The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1910-12-31
VERY SAD CASE
A Young husband Killed While Asleep
by His Yeuug lusans Wife
STRUCK him With AXE

While Mentally Unbalanced Mrs. D
B. Hamilton Deals Fatal Blow to
Her Husband, E. 4. Hamilton, at
Their Home -Four Miles From the
City Of Laurens.
A special dispatch from Laurena
to The News and Courier tells of an
awful tragedy that took place four
miles from that city on Wednesday
night. AS he peacefully slept, E. A.
Hamilton, one of the county's lead
| ing farmers was killed in his room
by his wife, Mrs. Della Brown Ham
ilton, at their home four miles south
east Of the city.
The deed was committed by Mrs.
Hamilton while in a fit Of mental ab-
Iteration, from which she has period
Ilcally suffered for several years, hav-
| Ing during the past year spent some
time at sanitarium. In her deadly
work Mrs. Hamilton used a small
hand axe, and apparently one terrific
blow crushed her sleeping husbands
head, causing instant death. With
he exception CT their infant child no
other persons were in the room.
Mrs. Hamilton arose about II
O'Clock and must have gone outside,
where she procured an axe. She re-
turned to the room and struck her
sleeping husband a fearful blow in
the head with the dull end Of the
| IKE. knocking a deep hole IN his
Iskull and splattering blood over the
walls. Another large wound was
made in the neck as II she had chi
him with the sharp end Of the axe
His entire head was mutilated.
Death was immediate.
| Taking her youngest child, about
six months old, she then went to one
of the nearby negro cabins and told
what she mad done. The alarm was
given after Mrs. Hamilton had taken
her baby and gone out to the colored
lcook's house. At o'clock the sher.
if was notified. Meanwhile neigt'bors
and relatives hurried to the scene
and found Mrs, Hamilton In ter
rbble state. One OF the negroes went
for help, and soon Mr.. Herly Blake.
1ly,, her brother -ln-law. arrived and
found Mrs. Hamilton lying across a
bed. When he approached she
sprsng up and struggled violently to
get away from him.
In trying to make her escape from
the premises she Is said to have
dragged her brother-in-law several
hundred feet before becoming ex-
hausted. after which she calmed and
talked about the tragedy. at times
expressing SORROW and again saying
1t was all for the best. Subsequently
Mrs. Hamilton. was placed in a room
and locked up until early Thursday
morning, when she was brought to
the county jail. and there kept until
2 o'clock Thursday afternoon, when
she was carried to the State Hospital
for the Insane at Columbia.
This sad occurrence is the one topic
Of conversation on the streets and
1 everywhere universal sorrow is eX-
pressed at the pathetic case. MIR.
Hamilton was in the city only We'd
resday. and was In very bouyant
frame OF mind. The past season had
been very successful one with him,
ha having sold at one time, alone,
over eevanty-flve bales Of cotton and
o.; OF the years crop had gathered
between two and three hundred
bales. TIe was prosperous and among
the most substantial citizens Of the
county. being highly esteemed for
MS many sterling qualities.
There were no domestic troubles
in tho family and the deed was the
outcome OF actions resulting FROM an
NJ balanced mind. Mrs. Hamilton
has been in a feeble state OF mind
| fo- some time and herself realized It.
'or recently phe had requested that
; all weapons and dangerous instru-
! ments bc removed from her reach to
! prevent her getting hold OF them in
case the feared fiji Of insanity should
come. However, as it was not
| thought that her condition warrant
! q, such steps, no precautions were
taken.
The case IS peculiarly sad, sur
; rounded az they were with u lG--Je
anI happy family and hundreds of
acres Of productive farming land.
They had slx little children, the old
est OF whlm Is about thirteen years
Of age and the youngest about sir
months old. Wh.la ample means
ere left for their EAlncr1. they nus;
miss the care snd attention of a
mother and father.
. Mr.. Hamilton was about 35 years
Of age. His wife was Miss Brown,
daughter OF Mr.. William Brown. of
this county. Both families are prom
; i:pnt In the county. At an early hour
| Coroner Hairston went to the HaIull-
| ton home and held the inquest: the
verdict rendered by the Jury being
according to the facts rs given above.
Thursday afternoon, the slain mans
remains were taken TO tho Union