New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-10-06
A MOTHERS MAD WORK.
SHE STAYS TWO CHILDREN.
WOUNDS ONE. KILLS
HERSELF.
Used BOTH POISON AND REvOLvER-IN-
SANITY BROUGHT on BY Ill HEALTH
TRAGEDY N TNWOOD.

Il
The two story brick house which stands in the
centre Of a ten acre plot at Broadway and Dyck-
nlan-st. Inwood, suburb on the upper part Of
Manhattan Island. was the scene yesterday Of as
terrible tragedy as this city has had in many
years An invalid mother murdered two Of her
children, possibly fatally wounded a third and
then killed herself
Two months ago Walter Smith. employed by
Austin, Nichols & Co. in Hudson-st., moved with
hise wife. Lillian, and their three children TO the
Inwood place. The little ones were Andrew. six
years old; Ethel, twelve. and Mabel. four It
was because Of Mrs. Smiths failing health that
the change was made.
For a time Mrs. Smiths health improved.
Ethel and Andrew were sent to Public School
No. -. not far distant from the house Mrs.
Smith called in her servants, Curtis and Mary
Moore, yesterday afternoon and told them they
had worked hard and she wanted 70 give them
a little reward.
SENT THE SERVANTS AWAY
Hitch up Tom and take nice little drive"
she said pleasantly. Curtis and his wife were
delighted at their mistress's kindness, and no
time was lost getting out the carriage They
drove away with Mrs. Smith standing in the
door waving them goodby. They got hack about
t O'Clock
What, back so soon?" Mrs. Smith asked
them. Now. you just go and stay another
hour
They did not wish 70 give offence and drove
for half an hour more.
When they got back Mrs. Moore got out Of
the carriage. while her husband drove TO the
stable. He was beginning to unhitch. when he
heard his wife at the kitchen door shrieking
like mad
Come. Conner she cried For Gods sake,
come Quickr
Moore left the horse TO care for itself and ran
at full speed to the house. On the kitchen
floor in a pool Of blood lay Andrew. the six
year-old boy. Beside him lay his schoolbooks.
He had evidently just come home He had been
shot through the heart. In the hallway lead
ing to the children's room on the first floor they
found the body Of Mrs. Smith, She, too, was
shot through ,he heart
In the chiIdren's room were found Ethel and
Mabel Ethel had one wound in the chest
Mabel had been shot three times in the breast
Two bullets had entered in the same place, but
had separated and come out on either side of
the spine Ethel and Mabel were stiu breathing.
Both were taken TO the Fordham Hospital
Mabel died there at s O'Clock. Ethel viii prob
ably recover
The shooting had been done with new re
vo,ver Of The most costly type A hoN s3
cartridges lay near it on the floor Besides the
revolver, the insane mother had used carbolic
acid. A pint bottle that had contained this
deadly poison was found on 4 table. The faces
and hands and clothing Of the children were
burned with this STUFF, and it looked as if Mrs
Smith had tried to force them 10 take the acid.
and failing in this shot them
THE NEIGHBORHoOD AROUSED.
The servants aroused the neighborhood by
their calls. and Policeman John Schtffert, from
the Ktngsbridge station, ran TO their aid He
took in the situation at once and sent TO Fordham
Hospital for an ambulance. DR. Thetford an
swered the call. He saw at once that nothing
could he done for the mother and Andrew, and
devoted his attention to Mabel and Ethel
He took them to the hospital at once. where
several physicians undertook to save them.
With Ethel they succeeded but the younger
child sank rapidly and died
Mrs Smith eft two letters. One was ad-
dressed 10 her husband and read:
Dear Walter: I am responsible for what has
happened I am very sorry, but can nnd no
other way LILLIAN
The other letter was addressed To her father.
Mr.. Smith declined last night TO make its con-
tents public. or even TO give his father-in-laws
address He knew nothing Of the tragedy until
he got home at o'clock from his work Neigh
bors then met him at the depot and told him Of
the awful news waiting for him The man was
roo shocked 70 say. a word. He was simply
stunned.
His friends kept him in constant view. as
there was no telling what he might do When
seen late last night. and asked if he knew of any
reason why his wife had killed herself and chill
dren he simply and quietly replied
7 don't care 70 say anything Please. please
don't ask me"
Coroner owen viewed the bodies. and gave an
11Dderralar the necessary papers NAighbOrs
from all over Inwood called TO do what they
could. The house Is in the centre Of the best
part Of Inwood
Andrew and Ethel to come home from school
when she sent the servants away the second
time Policeman SChiffert said he saw Andrew
coming home from school only short time be