Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-02-17
Drained BY A MANIAC
TERRIBLE CRIME THIS MORNING.
A MADWOMANS DREADFUL DEED
snE KILLS HER AGED MOTRER-IN-
LAW.

street. splits open the Hcaa OF
Particulars of the
Shocking AT
fair.
y terrible tragedy was enacted at No.
404 East Orange street. near Plum, this
morning, between and 8 O'Clock. Mrs.
Mary Masch, killed her mother-in-law,
Mis-. Elizabeth Masch by dealing her se.-
eral blows upon the head with hatchet,
crushing her skull in several places and
causing her death within few minutes
after the assault
At the hour named, Miss Marion, Who
lives with her sister, Mrs. Rose DonnelIy,
at 40G East Orange street, adjoining the
residence of the Masch family, heard
screams and a heavy thud, as il some one
had fallen. She told Mrs. Donnelly that
she feared something was wrong next
door, and that she hal better 90 over and
see what was the matter. Thinking that per
haps the children were being punished and
the noise was made by them, Mrs. Don
nelly did not like to intrllde, but making
an excuse to get Il bucket of water went
into the yard. She found Masch's kitchen
door and windows closed, and the dining
room shutters bowed. Peeping in through
the shutters She saw something lying on
the floor, and looking more closely thought
it was old Mrs. Mascb, who being palsed,
had fallen. At this instant young
Mrs. Masch came rushing to
the window into which Mrs.
Donnelly was looking, and with clenched
fists and glaring eyes, shrieked aloud,
give killed her I've killed her :" Tel
rilied, Mrs. Donnelly replied, "Oh, Mrs.
Nasch, why did you do sO:' and tho
l killed her, because want to be killed.
Mrs. Donnelly fearing that Mrs. Mascl,,
who appeared to 10 insane, would kill her
children also, ran OF and gave the alarm
to several neighbors, urging them to go to
the house and save the children. She
then sent her own boy to Best's boiler
works where Mr.. Masch was at work,
telling him 30 hasten home rs sOmethin"
was wrong there. Mr.. Masch left his
work aud hurried home He found the
front door locked, but On knocking his
wife admitted him, saying As she did SO.
"Pve killed mother"
What the Husband and sos, Saw.
A horrible spectacle met the husbands
Il Il lal CT
at him with the glare Of Il maUia., and his
mother, covered with and we!terins in her
own blood, lying upon the floor in the
thrOcs Of death, tho furniture Of the room
in which the dreadful dead was done
being spattered with blood, while the in
strument Of death--an ordinary hatchet-
lay upon the floor, both helve and i,atchet
being smeared with the blood of his
mother. Upstairs his two little chill
dren were snrieking with fright, having,
apparently, como part way down stairs,
and, seeing the bloody sceue, ran back 10
their room.
Within Il few minutes very large
crowd had gathered in and about ths
premises. Physicians and priests were
sent for, and were soon on hanti, but the
victim had died before their arrival.
Mrs. Masch's body was placed upon :.
settee ID the room in which she was
killed, ths children We're taken to Mrs.
Donnelly's for safety, and young Mrs
Masch was placed for time under guard
upstairs.
The Coroner Summoned
Coroner Shiffer being notified oi tn: ~
currence emparele,l the following named
jurors and visited the scene VIM
Roebm, George Hunter, I. F. McEiiigott,
George I.aaman, G.. 4. CAST and c. r.
StOner.
The Scene Of the Tragedy.
The house in wEicll the terrible deed
WAS enacted is small two-story brick,
with front and back room on the first
floor and a frame kitchen in the rear The
front room is plainly but neatly furnished
with u number Of attractive pictures hang
ing On the wall-among them fine
co!orsd engraving of the Crusiixion. The
back room in which the homicide TOOK
Place, is furnished with ordinary dining
room and kitchen furniture, including a
cook stove, breakfast table, sink, settec,
few chairs and a rag carpet. From this
room stairways lead down to the cellar
and up to tho seoul floor. A door leads
out to the back kitchen, and window
looks out upon the yard. 1t was into this
window that Mrs. Donnelly peered and
made discovery of the homicide.
After the corOnas's jury had viewed the
body of the elder Mrs. MascI, aud her
slayer had been taken into custody, they
adjourned to await the autopsy made by
Drs. Compton and Welchans.
The Mad Murderess.
Mrs. Masch was found by the jury in an
upstairs room. She is about 30 years Of
age, tall. light-compiexioned, and rather
good-looking. She is tho mother of two
very pretty little girls, one of them about
six and the other between two and three
years old. In about month it is expected
a third child will 10 born to her. Her
manner this morning after the homicide,
was wild and nervous, but not violent
until an attempt was made to take her
into custody. In conversation with some
of the jurymen she repeatedly avowcd the
killing, saying that she hal no ill., will