Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1891-07-25
AN AWFUL crime.
A Mother Shoots Her Three Children
and Herself
Evidence of Insanity--A Letter Left for
Her Husband Telling fthe Deed
Careful Preparation Made.


Careful Preparation Made.
Mrs. Pattie Lochridge, wife of Mr.. Thomas
Lochridge, shot her three children and her
self about l o'clock in the afternoon at her
home, three miles south of Spring Hill, Maury
county, Tenn. Mrs. Lochridge was so years
of age, her eldest child years old, the second
years old and the third months old
The awful deed was done with double.
barrcled breech-loading shotgun. After din
ner Mr.. Lochridge went to church, leaving
his home in is usual state of quietness.
His wife had been complaining for some
time past, but on that particular afternoon she
was no worse than during the past week. The
children were playing around as usual, and
there was not The slightest hint of the frightful
tragedy so soon TO be enacted.
About o'clock he returned to the little
home and found The front door locked. This
seemed strange to him, but concluding his
vile had gone on u visit he went around the
house intcncing TO enter by the back door.
This, too was locked, and he was compelled
to force window sash in order TO gain an en-
trance.
He had never known his wife to so securely
fasten the house. and as he climbed through
thcwindow a strange feeling of impending evil
came over him. Not, however until he had
gone into the living room up stairs, where he
mad spent so many pleasant hours, did the full
meaning of the sealed doors and windows
burst upon him.
There, upon pa LEI nicely arranged Law
his three darlings dead, and across the room
with her feet turned to theirs, was his wife
their mother, cold in the grasp of the grim de-
stroyer.
A double barreled breech-loating shotgun.
his companion on many jolly hunt, lay be-
tween them. As near as can be learned from
the surroundings, Mrs. Loehridge had drawn
up her childreu's clothes one BY one placed
the gun against their hearts and fired Then
she placed them side by side on pallet which
she had made for the purpose and arranged
their dresses neatly about them.
Standing at their feet and probably gazing
down upon them the distracted mother placed
the muz1le of the gun at her own heart and
seat her own soul to follow her children
After killing the first two she must have re-
loaded the gun and that she did it shows that
she was at least partially calm. How she
pulled the trigger when the gun was against
her own breast is mystery, unless she did il
with stick held in her hand or with her
foot.
1t is thought the woman poisoned or chIoro.
formed both herself and the children before
she used the gun. la the letter, given in part
below, she refers to pain in her head, and
then it would have been difficult to have
killed the little things while wide awake
probably too difficult for even the tiendish
hand of q child murderess
The following letter was found in the room
with the murdered and the suicide:
july 10, 1S91.-Dear Tom. know Won
will be shocked when you get back and find
what | have done. This is not my first
attempt. took 40 drops of laudanum at one
time and 90 at another before | was married.
and failed to accomplish my purpose, but
think will succeed this time. If Eunice
oldest child had been at home last Sunday
evening this deed would have been committed
then but she had gone to church. | could
not bear 10 leave her behind. | do wish Won
could 90 with us. But for you would gladly.
gladly give up all an go home to heaven.
sometimes feel that | am terrible sinner, but
now | feel that the good Lord is waiting. tire
door open, to welcome me and our little ones
You have kept your marriage VOWS so much
NOR perfect than have, but you know that
my health is bad now. | have been in a bad
state of miTd some time. | feel that am
tired OF life and must 90.
In concluding her letter Mrs. Lochridgt
gave instructions as to how clothing and
articles of jowelry should be distributed.