The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1895-02-03
TRAGEDY AT NAPA.
Bloody Deed Of a Maniac
Mother.
UNDER AN INSANE FRENZY
She Hacks Her Four Children
With an Ak.
HER INFANT MAY NOT LIVE.
Opportune Arrival Of Neighbors on
the Scene.
HER INFANT MAY NOT LIVE.
MRS. METTERNICH HAD SPELLS BEFORE,
And When Insane Thought Her Children
We're to Be Sold as Slaves for
Her Sins.

NAPA, CAL, Feb. 2.-An awful tragedy
occurred here early this morning in the
home of Peter Metternich, who resides in
the northern part of the city. Mrs. Met
ternich, while insane, undertook to kill
her four children, and succeeded in doing
them all serious injury. Mrs. Metternich
has previously had periods of insanity, but
has not been very violent, and her husband
has always cared for her at home and
avoided having her committed to the asy-
lum. Her mania was religious one. She
had the delusion that she had greatly
sinned against God, and as punishment
for her sin her children were to be sold
into slavery. She had threatened to kill
the children to avoid this. Her husband
usually kept close watch over the chill
dren whenever she acted strangely.
The Metternichs live on Vallejo street
in a small two-story cottage, which was
the scene of the horrible affair. Peter
Metternich. the father of the family, arose
at 80 o'clock, and after hearty break
fast left for a stone quarry east of town,
where he is employed. He left his wife
asleep in one of the front rooms with the
eldest daughter, Ethel, aged 8 years, and
the baby. In another room were little
boy, Antonio, aged years, and another
daughter 8 years old. 1t could not have
been more than ten. ~ inutes after Meter
nich's departure tat the mother arose and
dressed. She then proceeded to the wood
she'd, and in few moments returned with
an ak in her hand.
Approaching the bed which she had Just
1of@ IL, -, Il II
eye, cutting a deep cash, and with second
blow struck the innocent babe with the fat
side of the ak over the right ear, inficting
an ugly bruise which it is feared will prove
fatal.
The would-be murderess then rushed
into the other room and attacked the re-
naming two children. The little girl re-
ceived a murderous blow on the head
which rendered her insensible, and the
little son sustained a deep cash on the
forehead.
The boy managed to escape from the
room and ran from the house with the
blood flowing from his face, and the
mother following, still tightly holding her
bloody weapon. The screams of the
frightened children had by this time
aroused some of the neighbors, and George
Fisher, who was just running to the scene,
saw the fleeing child turning a corner,
with the infuriated mother close behind.
As soon as the latter saw Fisher coming
up she stopped, and, grasping the ak
handle with both hands, endeavored to
kill herself The edge of the ak struck
directly over her nose and cut a long cash.
Fisher and another man succeeded in get
ting the ak away from the woman, who
kept saying: ~ have sinned against God,
and had to kill the children. / could not
see them Sold"
Mrs. Metternich was Immediately taken
to the Jail and locked up pending an in
vestigation, which soon followed and
Judge Ham committed her to the Napa
Asylum.
Three physicians were called, and the
injured children were made as comfortable
as possible 1t was necessary to take sew
eral stitches in some of the cuts, and while
the three Oldest children will probably re-
cover, it will be miracle if the youngest
lives. Mrs. Metternich has before ex-
hibited signs of deranged intellect, and
her husband states that she has often said
that she wished she had no children.