Year: 1868




Seldom does it fall to the lot of Canadian
Journalist to have to chronicle an occurrence
equalling in horror and magnitude that
which we are about family to describe. In
the township Of Alice, near the town of Penn
broke, Ont, live. or rather lived, German
family by the name of Webber. The family
consisted OF the father-a tailor, who earned
his living by working round among his neigh
bors-his wife and six children. The father
Is said to be peaceable and industrious mao,
and his wife bad the reputation of being
KIND and atectIonate mother, though some
years before she had exhibited symptoms of
Insanity; two daughters, the eldest about
hfteen or sixteen years Of age, and four sons,
made up their family. On Friday last, 3lst
ult., the father being out at work, the eldest
daughter went out to milk the cows, but
before she got through was called iuto the
house by her mother. On reaching there she
was startled to find her mother standing in
the entrance with an axe, and remarking to
her, "They are all dead," or words to that
effect but on looking into the house the hor-
ribe sight of her younger sister and brothers
lying around the room, gashed and bleeding,
met her eyes, and she fled in wild terror to one
of the lei shbor's. 1t was said that the moth.
er was making demonstrations to make her
dloOi Du1 XIV Oub Vi nCt Wuf III tiiuo
to prevent it. Word of the horrible affair
was soon afterwards received in Pembroke,
when DR.. Mckenzie, Coroner, repaired to
the place and held an inquest at once, after
which the woman was conveyed to the Jail in
Pembroke, to await futher proceedings on the
part of the authorities. Three of the children
were dead when the Coroner arrived at the
scene of the tragedy, another died while the
inquest was being held. Four of them were
buried ON Sunday last. Insanity as will at
once be inferred, was the cause of this awful
and unnatural act. About ten years ago,
while yet in Germany, her husband tells OF
her killing cow with an axe, while in a
similar frenzy. Up to Friday last the
arrangement in her mind seems to have slept.
and there appears to have been no danger
apprehended by her friends of any violence
on her part but on the contrary those who
knew her best, speak of the great amount ot
affection and tenderness she invariably man.
ifested for her children. On the morning in
questionable children, it is believed from the
circumstances gathered, had just got up out
of bed, and were standing round the stove
when the old deamon of insanity returned
with redoubled power, and urged the wretch
ed woman to the committal of the most un.
natural act the mind can conceive. The axe
was seized, and rapidly the deadly blows
descended on the heads of the devoted chill
dren, cleaving their skulls and scattering
their brains in a horrible manner The
spectacle on entering the scene of the butch.
cry, when the inquest commenced. is describ-
ed as sickening and pitiable in the extreme.
Three of the children were already cold in
death, and the other two barely alive, were
lying where they had fallen, with the ghast.
ly wounds in their heads, precluding the
possibility of recovery. One of those vel
alive had, in addition, part of one hand cut
off, the little thing having, probably, on the
same principle that s. drowning men catch
at straws," mechanically elapsed its hand
over its head to ward off the descending
blow. After the inquest, the Coroner, DR.
Mckenzie. committed the woman to the
County Jail in Pembroke, where she now i,
awaiting the further action of the lega
authorities. Since her commitment the
wretched being has come to her usual senses
but save few half meaningless expressions
has said very little in connection with the
affair, and is not apparently disposed tc
speak at all on the subject. Her mental
agony''appears to be excessive as evinced by
constant moaning and rocking to and fro
while the fearless eye seemed to denote an
extremity of inward suffering too great to be
relieved by tears. Since writing the above
we learned that one of the children is still
iIving-the one with the mutlated hand
though it cannot recover, so dreadful is the
wound inflicted. Pembroke Canada Obserc