The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1881-05-06
browns HER FIVE CHILDREN.

called upon to chronicle, or that WI
over heard of, occurred about FIVE
miles southwest of Charlottesville, IL
Calhoun county, last Saturday. From
| tho best information we can get tho
following are about tho particulars :
1t seems that Mr.. T.. NJ. Mutt, was Il
tolerably we'll to do farmer of CaSwell
township, Calhoun county; had a
comfortable home, wife and five chill
dren. the oldest of whom was ten or
twelve years of age, and the youngest
about ten months, and so far us we
can learn their domestic relations were
pleasant and agreeable, but be these
as they may, the culminating point in
their history was reached last Satur-
day, in the willful drowning of their
five children, by their mother, Mrs.
Mutt.
1t appears that Mr.. Mutt and his
| Oldest son went to the field us usual
Saturday morning and plowed until
noon, when they came to the house for
dinner. 1t being Saturday, and Mr..
Matt probably having business at
Charlottesville, and little dreaming of
the shocking tragedy that was to be
enacted during his absence, saddled his
horse and rode of. During his stay
the mother deliberately proceeded to
tAAo" &AS SA'itaASi, ollS ~ ~ NliLSS INV
tho well, which stood in the yard, but
as stated by herself, she had some trou-
bic in getting the oldest boy in, as she
had to run him around the house scvc-
raj times, before she could catch him,
but finally succeeded. She also stated
1--WE undCrstand) that he could have
gotten away, if he had tried. After
committing the horrible decd, Mrs.
Mutt quietly went into tho house and
apparently, was perfectly composed.
At any rate, this seemed to have boon
her condition when her husband rc-
turned, which was about dark, and in
company with q ncighbor.
When Mr.. Mutt arrived, he walked
into the house rs usual, and found the
wife lying on tho floor, but failing to
see any of the children present, began
to look around, and inquired OF her,
she answered very composcdly, uI
threw thcm in the WE'LL" Mr.. Mutt
replied that such certainly could not be
the case, but she insisted that it was
true, and referred him to the we'll for
proof. lie then stepped to the door
and called his ncighbor back, ana pro-
curing n light they proceed to tho well,
when, horror of horrors, the floating
forms of the children met their gaze
One report says that Mr.. Mutt was
so shocked ut tho horrible sight, he
dropped tho light, anG made Off from
the terrible scene, and up to Monday
had not been heard Of The nci.hbor
called in others, and the children were
were taken from the well and placed
upon pallets in tho house, all the while
the mother seeming perfectly uncon-
cerncd. She stated to some of those
fhOf .INn CIV
send her children to heaven, and in
order to do so, was wiiting'to send her
own soul to hell; told them that after
she had thrown the children in the
we'll, she concluded to drown herself
and to this end let the bucket down
and with the assistance of the rope
(anu the steps on the sides Of the wclD
descended to the water for that pur-
pose, bu: finding the water so cold, her
heart failed her, and she came out
again, but finding the oldest boy still
struggling, when she went down hcf-
self, took him by the head and hold
him under the water until life was
extinct. This statement OF hers about
going into the well herself, was prov
en- to be true by examinations made
inside and on the walls Of the well
afterwards. She also attempted (aftcr
AulS) ~ toiAiIliN SlltIVc ny tfltlStlliE
a spindle into her neck, and also by
taking 5trychninc, but was prevented
by those guarding her, both times.
The only cause given for this almost
unprecedented deed, was, that her chill
drcn might go to heaven. But there
certainly can be but one causc-insan-
ity-for Il decd SO dark and damning,
for if there is one tic more binding
than another and all others, it is that
which binds Il mothers heart to her
child.
Since the above was In type, Mr.. j i.
B. Davis, a witness after the terrible
tragedy, tells us that the above report
is substantially correct, but that the
husband on returning, stumbled over
the body of his wife lying on the floor
Git being dark) when the conversation
about tho children ~ given above was
had. lie also states that an attempt
was evidently made to Kill the oldest
boy, as his throat exhibited q cash or
cut, as if made by 4 sharp instrument
"A razor she Said-anh that slic had
attempted one night previous to XII
them, but her heart failed her up T."
the sad evening, mentioned. f""''|"
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