Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-10-04
DEATH BY DROWNING
Father and Three Children in
Corpus Christi Bay.
WAS IT THE FATHERS ACT7
The Bodies of All Recovered Save One,
the Baby-The Wife and Mother
Crazed with Grief-Her Story.
The Publics Opinion.
Special to the Gazette.

Special to the Gazette.
HCoRPUs CHRISTI, NUEcEs COUNTY, Tex.
Oct. This city as thrown into fever
of excitement this morning at o'clock by
finding the body of a girl, eleven years old,
floating in Corpus Christi bay, near the
shore. It proved to be that of Rowena
Hamlin. The discovery revealed the fact
that Horace Hamlin, the father of the girl,
had left his residence at o'clock this MORN
ing for walk, accompanied by his two
year-old baby and two daughters, aged
eleven and thirteen years, respectively.
After the finding of the first body, thou
sands of people assembled at the wharf,
while stout hearts and willing hands
dragged the bay with every facility at their
command. One hour was spent in this
way, when the inanimate form of pretty
Helen was brought to the surface, adding
horror to the sad occasion. The two beau
tiful young girls were taken to their home,
only to make the crazed mother swoon,
while the multitude of curious people
thronged about the once happy home to
witness the sight that made strong men
shed tears as the two pretty white
faces lay side by side, attired in their snow
white garb of death.
Further search resulted in the recovery
of the father, whose remains were con-
veyed to the house, only to add to the poor
wife's anguish and cause people to repeat
tHe question, 'Wn ny Qlu he 90 IL, IL ue really
did2'
An examination of the body was made,
but nothing was revealed 10 throw any
light upon the subject that would tend to
clear away the mystery.
My baby. my baby" the frenzied
mother cried, but her darling was still
sleeping the sleep of death in Corpus
Christi bay, with small army of men
searching for it.
Whom acl- how bor
house this morning, Mrs. Hamlin said:
''He arose early for a walk with our two
daughters, and asked me to accompany
them. l told him l was not feeling well and
preferred not to go. He replied that if that
was my reason he would not leave. | told
him to go, and he assured me that he would
remain away but short time. whereupon
our baby awoke and said: Papa, me go
too All right, darling he said, and look
him in his arms after being dressed, and
they left. l am sure it was accidental
Hamlin is described as Il man of many
noble traits of character, and a member of
the Knights of Honor. Whether he is re-
sponsible for the drowning of himself and
children is not and perhaps will never be
known, but the suppesition is he was tenn
porarily insane, as no man in his right mind
would plan and carry into effect such 4
crime as that, which will go into history as
the most dreadful that has occurred III this
or any other state IN the absence of family
troubles. of which he is known to have had
none. Hamlin abstained from drink, and
loved his family, and at times filled impor-
tant positions here.
All efforts to find the baby have thus far
failed. Hamlin was a proud man, and for
long time has been deprived of former luxu-
ries of life, on account of a business failure
and reduced circumstances in life. His
rash act of family destruction can and will
be attributed TO this only.