Daily public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1892-191?, 1900-10-06
A Prominent New York Woman,
Becoming Insane, Attempted
to Wipe Out Her Family.
USED cARBOLIc ACID AND A PISTOL
She Shot Two of Her Children and
Forced the Third One to Drink
the Deadly Drug.
The Mother Then Committed Sui
eide by Observation-Disclosures over
the Prospects of Death I'm
settled Her Mind.

New YORK, Oct. 6.--Mrs. Lillian
Smith, of Inwood, borough of Man
haitian, while insane Friday, shot her
two children, Ethel, aged IL years,
and Theodore, aged years, and then
committed suicide by shooting her
self. Another child lies in Fordham
hospital at the point of death as the
result of carbolic acid burns. Be-
fore shooting the children Mrs. Smith
tried to force them to drink carbolic
acid. Long brooding over the pros
pect of death is said to nave been the
cause of the womans insanity. She
had for some time been in bad
health
Mrs. Smith was the wife of Walter
NJ. Smith, who has been connected
with the grocery house of Austin,
Nichols & Co. for 81 years.
Drove Her Husband 40 the Train.
Mrs. Smith drove her husband to
the station Friday morning and APP
peared happy and care free. She
promised to meet him on his return
from the city at night. 1t is believed
that she went out in the morning
from the drive to the train with her
husband and bought the pistol.
Where and when she bought the car
bolic acid is a mystery. With the
pistol she bought a box of cartridges.
Ten of these were missing from the
box when il was found. In the pistol
were found three discharged cart
- H.,
tempt TO wipe ont her family it is
believed Mrs. Smith fired eight shots,
all but two of which took effect.
sent the Coacbman Away.
Al O'Clock Friday afternoon Mrs.
Smith instructed her coachman to
hitch up the team and take his wife,
also a servant of the Smiths. for n
drive on the Speedway. The Moores
returned shortly before o'clock in
the afternoon and they were met by
Mrs Smith AT the door. The woman
was only partly clothed but she did
not appear 10 he aritated
Don't come in vet" she said with
a smile: take long ride. There is
plenty Of time in the afternoon"
The Moores again went away but
they did not STAY long. They return
ed nj I;4G O'Clock and discovered the
tragedy that had been enacted in
their absence.
Gave the Baby Cnrbolic Acid.
Mabel. three years old, was killed
first in the front room on the second
floor of the house. The mother had
induced the baby to drink carbolic
acid. Then the mother got the re-
volver and fired three shots and the
chest of the little girl was literally
torn to pieces. 1t was about this
time that Ethel, the eldest daughter.
returned from school. She, too, tast-
ed the carbolic acid but rejected il.
Again the pistol came into play. The
mother shot twice at Ethel but only
one took effect. Only few moments
after the little boy returned from
school entering the kitchen through
the back door. The mother met him
at the door and shot him, killing him
instantly. After satisfying herself
that the boy was dead Mrs. Smith re-
turned up stairs
Pistol Turned on Herself,
Walking into the hall she shot her
self in the right breast. The bullet
tore through her body, killing her
instantly. Mr.. and Mrs. Moore at
once summoned Policeman Schiffert.
An examination disclosed the fact
that Mrs. Smith, Theodore. the little
boy, and Mabel, the little four-year-
old girl, were dead. Ethel, the oldest
child, aged IL, viii probably re-
cover.
Mrs. Smith left two letters. One
was addressed to her husband and
read:
Dear Walter-I am responsible for
what has happened. / am very sorry
but can find no other way.-Lin"
Vice Adm. SeymOur's Report.
London, Oct, 6.-The Gazette Fri
dav evening In Dublishinp Vice Adm