The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1918-07-09
MOTHER SHOOTS.
DAUGHTER AND.
SELF; BOTH DIE
Florence Smeltser Fires Two
Bullets Into Brain
OF Child
WOMAN DIES AFTER
REMOVAL TO HOSPITAL
Mental Derangement Due To
Worry Given AS Probable
Cause OF Act

Nellie Smeltzer, aged q years, Is W.
ina dead at Miller Brothers morgue
with two bullet wounds In her lett
temple and her mother, Florence
smeltzer, aged about 40. died At the
Mt Vernon hospital at one o'clock
Monday afternoon from bullet wound
in her right temple, self inflicted sonne'
time early Monday morning In her
room at the homo OF Mr.. and Mrs.
John George, 2os East Chestnut street.
Police are of the opinion that Mrs.
Smcltaer killed her daughter while she
lay asleep in her bed and then fired
the third bullet from 22-calibre re-
volver into her own head.
Mrs. Smeltzer is thought to have
been melted to the deed through men
tai arrangement brought on by worry
over private affairs. Relatives incline
to this theory. The woman had some
nervous trouble early this year while
living in Texas, but was thought to
have fully recovered from 1t She was
trained nurse and had recently been
employed in that capacity here
The firing of the shots which caused
the death of the child and the mother
was not heard by the Georges and
the tragedy was not discovered until
about nine o'clock Monday morning
when Mrs. George became worried Ov-
cr The fact that neither Mrs. Smetzer
nor her child we're stirring in their
room and went to investigate.
Failing to get any response to her
repeated knocks and calls at the door
Mrs. George called Mrs. Smeltzer's
niece, Miss Blocher, living in Park
street, and they procured ladder
with which they climbed to one of
the windows, which Miss Blocher rails
| ed and entered the room. Mrs. Smolt-
zer fully clothed, was found lying on
blood and the baby was In bed, clothed
only In night dress. The revolver
with which the shooting was done,
was lying near the woman on the
floor.
According to II. II. Miller, who was
called to- take charge of the child's
body the shooting evidently took place
at an early hour in the morning. Mr..
Miller based his conclusion on the fact
that the blood which flowed from the
wounds in the little girls head was
clottcd and dried when the body was
found. 1t is thought that the child
was sleeping when the mother fired
the two shots into her left temple and
death was instantaneous.
Mrs Edward Hayes. living across
the street from the George home, said
that she heard the little girl crying
about one o'clock Monday morning
but no light is thrown on probable
time of the tragedy by this. Mrs,
Smeltzer seemed in good spirits Sun
day evening according to Mrs George
with whom she talked early In the ev'
oning, retiring sometime before Mrs.
George returned from church.
Mrs, Smcltzer had taken rooms at
the George home about two weeks
ago, Her husband. Huley Smeltzer
is real estate dealer, and Is located
in Texas, where Mrs. Smeltzer livet
until her illness early In the spring
IL For some time after her return from
TcXas she lived with her sister, Mrs
Clifford Blocher. North Park street
Besides this sister she leaves one
brother Charles Hilliar. living In the
Gambler road
Coroner Iiarmer view the bodies II
the Miller Brothers' morgue Monday
afternoon and visited the scene of tho
tragedy, The coroner gave as his yer
diet murder and suicide. In Mrs
Smeltzers room the coroner fount
II part of Il tabelt upon which Mrs
Smeltzer had written the date of hel
birth and of her marriage. She hat
also written II few facts concerning
herself evidently just before shooting
the child. but made no reference L
her intention of taking the life of he
child and herself.