Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-31
DECIDING TO DIE TOGETHER.
Fatal Results Of Religious Mania.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTERS CASH THEMsELvE
AND KILL THE YOUNGEST OF THEIR NUMBER.

MOTHER AND DAUGHTERS CASH THEMSELVES
AND KILL THE YOUNGEST OF THEIR NUMBER.
A traveirr lately returned from Australia
tells the following story. some of the details of
which were published in The South Australian
AdreTtiser- Charles Hampton, formerly an over
seer of one of the trades in Pentridge prison,
lived with his family, consisting of Mrs. Hamp-
ton. age fifty, and several boys and girls, in
Coburg. The mother for some time had shown
symptoms of weakness Of mind, though the
TACT was known only to her household. On the
night of January IS she went to bed with her
daughters in one part of the house and the
father and eldest son in rooms in another part
AT midnight the son was disturbed by a cry of
distress from his mothers room. He got up
and awakened his father, and they went to Mrs.
Hampton's room. The door was locked, but
their alarm was allayed by either the mother
one of the daughters, who said that one of
the girls had been taken sick, though not seri-
ously. The father and son returned to bed.
AT g O'Clock the son was aroused by one of his
sisters, and the story she told induced him to
hurry To his mothers room. There the first OBJ
ject that met mis- gaze was the dead body of his
youngest sister. Ethel, age nine, rolled up in a
blanket and covered with blood with the head
almost severed from the trunk. His mother
and her elder daughters were lying down,
smeared with blood, traces of which could be
seen ali over the room. Two daughters had "a
frightful cash in each OF their arms above the
elbow, from which the blood was flowing freely.
The other girl was similarly cut in one arm.
The mother was not wounded at all. Search
was made for the weapon with which the crime
had been committed, and a white-handled pen
knife, stained with blood, was found hidden
between the mattresses. Mrs. Hampton APP
peared TO be perfectly unconscious OF what had
occurred. The girls were much excited, and
being asked how the crime was committed said
that they had all sworn not to tell. The police
were sOon on che spot, accompanied by medi-
cal man. The wounds of the girls were dressed,
and the flow Of blood, which threatened to be
fatal To them was stopped.
Eventually the youngest girl made confess
sion. Her statement was 10 the effect that
something was influencing them to be wicked,
and that their mother asked them which they
would choose, death or wicked life, and they
decided for death. They agreed 10 put an end
To one anothers lives and asked God if they
were doing what He wished. a noise heard
of peals of thunder and the shaking of win
dOws. which they took to be an answer in the
affirmative. After a conference they decided
upon killing Ethel, the youngest, first. The
mother and one of the daughters held the child
down and hacked her to death with a penknife
and a razor. Then they began tn kill them
selves. They cut one anOtner's arms with a
view of severing the main arteries and bleeding
to deaSh. After 81 while. however, the bleeding
stopped. and other incisiOns We're made. Then
they held another council and decided that the
mother should not be killed. Mrs. Hampton
waited To see the Others die; but in the mean
time day broke, when one OF the girls fetched
her brother.
The general belief is that the tragedy Oc-
Cured through religious mania The mother,
who was arrested, showed unmistakable signs
of insanity.