New-York tribune., 1919-12-05
Three Slain;
Boy Dying;
Axe Is Used
Continued from page 1


body's sick, You come in"
With their eyes still fixed on Lena's
forehead, Ruth and Katherine shook
their heads in unison. Lena walked
back to the hearth and squatted
beside Susanna who still was MUNICH
ing her bread.
Shaking with excitement, wonder
and vague fear, Ruth and Katherine
took their departure. They went to
their homes and told their parents
that something was wrong at the
Strong home. Ruth refused to be
soothed by her mothers surmise that
some one there was ill and it was
necessary for the household to be
quiet. She returned to the darA house
in Lexington Avenue and was keeping
chill vigil on the sidewalk when
DR.. Carlisle arrived and when he de-
parted.
What is it, DOCTOR? she asked.
What is wrong?
DR.. Carlisle, paler and more hurried
than his wont, looked at the shivering
little girl and patted her head.
"Yes," he said "there is trouble in
the house, but Lena and Susanna are
| all right. Your mother will tell you
about it to-morroy"
Then he hasteued away to notify
the police and Dr. Robert R. Arm
strong, county physician.
Girls Unable to Give Information
Somewhat comforted by the informa-
tion, Ruth went home. Soon after an
ambulance changed to stop in front of
physician and the police took charge.
Little Nathaniel Strong. whose skull
was fractured, was taken to St. Mary's
Hospital here. He cannot recover,
physicians say.
Lena and Susanna also were taken to
the hospital. DR.. Armstrong was puz-
zled by their condition Their con-
dition of semi-stupor was too pro-
nounced, in his opinion, to be the re-
suit Of shock from the tragedy, severe
as must have been such a Ahock to
girls in a normal condition. Little or
no information can be obtained from
them in their present state, and it is
doubtful whether they will be able to
summon any clear-cut recollection Of
events since Tuesday, even after sew
eral days of rest.
Mrs. Strong, who was Lena Colville,
of Binghamton, N. Y, before her mar
riage, was found dead in her bed Her
head had been crushed by two blows
with an axe. The position of the body
indicated she barely had been aroused
from sleep or stupor before the first
blow was struck. She was in her night
gown.
Boys Skull Fractured
The room in which she and her hus-
band slept is in the front of the house.
Across the hall from it is the room in
which Lena and Susanna slept There
was no evidence of any intrusion there.
Nathaniel was found in q room in
the rear of that of Mr.. and Mrs.
Strong. He was breathing stertor-
| ously in a bed that was disarranged
and blood-sodden. His skull had been
broken with a single blow.
The room of Elizabeth was in the
rear of the house on the same side
of the hall as that of her younger
sisters. The door was ajar, stained
bedclothing trailed half through the
doorway as if it and the ak had be-
come entangled and it had been
dropped there as the murderer de-
parted. The room showed signs of q
struggle. The axe had bitten twice
into the girls skull.
Mr.. Strong's body lay in the bath
room in front of an open medicine
cabinet in which was an empty razor
case. A razor was clutched in his
right hand. His throat was cut.
In corner of the bathroom the
weapon with which the mother and
daughter had been killed had been
placed carefully with it's cutting edge
toward the wall. 1t was an axe such
as fremen use, broad bladed, with a
pick back Of the blade and with a
handle four feet long.
Strong Worried on Tuesday Night
So far as has been learned Mr..
Strong was the last member of the
family to be seen alive. On Tuesday
evening he called, much perturbed, on
William F. CASTOR, an attorney who
lives across the street. Mr.. CASTOR said
tonight the call had to do with the
deed to some property in the West
owned by Mr.. Strong and that the
latter seemed to be much worried over
financial matters.
Mr. Strong was about fifty years old
and had lived here all his life. He
was born in stone house in Lexing
ton Avenue dating from Colonial days,
which was for years the home of his
father, the Rev Paschal Strong, for
merly pastor of the North Reformed
Church. Mr.. Strong was an elder in
that church for several years. He was
of deeply religious nature, and the
only book in the room occupied by
him and his wife which was not in its