Bogalusa enterprise and American. (Bogalusa, La.) 1918-19??, 1921-11-03
Crazed Mother Kills
Daughter With Ak

Wnlcn occurred IN ShdeIl early We'd
nesday morning, died at the Charity
Hospital in New Orleans at 10 o'clock
Wednesday night, and interment of
the body will be made in the family
tomb in that city. Florence Cause,
age 8 years, although seriously
wounded, stands a good chance to re-
cover. according to latest reports re-
eeived here.
Rather than see her daughter and
adopted daughter go without food,
and laboring under the impression
that they would starve to death, Mrs.
| r. v. Cause, aged woman of Slidell,
La, tried to kill both of them at a.
| M, Thursday morning, with an axe,
She hit both of the girls oyer the
head several times.
Both were rushed to the Charity
Hospital in New Orleans, where doc
tors say that they will die. The
skulls of both were fractured. Miss
Addie Cause, the older girl, has sew
eral holes in her skull Florence
Cause, the adopted daughter, has a
piece taken out of her skull by the
blows of the axe.
= Slidell was wildly excited. Curious
| citizens gathered by the hundreds be-
fore the Cause home reported Chief
OF Police P. A. Saxon, at 10 a. m. He
said that a part of the skull of Flor
ence Cause, who is aged nine years,
was found on the floor of the house.
Mrs. Cause, the mother of the two
girls, has been placed in Jail at Gov
lngton, La. A brother, George
Cause, lives at 1925 Pine street, New
Orleans. The family is we'll known
IN st. Tammanv Parish and is promi-
nently connected.
Did 1t for Love
Il did it because l loved nv chill
dren," Mrs. Cause told Chief of Po-
lice Saxon. 81 could not afford to
see them starve. They were without
food. | am hungry. / did not
know what on earth to do. tried to
steel myself against it, but always the
idea to kill came back"
Chief of Police Saxon said that
Mrs. Cause then detailed a wonderful
description of how she committed the
deed and how she had planned care
then destroy herself by throwing her
body into the bayou near SlideI.
went into the room two NIGHTS
ago and watched them Sleep" Chief
OF Police Saxon says Mrs. Cause told
him. y watched them as they breath
cd. | went out and got the ak and
brought it back Il raised it.
was going to strike. My nerve failed
me. / went out again and went to
bed.
Il then went back night before last
and looked at them, I knew that
they had not had enough co p.at There
was nowhere to get anything to eat
Again / raised it. Again my nerve
failed me.
Then yesterday saw them suf-
1erlng. This steeled me. II was
too much. A mothers love racked
my brain and heart. could not see
my children suffer any longer. Thew
went to bed. kissed them sweetIy.
l told them good night.
Tells of Crime
Then / waited. It was about
morning when / entered the room. AS
did so the big girl moved and / hit
her. She squirmed and l hit the lit
tie one. Both screamed. hit them
again and again. Oh, do not know
how many times.
But what else was / to do. had
Intended to go and jump into the
bayou and kill myself but / guess my
nerve failed me again or because peo-
pie got to me too quick and grabbed
me-"
Chief of Police Saxon said that
Mrs. Cause told him that she thought
that her oldest daughter had gone
crazy The police chief said that the
little girl had either fallen or walked
down the stairs, because when he
reached the place she was leaning
against a doorway downstairs with
blood streaming all over her.
The little girl, Florence, was adopt
ed in New Orleans in 1918, but no
further details of this could be learn
ed, because Of the ecitement about
the Cause home in Slidell, La.
Chief of Police Saon said that while
he was taking Mrs Cause to Coving-
ton, the parish Jail of st. Tammany,
she impressed him as being of un-
sound mind. He said that she pratt
lied about having done the deed be-
cause she loved her children and kept
0n repeating that she was hungry.
Chief Saxon said that Mrs. Cause
'old him that he could find her peck !
etbook and some titles in her home, a.
SAk buaS aAbuDu6u 10 tldu tIIEQ TO iOSF
,ate them where she said they were
le had not been able to locate eithe
he pocketbook or titles.
She kept telling the deputies tat
he wanted something to eat and old
IS that she would not stay in ja' IN.
ess we gave her something tceat,
aid Chief Saxon.
George Cause, the son Of re wom-
IN, said that he feared that rs moth
RS mind had been derangd by reii-
ZION.
Chief Saxon said tha' the crime
vas the worst in the histry OF Shdell
md st. Tammany Parssh and that
While he did not moveMrs. Cause, to
Jovington for fear 4 any trouble
hat might arise he did 50 because
he would get betteytreatmentt, there.
Both of the girs we're well liked.
The older girl, Aide, was extremely
popular and hadfriends by the score
me little girl vas also very friendls