The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1908-08-19
KILLS HIS CHlL DREN.
RELIGIOUS MANIA CAUSES HOR-
RIEIE CRIME.
Stays His Son and Married Daughter,
Tried to Kill His Divorced Wife
a,5 C,tc uic Own Throat

At Los Angeles. Cal, driven insane
by religious mania, H. J. Duffy, six.
tv years of age, Friday attacked and
killed his son and daughter with ar
axe and then cut his own throat with
a razor, inficting fatal injuries. The
tragedy occurred in the extreme
northwestern part of the city. Duffy
lived at the home of his son, Fred
Duffy. He had been on the verge
of violent instantly. it is said, for
weeks as result Of religious enthu-
siasm. Tie night before he attend
ed a religious meeting and worked
himself into a frenzy
When he arose that morning he
was suddenly seized with a desire
to kill. Securing sharp-bladed axe
he stealthily entered the bed room
of his son while the latter lay
asleep. He crept close to the side
of the bed and, raising the axe aloft'
brought it down with terrific force
across the neck Of the son. The blow
was delivered with such tremendous
force that the head of the victim
was severed completely from the
body. With a 1nanical shout Duffy
rushed from the house and down
the street waving his bloody weapon.
Reaching the house at 451 North
west Lake avenue. where his wife
and daughter resided, he opened the
front door and entered. Mrs. Ada
Lacom, the daughter. with her moth
er, was in rear room. Proceeding
cautiously to this room the murder
er opened the connecting doors. MRS.
Lacom stood with her back to him.
without a word of warning he swung
the axe high in the air and CLEFT
head was crushed in from the blow.
Mrs. :<Dufty fed through rear
door, closely pursued by the maniac
striking at her with the axe.
The woman succeeded in eludins
him, but not before she had received
p severe cash on the elbow from the
axe swung by Duffy as he chased
her.
Mrs. Dufty's cries finally attract
ed the attention of neighbors who
came to her aid.
Duffy then walked to the street,
where he drew razor from his pocS-
ct and slashed his own throat. in
ajcting frightful injuries, from
which, however, he is likely to re-
cover.
Several weeks ago Duffy went to
the Evergreen Cemetery and pur-
chased a lot, explaining that ne want
ed it for himself. son and daughter.
Three days ago he purchased a COT
fill for himself.
Fred Duffy, the son, was "a years
of age and unmarried. He was an
automobile machinist.
The daughter lived with her nus
band. Ferdind Lacom, a painter, ana
their six-year-old daughter. Mrs.
Duffy and her husband had been
divorced, and she had gone to the
hcne O: her daughter to nurse her
through approaching confinement.
Before entering the Lacom home
Duffy concealed his axe in a sack
which ne carried. The old man sat
nrryousjy lingering the sack While
the woman proceeded to prepare
breakfast. Suddenly he got up,
drew the axe from the sack and
attacked them.
Duffy not only purchased lot IN
the cemetery for the burial OF ms
victims. but had headstones erected
for three graves Thre plain tomb
stones were put in place on the lot
at his order, bearing tn names
Henry J. Duffy" Pred A. Duty
and "Zaidaih Lacom.
The grave stones for his children
were placed on each side of the one
erected for himself. Duffy paid s0o
for the heaGstones and told the sales
man that he was in no great hurry
to have them erected.