The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1900-03-21
A MOTHERS AWFUL DEED.
Mrs. +. W. Law of Pittsburg Kills AN
other of Her Infant Children in a
Fit OF Temporary Insanity.

Sunday afternoon on learning from the
Pittsburg papers of the awful deed-the
second within four years-committed by
Mrs. Frank w. Law, well known here
where the family lived for some time.
Mrs. Law, while temporarily insane
strangled her three months-old babe to
death at the family home 1000 Kelly street,
East End, Pittsburg, on Saturday morn
ing last. Three years ago last August
Mrs. Law almost severed the head from
the body other infant child with razor
while the family lived in Allegheny City.
At that time Mrs. Law was removed to
the Presbyterian hospital in Pittsburg,
but she eluded the nurses and jumped
| from a second-story window to the
ground, inflicting serious injuries which
were feared would result fatally. In
spite of those serious injuries she sur
vived and twice since became a mother.
Last summer Mr.. and Mrs. Law visited
friends and relatives in Tionesta and vi
cinity and her good health at that time
was remarked by all who met her.
Removing from Tionesta several years
ago the family lived in Oil City for time
and then went to Pittsburg where Mr.
Law established himself we'll in business,
being the head OF the Law Burner Co.,
which has lucrative trade, not confined
entirely to the city of Pittsburg. In her
normal condition Mrs. Law is a woman
of very pleasing and gentle manner, and
loving and devoted wife and mother.
She is the daughter of A. D. Trax of Oil
City, and a niece of d. l.. TraX, the we'll
known wagon manufacturer of that city.
The following account of the tragedy is
culled from the Pittsburg papers of last
Sunday:
Mrs. Law is the wife of f. w. Law, a
plumber. They live in comfortable
home at 1900 Kelly street.. The infant
stranged to death yesterday was fine
child, and its mother had dotted oyer it
almost constantly since its birth, but at
times she world grow :. elancholy. 1t
was due to this and her previous awful
crime that her husband and eldest daugh-
ter, Eva, almost constantly kept a close
watch over her. When Law left for his
place of business yesterday morning his
wife appeared to be in good health and
humor. The idea that another terrible
tragedy was about to transpire never
dawned upon him.
: Mrs. Law remained in her room with
her baby as company for the greater part
of the morning. Shortly before 10 o'clock
her daughter, Eva, went to the room.
= Mrs. Law was standing in the middle OF
it and acting in manner peculiar to her.
. self when she is sufferieg from one OF her
attacks. Her daughter says she asked
where the baby was in the following lam
guage;
: "Where is the baby, mamma? Papa
will be home soon and l want to have
her looking nice and clean"
"Baby is dead. have just killed her, y
calmly remarked Mrs. Law.
The child rushed 10 the bedside, where
little Florence was lying, well covered
up with bed clothing. She turned down
a the clothes and found her mothers story
!. to be true. On the neck were the i'm
prints of strong hands.
s With a scream, the girl ran from th,
: room and called the housemaid. Whel
: the latter reached the room Mrs. Law
y was pacing the floor with the corpse
her child clasped close to her bosom. Sh
> appeared to be suffering from great men
" tai strain, but she talked nationally AM
: repeated that she had killed the baby
/ but did not know what made her do it.
The child was taken from her and sh
was led into another room. Later she in
sisted upon being allowed to remain a
- the bedside of her dead infant. The eldes
. daughter Immediately notified her fathe
by telephone to come home at once, a
3 his baby was dead He notified DR.. ii. i
Ramsey, of 75 Arch street, Allegheny
~ who was soon at the scene. He said tn
- baby had been dead for some hours.
70 After making an examination of tn
=" mother, DR.. Ramsey, who has been tn
y family physician for years, came to tn
" conclusion that she was insane. He re
d ported the death to the coroner at once
30 The latter detailed Deputy Coroner Bend
err to make an investigation and on tn
recommendation of DR.. Ramsey, mad
out commitment confining Mrs. La'
I'd to st. Francis hospital until more com
E. plete investigation of the case can b
I'd made.
When the deputy coroner got to til
IL house he found Mrs. Law to be apparent
e. ly in perfectly rational condition. Sh
said she had killed the baby by stranl
RS ling it with her hands, but insisted 81
C. did nut know why she had done it. HI
W husband was prostrated with grief an
d. was weeping bitterly. Once he asked h
he wife if she did not feel sorry and why 81
on did not cry. She replied 81 only wis
mt l could cry I have tried, but can't"
She did not offer any objections
being taken to the hospital AS she WI
getting into the carriage she requested
S be allowed to see her son. After this p
ne thetic parting was over she turned to h
husband and asked if he was not goir
to along. He accompanied her until 81
was turned oyer to the hospital officia
~ and locked up in the insane pavilion.
Since the discovery of the deed MI
at Law has not displayed the slightest r
C a morse or emotion. She cannot shed teal