Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1911-01-04
INSANE WOMAN KILLS HUSBAND.
Prominent Laurcns Farmer is Killed
by Blow with Axe.
(News and Courier.)

was killed III his room last night by
his wife, Mrs. Della Brown Hamil.
ton, at their home four miles south
east of the city The deed was com
mitted by Mrs. Hamilton while in a
fit Of mental alteration, from which
she has periodically suffered for sew
eral years, having during the past
year spent some time at sanitarium
In her deadly work last night Mrs.
Hamilton used small hand axe, and
apparently with one terrific blow
crushed her sleeping husbands head,
causing instant death. With the ex-
ception Of her infant child no other
persons were in the room.
Mrs. Hamilton arose about eleven
o'clock and must have gone outside,
where she procured an axe. She re-
turned to the room and struck her
husband a fearful blow in the head
with the dull end Of the axe, knock
ing a deep hole in his skull and spat-
tering blood over the walls. Another
large wound was made in the neck
end of the axe. His entire head was
mutilatcd. Death was immediate.
Fled to Negro Cabins.
Taking her youngest child, about
six months old, she then went to one
Of the nearby negro cabins and told
what she had done. The alarm was
given after Mrs. Hamilton had taken
her baby and gone out to the color
ed cooks house. At 1 o'clock the
sheriff was notified Meantime
neighbors and relatives hurried to
the scene and found Mrs Hamilton
in terrible state. One of the ne
grocs went for help, and soon Herly
Blakely, her brother-in-law, arrived
and found Mrs. Hamilton lying
! across the bed When he approached
she sprang up and struggled violent
ly to get away from him. In trying
to make her escape from the premi-
ses she is said to have dragged her
! brother-in-law several hundred feet
before becoming exhausted, after
which she calmed and talked about
| the tragedy, at times expressing sor-
row and again saying it was all for
the best. subsequently, Mrs. Hamil-
| ton was placed in a room and locked
up until early this morning. when
she was brought to the county Jail
and there kept until O'Clock this
afternoon, when she was carried to
the State Hospital for the Insane at
Columbia.
Mr.. Hamilton was in the city only
yesterday, and was in very buoyant
frame Of mind The past season had
been very successful one with him.
he having sold at one time alone
over seventy-five bales Of cotton, and
out Of the years crop had gathered
| between two and three hundred
bales. He was prosperous and
among the most substantial citizens
Of the county, being highly esteemed
for his many sterling qualities.
There were no domestic troubles in
the family and the deed was the out
come Of actions resulting from an
unbalanced mind. Mrs. Hamilton
has been in a feeble state Of mind
for some time, and herself realized
it, for recently she had requested
that all weapons and dangerous in
struments be removed from her
reach to prevent her getting hold Of
them in case the feared fit Of insan-
ity should come. However, as it was
not thought that her condition war;
ranted such steps, no precautions
were taken.
Peculiarly Sad Case.
The case is peculiarly sad, sur
rounded as they We're with a large
and happy family and hundreds Of
acres Of productive farming land
They had six little children, the old
est Of whom Is about thirteen years
of age and the youngest about six
months old. While ample means are
| left for their support, they must miss
the care and attention OF q mother
and father.
Drawn by Winch, Crushed to Death.
| Norfolk, Va, Dec. 30.-Patrick
| Conlin, chief boatswain's s mate on the
| cruiser Chester, was killed on that