Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1900-10-11
MRS. SMITH WAS INSANE.
She Murdered Two ChfIdre4. Desperately
Wounded q Third and Conn
mitted Suicide.

New York, Oct. 5.-Mrs. Lillian
haitian, while insane to-day, shot her
two children, Ethel, aged IL years,
and Theodore, aged eight years, and
then committed suicide by shooting
herself. Another child lies in Ford
ham hospital at the point of death
as the result of carbolic acid burns.
Before shooting the children, Mrs.
Smith, with the cunning of a
maniac, tried to force them to drink
carbolic acid. Long brooding over the
prospect of death is said to have been
the u of the woman's insanity.
Mrs. Smith had been married for Is
years. Up to three weeks ago she
had lived with her husband and her
children in the central portion of this
city, but of late she had been in poor
health. 1t became necessary to take
her to b country, and Mr.. Smith
rented a large old mansion formerly
occupied by Frank Leslie, the publish
er, at Inwood.
She drove with her husband to the
station this morning, and appeared
happy and carefree. She promised to
AASSO LAAA OA AAS Nv SAOJ
at night.
1t is believed that she went out in
the morning after her return from
the drive to the train, and bought the
| pistol. Where and when she bought
the carbolic acid is a mystery. With
the pistol she bought a box of cart
ridges. Ten of these were missing
from the box when it was found. In
the pistol were found three dis
charged cartridges and two loaded. In
the attempt to wipe out her family it
is believed Mrs. Smith fired eight
shots, all but two of which took eff
feet.
At three o'clock this afternoon, Mrs.
Smith instructed her coachman, Cur
tbs Moore, to hitch up the team and
take his 1.-THE coachman's wife, also a
servant of the Smiths) for a ride on
the speedway. The Moores returned
shortly before Jour o'clock in the af-
ternoon, and they were met by Mrs.
Smith at the door. The woman was
only partly clothed, but she did not
seem TO be agitated.
Don't come in yet" she said, with
a smile, "take a long ride. There is
plenty of time in the afternoon"
The Moore's again went away but
they did not stay long. They returned
at 4:40 o'clock, and discovered the
tragedy hat had been enacted in
their absence.
Mabel, three-year-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 she got the revolver and
fred three shots. and the chest of the
little girl was literally torn to pieces.
1t was about this time hat Ethel, the
eldest daughter, returned from school.
She, too, tasted the carbolic acid, but
rejected it. Again the pistol came
into play. The mother shot twice at
Ethel, but only one took effect.
Only a 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 hat the boy was
dead, Mrs. Smith returned up stairs.
Walking into the hall she shot her-
self in the right breast. The bullet
tore through her body, killing her in
stantly.
Mr.. and Mrs. Moore at once sum
moned Policeman Schiffert. An exam
nation disclosed the fact that Mrs.
Smith, the little boy and Mabel,
the little four-year-old girl, were
dead. Ethel, the eldest child, aged IL,
will probably ecove
Mrs. Smith left two letters. One
was addressed to her husband, and
read:
Dear Walter:
81 ain responsible for what has hap.
pened. / am very sorry, but a
find no other way.
ILL"
The other letter was addressed tc
her father. Mr.. Smith declined to
make its contents public.