The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-08-20
A MANAGES WORK.
Stabs His Wife, Brother-in-L and
Child and Suicides by Jump
ing from Window.

NEWARK, N. j., Aug 10 In @ little
two story house on Davis avenue.
Ksarney, an awful tragedy occurred at
2 o'clock this morning that resulted in
the death of one man and probable
death Of his wife and brother-in.law,
and an attempted murder of four chill
dren. Thomas Hewitt, the central
figure in the tragedy, lived on the sec
ond floor with his wife Adele, four
children-Adele, aged Z; Emma, aged 5;
Carrie, aged g. and Gertia. aged 9
and his wife's brother, Fred Purcell,
young man 22 years old. Three
weeks ago Hewitt, who is a moulder.
2S years old, was compelled to quit
work on account Of illness. Dr. Alters,
the family physician diagnosed the
case as typhoid fever and one week ago
Hewitt was compelled to take to his
bed.
Saturday night at II o'clock Hewitt
became irrational and called on his
wife, who was in constant attendance,
to pray for him. She was about to
call her brother, who was asleep with
the children in an inner room when
the patient dropped into O heavy
slumber. The wife. who was ia
tigued by her long vigil. grasped
the opportunity of taking few
hours sleep and threw herself weariIj
on the bed with the children. Two
hours later she was startled by a noise
in her husbands room, and peering
through small window was Mortified
10 see him standing in the center of the
room nude, with his underclothes ly-
ing on the floor in shreds.
Before she could move he rushed into
the room, and to whore she sat on the
side Of the bed and said. "Dell, my
hour has come, have got to die, for
Gods sake pray for me-" The next
instant he dashed out Of the room into
The kitchen and before his wife OWNED
his intention he re-appeared with a
large carving knife in hiS hand.
Fright rendered the terrified woman
speechless and unable to move and the
next instant he plunged the long keen
blade into her shoulder, inflicting an
ugly wound four inches long As hs
raised the knife for another blow, Mrs.
Hewitt 'grasped the blade with her left
hand and he drew it away almost sew
ering her hand in two.
All this happened in less time than it
takes to relate it, and not q sound es--
capped, but Mrs, Hewitt's brother was
aroused and, graspiug the situation at
a glance, he rushed to save his sister
from her maniac husband. The latter
with power born of frenzy, threw
Purcell to the floor like like child,
and, pouncing upon him. drove the
knife through the PROSTATE mans
shoulder into his left breast.
Turning from Purcell, Hewitt rushed
to the bed where his children were
sleeping and with an awful lunge at
tempted to sever the head of Adele.
and succeeded in cutting frightful
cash on the cbilds neck and shoulder.
The awoke with a wild shrek which
caused her father to drop the knife and
rush headiong from the room. Into
the front room he dashed and the next
instant he plunged head first through a
wire screen to the ground below.
The child's shrek had aroused John
Terune and his son. who lived on the
lower floor and they rushed out to dis
cover the cause Of the commotlon. On
the sidewalk lly the body of Hewitt,
stark naked, and they supposed, at the
first glance, dead. The younger Ter
hume ran to his assistance, while the
father ran upstairs and met sigh
which caused his hair to stand. In the
inner room by the dim light he saw thC
PROSTATE forms of Mrs. Hewitt and hei
brother bathed in blood and on the bee
he saw the child moaning pitsously,
They found Hewitt unconscious from
loss of blood and coucussion Of the
brain. Then they turned their atten-
ton to Mrs. Hewitt and her brother
who were both unconscious from loss
of blood and shock, and to little Adele
who was bleeding profusely from t
dangerous but not necessarily fata
wound. By the time their wounds
were dressed and restorative;
administered Mrs. Hewitt ant
her brother had sufficiently recov.
cred to briefly explain the awful &C.
currence. Meanwhile every effort was
made to restore Hewitt to conscious
ness, but it proved unavailing and he
died at Z o'clock.
While Mrs. Hewitt's wounds are moi
rs serious as those of her brother, sht
was more affected by the shock ant
but slight hopes are entertained OF th
recovery of either. ,