The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-10-30
MRS. jays sToaY OF TIE CRIME.
Says she Believes Her husband Insane Is
she Trying to Shield Him!
Especial to News and Observer

tSpeclal to News and Observer
Rutherfordton, N. c., Oct 29-Mr.
w A. Geer, Of Rutherfordton. uncle OF
DR.. J. " Jay, who killed his three chill
dren at Barnardsville, has returned from
the scene of the killing. He spent a day
with Mrs. Jay, and from her he secured
the story of the terrible affair.
Mr.. Greer says DR.. Jay came home
Friday night perfectly sober and brought
his little girl a pair of shoes and cloth
tor a dress. That night ne sat down and
played with his children until nine O'Clock
when ali went to bed. About eleven
o'clock he screamed and called for Mrs.
Jay, who FASTENED to the room. She found
him stiff and speeches. and could not
raise him from the bed After rubbing
him with camDhor and alcohol she then
ran to her uncle's, Mr.. Thos. Dillingham;.
Upon her return. five minutes later. ac-
companled by her uncle, they found he
had torn mis- night clothes into strips,
and gone from the room. Directed by his
little five-year- old child who had been
sleeping with him, they found him un-
der the porch, naked, wet, smutty and
bloody. He had a dipper in his hand,
peckIng on rock. He could not speak.
The two endeavored to raise him and
carry him into the house, but could not.
Mrs. Jay then went to neighbor's. When
she returned with the gentleman, she
found that her uncle had succeeded in
getting the doctor into the house by
means of making him crawl.
He was placed in chair and then
spoke, asking where he mad been and who
had scratched him up so badly. He asked
that his feet and face be washed. Mrs,
Jay complied with his wishes. He then
asked to be put to bed, for a bottle CT
medicine. He was put to bed and the
medicine given him. in a few minutes
he was asleep.
Early the following morning Mrs. Jay
asked her uncle to remain with DR.. Jay,
who was still in bed, until she went to Z
neighbours house and phoned for DR.. Nc
Claim.
Upon her return she heard an awful
fuss just inside the house and began to
run She met her uncle coming out Of
the house running. He screamed to her
to go back DR.. Jay followed him as fast
as he could run. Mrs, Jay followed tae
doctor When Mr. Dillingham; came to o
barbed wire fence he crawled through.
DR.. Jay went against it as though there
the other side. Reaching him. his wife
asked What is the matter and what
are you dong?" He did not answer, but
picked her up and started as fast as he
could run with her towards the creek,
stumbling and falling over a little en-
bankmcnt into the bushes. He sprang to
his feet however. and dashed toward the
house. Mrs. Jay remembered that her
children were alone in the house, and
began screaming for help. Hearing her
pitltul screams her uncle and another
gentleman returned and went Immediately
to the house. sending Mrs. Jay to neigh
boris where she might rest and get over
her fright. When the two gentlemen
reached the house, DR.. Jay had battered
the three children to death with a claw
hammer and they lay dead on the rort
porch
Mrs. Jay told Mr. Geer she did not
want her husband hanged, but that she
never did want him turned loose again.
She said she believed the doctor was in
sane, that he positively had not been
drinking, and that half the newspapers
printed reports that were not true.