The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1882-11-01
TWO DIREFUL DEEDS.
THE ACME OF TRAGEDIES.

An lu,ane Mother Shoots Her Three Children aul
Kills llsnslt-A iltartr,ndlns Steue-Ths \
Orlsf or the Husband and rather--A Is ]
Peculiar Tragedy In A.kaasaI =,
NEw YoRK, October 3l.--Mrs. Samuel
Seguln, aged SO, vile Of Dr.. Edward G.
Seguln, noted specialist on diseases oi
the brain, killed her three young children
this afternoon, and then killed herself u!
Al West Twentieth street. There Is nc
other cause known for the horrible tragedy
tfan the insanity OF the mother. The chill.
dren were Edward D., aged G, John Van
Dnyn, aged 8, and Jeanette, uged !. They
were aii shot through the head and in.
stantly killed. The mothers death was as
sudden as theirs The irightt,l feature OIL
the tragedy is the manner Of the mur.
der. Mrs. Scguin took the children
to IN empty spare room Mt the top Of q
fivestory house in the absence Of the
husband, aud when the servants were en-
gagged in the basement, and locked herself
i'll with them. The servants believed they
hadg gone out fora walk. What happened
in the room will never be known, bu,
when Dr. Amidon, Mrs. Seguin's brother
called at o'clock, and with his suspicious
aroused by the long absence of the family
mn.lc 4 search Of the house, the mother
und children were found dead, nil shot
through The head. The chillrens' hands
were lied behindtheir backs with wliip cord.
They were blindfolded with handkerchieis
and from I'LL appearances they must have
been shot while playing ut .blindman's
buff with their executioner. They were
dead for at least an hour and 4 half, and
were quite cold when discovered. Three
pistols were found in the room, all heavy
calibre, and all had been used.
Mrs. Seguiu has been despondent from
physical causes for some time, but she has
shown no evidence ofins,nity. She was a
small, slim woman, Of nervous temper.
ment. Her domestic life was very happy,
and there was no family troubles. ~
Dr. Segnin returned home about !
O'Clock md upon hearing the dreadful
news was utterly Frustrated. IIe is in Il
state Of mental distress and under
the care OF physicians. Dr.. Seguin
is noted specialist in cases Of
insanity. His father was equally 80.
His vile was from Massachusetts. The
couple moved in the best society. The
family lived in five story brown stone
front English basement house, elegantly
furnished. The room in which the tragedy
took place is on the fifth floor and was
scarcely ever used by the family. Three
servants in the house noticed during the
day that Mrs. Seguin was in Il moody
condition, which she had been in
TOR several weeks, and which
her brother, DR.. Amilon, termed
the blues. About II O'Clock he called
upon her and she said she not feel well
and had written TO DR.. Henry Draper, who
had been invited to dine with the family,
before bis visit. This note she asked her
brother to send. lie took it jokii,gly and
told her they would all enjoy themselves.
DR.. Amidon called on his sister At o'clock
and was told that sllehad gone out for walk
lie returned ut five but Mrs. Seguin had
not relnyHed. The ball boy accidentally
mentioned that the door OF the spare room
was locked and the key was gone. sud-
den suspicion seized the Doctor that Mrs.
Scguin had gone 10 Central paik and
drowned herself and children. lie
could not explain why he thought this.
lie Immediately went up stairs and burst
the door open, when the horrible sight met
his eyes. Almost in the middle OF the
floor lay the body Of the eldest boy, Ed
ward, in pool OF blood. Partly in the
closet lay Mrs Seguin, .rasping in her
hand big, pearl.handled revolver :.
Inside the closet lay the boy John and
the girl jcannette, There could be no
doubt the mother had taken tho children
into the room on pretcnce Of PLAYING
blindman's buiI. She ind led tic two
youngest into the closet and locked them in
while she murdered the Oldest boy. The
pistol with which he was shot WIS IL target
practice weapon with barrel II inches
long. 1t lay beside him aud The bullet lay
OH the floor. 1t had passed through his
head. The maniac mother then
proceeded 10 the closet and with
u heavy tllirty.two calibrc revolver,
with which she afterwards blew out her
own brains, shot her two children. Dr.,
Amieion cut the strings that bound the
childrens hands and laid them on n bed.
The police and coroner were notified at
once. Noihipg was found in The room, to
explain the motive for the terrible
crime. The woman had held the
weapon close TO her victims heads
for the liandkercllicfs on their faces were
burned. The face OF the little girl wore II
look OF innocent surprise. On the table
lay a box o! cartridges and third pistol.
DIR. scgnin, when he returned VAS taken
to his otlice and physicians summoned.
lie acted as though his faculties we're gone.
ile caught sight Of The picture Of his chill
dren on the wall and broke into a horrible,
wailing cry that wlung the hearts Of the
listeners. Physicians fear he will lose his
setses,
None OF the servants heard the noise.
Sudden insanity Is the only motive known
for the deed. Mrs. Seguin was neatly
dressed. The children were lovely little
things, and all the family she had. !. III