New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1904-01-21
BODY PLACED IN CHAIR.

Oakland, N j. Jan. 20 (SpeciaD.-Sone time
during yesterday afternoon or evening Mrs. Ar
thur Ograwald beheaded her blond haired little
four-year-old son. Charles, and put the childs
pet fox TERROR to similar death. There Is no
way of telling at just what hour the murder oc-
CURED, because Mrs. Ograwald was insane when
she committed the deed. and will probably never
regain her reason The family Of Peter Van
Blarcom. who live just across the street from
the ograwalds. say they heard nothing yes
terday that would arouse the slightest suspi-
cion that crime being committed. One
young man, whose name could not be learned,
said that he heard hammering as he passed the
home OF the Ograwalds about o'clock on Tues
day afternoon. Superintendent c. c. Jones. who
arrived at the house shortly after the husband
made the discovery. said the blood on the child's
undershirt dry. 1t then II p. m. and
Superintendent Jones concluded the murder was
committed during the afternoon.
Arthur Ograwald has been In the employ Of
the q. c. Powder Company at Oakland for about
a year. He moved here from Jersey City and
rented a house that is about five minutes walk
from the centre of the village. Mrs. Ograwald
complained of the loneliness of the surround
ings. and urged her husband to return to Jersey
City. Strange to say Ograwald went to Jersey
City yesterday and secured a place there. He
was feeling happy and jubilant he neared his
home about 1918 o'clock last night. anticipating
the Joy Of his wife when she heard the good
news. The fact that the house was In darkness
at first made Ograwald suspicious that some
thing was wrong. He entered the house. and re-
ceived no replies to his calls to his wife. Now
thoroughly frightened. Ograwaid struck a match.
and the first thing that met his gaze was the
headless body Of his little son, sitting upright
in a chair. The head lay on the floor near the
q Of fbA ts hn1
which were Mrs. Ograwald and Olga, her three
year-old daughter Ida, two years old and
Ella, eight months old, were in the crib near
the bed The floor was covered with blood. and
once convinced Ograwald that she had commit
ted the murder. In the hall was the fox terrier
headless and nearby lay the big axe. blood
stained, which had been used for the work OF
decapitation. The frenzied father cried out:
My God, Ida. why did you do this?"
=, His wife seemed not to hear him. She con-
tinued to moan though suffering
Ograwald hurried to Superintendent Jones's
home and aroused the Van Blarcoms. Soon the
TO Coroner Curry, of Hackensack at midnight
Two village constables remained at the house all
night
Coroner Curry made careful Investigation
and soon concluded that the murder COM
mitted while Mrs. Ograwad was Insane. He
also learned that this unfortunate woman was
declared to be insane six weeks ago by DR. Ham
tton, of Oakland and doctor called In for the
examination. Three weeks ago Mrs OgrawaId
went 10 visit her sister-in-law at Crystal Lake
and returned home week ago apparently much
improved. The woman was thirty-four years
old, had been married only eight years. and had
had seven children in that time.
Coroner Curry thinks that the crazed mother
had planned to kill her entire family but being
attacked by the dog while killing her eldest
child. Charles. turned her attention to the dog
and killed it. This task caused her to collapse,
and she took refuge In the bed
Mrs. Ograweld committed TO the deten-
ton room I'm the Hackensack Jail this afternoon
but Prosecutor Rooster told a Tribune reporter
that in all probability Judge Zabriskie will order
her prompt removal to the Morris Plains Insane
Asylum.