West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1882-11-11
a MOTnEn,s AwFuL DEED.

- tudfOidS Her Three children
ind t1en Kills Them and Herself.
One OF the most shocki tragedies
known 10 recent times, occurred la. New
York last week in the fsmlly of D.. Ed
ward &. Sogun, the noted specialist on
brain diseases. His wife murdered her
three childien and then committed suicide
at their home on w 4 T~cntieth street.
The tragedy was the result OF the insanity
of the mother. The children were I: Ed
ward d., aged Q years, John Van DwyB,
aged 8, and Jeanette, years.
The frightful feature of the tragedy Is
the manner of the murder. Mrs. Seguin
took tue children to an empty spare room
at the top Of five-story house in the alb
sence of her husband, and when the Ser.
wants were engaged in the basement and
locked herself in With them. The ser
wants believed they had gone cut for a
walk. What happened 10 the room will
never be known, but when DR.. Amidcn,
Mrs. See uiD's brother, called at 3 O'Clock,
and, with his suspicious aroused by the
long absence of the family, made search
of the house, the mother aud children
were found dead, all shot through the
head. The childTeu's hands were tied be-
hind their backs With whip cord. They
were bliudfOlded with handkeIcEiefs, ana
from all appearances they must have been
sho9 while playing at blind mans buff
with their executioner. They were dead
foT at least an hour aud half, and were
quite cold when discovered. I pis-
tolls were found in the room, all Of heavy
calibre aud all had been used. Mrs. See
gum has been dependent from physical
causes, for some time, but she had shown
no evidence of insanity. she wac a small,
slim woman Of nervous temperament. Her
domestic life was very happy, and there
was no family trouble.
Three servants in the house noticed dur.
ing the day that Mrs. Seguin wac moody,
a condition she had been in for several
weeks, aud which her brother, DIR. Ami
don, termed 1.-THE blues." Ao.ut eleven
O'Clock In the forenoon be called upon her
and she said she did not fee well, and had
written DR.. Henry Draper, who had been
invited 10 dine with the family. This
note she asked h,r brother % send. He
took 1t, jokingly, and told her They would
all eI joy themselves. DR.. AmidOn called
on his sister at three O'Clock, and was told
she had gone out for walk. He returned
at five O'clock, bui Mrs. Seguiu had not
yet returned. The nail boy Incidentally
b.t 49,, rT -
was locked and the Key gone.
A sudden suspicion seized the Doctor
that Mrs. Seguln had gone TO Central Park
aud drowned he self and children. He
could not explain why lac thought tLis.
lie Immediately vent up stairs aud burst
the door of the room opeu. A horrible
sight met his eyes. Almost ia the middle
of the floor lay the deaG body of the eldest
boy, Edward, 10 pool Of blood. Partly
in the closet lay Mrs. Seguin, grasping in
her right hand a big pearl-hanoled revo.-
yer. Inside the closet lay the boy, John.
and the girl Jeanette. There could be
no doubt the mother had taken the chill
dren into the room on pretense of playing
blind mans buff. She had led the two
youngest into the closet and locked them
IN while enc murdered the Oldest boy. The
pistol with which he was shot was a Tar
get practice pistol with BARREL eleven
inches long. 1t lay beside him and the
bullet lay on the 1Jor. II had pms ed
through his head. The maniac mother
then proceeded 10 the closet, and with
the heavy 32-calibre revolver, with which
she afterwards blew out her own brains,
snOt the other two children.
DR.. Amldon cut the strings that bound
the children's hands and laid them on the
bed. The police and Coroner were mott
fed at once. Nothing was found iin the
room 70 explain the motive for the terri
bic crime. The maniac had he'd the wea-
pom close 10 her victims heads for the
hsndkerc1iels on tncir faces had been
burned. The face of the little girl wore
look OF irnJoent surprise that cut more
deeply than any other feature Of the dread
ful deed. 90 the table lay a box ofclrt-
ridges end third pistol.
Dr.. Seguin, when be returned, about 7
O'Clock, was taken 60 his flee and pbysi-
clans summoned. BE acted az though his
faculties we're gone He caught sight of
a picture O! lhe children on the wall and
broke into horrible, wailing cry that
wruug tie hears of the listeners. Pbysi-
clans fear be will lose bis reason. None
Of the servants heard any noise Sudden
insanity Is the only motive known 10. the
deed. Mrs. S gIin vas neatly dressed
The children were Lively little things and
all the family she had
The room 10 which the tragedy took
place ie on the fifth floor, and is scarcely
ever used ty the family.