Delaware gazette and state journal., 1902-10-16
MANAGES TERRIBLE CRIME
Charles CaWley of Homestead,
Pa, Kills His Mother and
One Sister and Fatally
Injuries -Four Other
Children.
THE MURDERER USED AN AXE
Going to the BedsideS of His
Victims, He Crushed and
Hacked Them Beyond
Recognition - Over
powered After a
Fierce Fight.
THE MURDERER USED AN AXE

Pittsburg, Pa, Oct. 1O.-While laboring
under mental alteration, the result of the
strain of perfecting an appliance for patents
on an sirbrake, which are pending in Wash
ington, ID. O., Charles Cawley, aged IL
years, of Homestead, Pa, early today. killed
his mother and one sister and fatally injured
four other children. He also tried to kill his
two older brothers, but was detected,
oyerpowered and turned over to the police.
The weapon used was an axe, with which he
crushed and hacked his victims beyond rec
ognition.
Mrs. Hanna Cawley, aged 40 years, head
and upper portion of body almost pounded
to a jelly.
Belle iCawley. aged 12 years, who slept
with her mother, head frightfuily crushed.
INJURED
Joseph, the baby of the family, aged 15
months, head and chest battered, Will not
recover.
Adeline, aged years, skull fractured, will
not recover.
Raymond, aged 6 years, twin of Adeline,
head horribly injured, will not recover.
Agnes, aged 10 years, head crushed, will
| not recover. -
The Cawey family lived in neat six-
room house on Second avenue, Homestead,
and last night all the members retired about
| 10 O'Clock. Mrs. Cawley and Belle occupied
one bed, while the others, Joseph, Adele,
, Raymond and Agnes, occupied other beds
and cribs in the same room, which Is on
the second floor rear Charles, the murderer,
and two brothers, James, aged 20 years, and
| Harry, aged IA years, occupied the front
room second floor, adjoining their mothers
/ room.
About o'clock this morning Charles
quietly arose, and. dressing himself, but not
| putting on his shoes, crept down to the
cellar and secured an axe. Going upstairs
again, he went into his mothers room,
where the victims were all sleeping. After
turning up the light, the maniac approached
| his mothers bedside, swung the axe high IN
the air, and brought 1t down with such
force that her skull was crushed. Ths
mother evidently did not know what strucl
her: but the crazed son, thinking that hir
head almost to a jelly. Belle. the oldest
daughter, slept throughout the time. Charles
next hurried to her side of the bed, and
struck her with the axe. II is thought that
the first blow slipped and awoke the girl,
but only for second. She did not havf
time to scream, for the next blow killet
her. The tiend next turned to the slnallei
children, and struck each ON the head wits
the bloody weapon. Believing that he had
dispatched them all, he started for the elder
brothers. room but James had been Rwak'
| ened by the groans in his mothers room
and as Charles entered he seized heav
rocking chair, and after a fierce struggls
overpowered him and turned him over II
the police. On the way to the station Charley
fought ferociously, but after being place.
in cell he became calm, and did not seem
to realize what he had done.
When physicians reached the house, Mira
CHwley and Belle were dead. The otherI
were still living, but doctors announced
that they could not live through the day.