Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1903-10-24
AN AWFUL CRIME
Father, CraIe6 With Drink. Says lis
Own lhiIdrea
ARRESTED AID LOCKED IN JAIL
One OF the Most Fiendish ASss Ever
Committed In the Old North State
Occurred IN BunSoEsbe County

Nshcvnie. y c. speciai-Trans-
formed INTO . monster after a weeks
dshsnct. Dr. !. Y. Jay. a physician OF
I~ominence in The northern part OF
Buncombs county. SATURDAY drove Ms
Vie from home. b-utaliy murdered Ms
thee children. and atterr pied to burn
down his house. The nan becare vic-
lent Friday night aaf after going
home terribly abused his wife. Ms.
JAY had put the children To bed. and
was entesvor.ng 90 quiet her husband.
~hen the man attacked her and drove
her ont OF the house she went 20 The
home ~ Thomas Dlfnxhan. not far
from s.iere she lived and there spent
tte night Returning 90 her home next
morning she found her husband ia
danfcrous MOOD The man was even
worse than before. JAY Wax continual
ly iook'ng for bis pistol. threatening 20
rNterminatc the vAoie family Mrs.
JAW. however had taken possession OF
tne revolver and hidden 60 from her
husband. During tne time that Jay VAS
setrr1 rs ,nr ire pistol Mrs JAY Was
engaged in preparing the morning
meal. az intervals assisting the cku-
dien 90 dress. When the children had
been dressed and Mrs. Jay had nnailv
finished gettInS breakfast the brute
lad worked himself into "A frcnzied
mood Failing In MS search for the
pistol De had armed himself uith
claw hammer and with this chased
Mrs. Jay around the house The fright
ened wife. feeling that her Own nfe
and the lives ~ her children We're in
danger went OUT ~ The frant door and
started for the little grore~y. where
there was a telephone % ask the neigh
aors FOR ais, AMI to notify the Officers
IS Ashevilie
A she reached the road she turned
and saw her three children standing
ou che TOD step crying. and begging
I Tor her return. The mother stood Tor
moment in helpless agony ku0~in<
4 that thr lives 90 her children were in
+ danger. and know Ing a.s,, .ss' -he was
7 of her own strength powericss "a
shield and protect them Her lndecis-
ton VAS % hut q seconds duration.
Steelng her heart 90 the cries az her
little ones. she turned and ran With all
I speed possible for the store There
she hastily toit the story 90 the chii-
7 dreu peril and accompanied by sew
/ cral men Who Glanced to be az ths
/ place hastraed back % her home. The
I mother hai been gone but few mo
I
I mon bad done his Work end AS She
entered Der home a sight net her eyes
such as words ~ no language eaa DE-
scribe Lying upon the porch With The
i blood o,zing from their heads lay her
/ three children. The Two oldest We-a
/ already dead while the baby Was bare
iy breathing The men who had ac-
I Comnanied Mrs Jay tenlerly gathered
ur the little i.feless bodies 20 place
them Ina the house bat the door was
I fastened and Jay was called upon to
/ open the door. This be- refused a. do.
and declared ne would klli the hrsi one
Who entered. lt was then thought that
he had found the pistol AMI had bar
ricaiel himself in the -nom. and fhat
dea-h awaited the drst one Who en-
tered.
But this vas not So The man at
that moment was preparing for self
ufstrletion Without waiting another
moment The men burst in the door. and
rs it swung open. Instead ~ tne crack
90 q pistol the men we're greeted with
"Heiio boys come in. I am just start
.lg nre O. grf warm ~. Jay vas
found standing over a quantity OF
burning clothing that he had gathered
and placed Ou the floor near the IRE
place The men rushed upon him and
succeeded ln eXtinguishlng the names.
The man was slightly burned. bat not
seriously his clothing vas covered
With the blood az his children. as were
his face and hands. sheriff Reed vas
teiephcuci for. aud the man vas held
until the sheriff arrived.
UUon receiving word OF the horrible
I tragedy this morning Sufuu hseu az
/ once notified Coroner HclphIi. anil
then left FOR Earnarlsvillc.
sheriff Reel returned % Asheville
before dark wi,h his pr sone- who an
pearel to only half realize the terrible
deed he had committed He IS now IN
jail here When asked Why ne bad Kill
e. his children Dr. Jay said he ius;
/ could not help IL after catching sight
, % their blood. All Asheville Is shocked
by the tragedy. pr Jay IS brother o.
. ". y jay who for many years held
position as deputy clerk IN the Office
O. register 81 deeds