The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1893-06-15
An Insane Mother Kills Four of Her
Children nnd Commits Suicide.

PARKERsBuHa, W. VA, juno ia
terrible tradegy, the most horrible
that ever took place IN Wood county,
occurred yesterday Mt noon, at Pleas.
ant Hill, thrifty settlement about 10
miles from Parkersburg. At that
place there lived Philip Kirsch with
his family, consisting of n wife and
six children. the eldest of whom Is
girl about sixteen years OF age, tho
youngest n babe OF ten months.
Mrs. kirsch had been Ill for long
time, suffering from mental depres-
sion and nervous disorders, and 1t had
been observed that her mind was not
entirely under control, though no one
ever entertained fears OF any t. agic
consequences from her troubles. She
had been under the treatment OF
competent physician and 1t was
thought she was improving in health.
CHILDREN oIsoSED AND DROWNED.
Yesterday her husband was ut a barn
raising Mt Mr.. Ellet's neighbor, liv.
ing about milo and half distant.
Tue two elder boys were engaged in
corn field and the eldest daughter
NJ oliio, was washing clothes Ia tho
yard.
AT dinner time tho boys came to the
house ani sat down to their noon
meal, tho daughter continuing at her
work and not then coming into the
house. MOllie did not observe her
mother until she came up and suld
Il have poisoned John ami Fred, aud
thrown my babies In the we'll. Now
como, aIollle, and die with me-" At
the Same time the mother laid hold of
the girl and tried to throw her into
tho we'll also.
DESPERATE STRUGGLE.
The daughter fought with all her
power, and the well curb being about
two foot high 5bo was ahle to keep
herself from being thrown In. At this
moment Il younger child, eight years
old, appeared, and the mother aban-
doncd the effort to throw Mollie i'm the
well and caught Tho younger child.
The daughter fought with dsspera-
ton and utmost superhuman strength
to release the younger child and final
ly succeeded In releasing him from
his maniac motlers grasp, and then
told him to run forhls life TO an ancle's
house, near by.
THE BoTs DROP DEAD.
The mother then started to throw
herself into tho well where the two
younger children had already been
drowned. Mollie caught her mother
aud screamed Tor hor brothers to come
~ llbL uii' O5D lIDln lIlo IuDlb
and started out, but one of them fell
dead before he got to the door. and
tho other just us lie reached tho door
way. pitched headlong to tho ground,
corpse.
THE MOTHERS SUICIDE.
In the meantime the daughter was
engaged in desperate struggle to
prevent her mother from throwing
herself into the we'll. She fought with
courage and heroic strength and tore
almost all the clothing from her 1udy,
but her efforts were unsuccessful, and
at last the mother pitched headlong
into the well and was drowned.
srRYcnSISE IN HITTER.
The poison given the boys was
etrJ chime mixed with butter that the
mother spread on her boys bread at
the dinner. One piece of bread SO
spread was lying beside tho plate sci
for one OF the boys only partly eaten.
INQUEST AND rrSEnALs.
In brief time the noiGhbors assem-
hlod ana the three bodies wero taken
from tho well and the coroner mott,
fed.
Tho funeral of all the dead took
place this afternoon Mt the S iidinore
graveyard at Ddlll5on.