricErn that they sent no accounts of
the affair until today, and no one in the commUn-
:; 81 s,ftirie1iT ir,ll,.-f7r5r. ~ o,,n.r5f1,i4 tbe
facts by telcg rRph OF correspondence, 10 the Phl
1t6r aiiair Are briafy as rsiI1yys- tibs-Iss Lane
aged 81 years, and measuring fully six teet six
inches iva his stock iGEs nrst made hIs appearance
in ia Inbri,ige last Nav having come rom RIarv-
land. He was accompanied by his wife, aged -
years. n daughter iJane). aged years; g boy
jGeorgc). aged years, and an infant AGED
in vain to secure work. Recently he remarked TO
a ncighhOr that II he did not soon procure some
thing dreadful would happen Little attention
paid TO the remark. however. until Saturday.
known resident ut BainhTidge. in passing the
house impressed by the stiffness cvcry hing
sight mot his gaze that rivitod him to the spot
The bodies OF Mr.. and Mrs. Lane, with two of
msining child-the S-year old bov-sat- apparent
y In a very exhausted condition. in corner OF
was forced when il was discovered that Mrs
Lanes skull was crushed in and her neck broken.
The infant was ly ing dead in her arms, with its
little hands clutched tightly IN tn. hair of her
head, having evidently been smOthered: while
j. n.
bore unmistakable evidence OF having had poison
administered to her we'll. Lane lying
dead beside his wife and there unroubted
evidence that he too, died from poison. The little
boy known TO be great ravOrite with his
father. and for this reason IL is supposed he
spared. When asked why he had remained quiet
he replied M ANNA and papa we're sleeping, and
thought IL l wakened them papa would whip
me- He wns ta ken charge Oi by Kind neighbOrS,
but as his lower limbs badly frozen, il is fear
ed he cannot survive. It is generally believed
that the terrible affair occurred Thursday
One theory il that the husband and father. driven
to desperation by want first destroyed the lives of
his " tte and twJ children. and then killed himself
hoping thus TO end all earthly misery for himself
and his loved ones: but the violence manifest on
the bodies of bis wife and little daughter contra
diets this theory. Il looks though he might
have had an alteration with his wife and killed
her, and that the little girl interfering he killed
her and then made way with himself and his in
fant, possibly forgetting the boy in his insane
frenzy. It is asserted IN the village that Mrs.
Lane came Of a good Maryland family, that she
married against the wishes Of her parents. and
that her career was rs romantic a. it was misera-
bile; but no one seems TO know her name. Neigh
bors who coversed with her, however, say she was
cultivated, lacy-like woman, and bore traces OF
former great beauty. Deputy Coroner . :. Erb
held Inquest, and the jury returned a verdict
that Mrs. Lane and her infant were murdered by
Charles Lane VINO then admin isterod poison TO
himself and his year old daughter The remains
Of the wretched family buried near the village
yesterday.