Year: 1871

The most awful and appalling
tragedy that has stirred the hearts
of any community in this section for
many a year, if ever before, occurred
1 in Efingham County, about two
miles above Station No. 8 1-2. on
the central Railroad, abut 3 o'clock
yesterday morning.


Mrs. Ash, the wife Of John Il. Ash,
formerly of this city, killed her three
children and afterWard committed
suicide, by administering suf1-
Gent quantity of strychnine to pro
duce almost instantaneous death.


1t appears from what we could
learn from a gentleman who was an
eyewitness to the horrifying scene,
that Mrs. Ash, formerly Miss Laura
Dasher, ofEfingham County, has for
a short time past been slightly de-
Tanged-at least she was suspected
of being in this condition from GER
tain singular appearance and con-
duct, noticeable to those nearest her
and in most continuous association
with her. However, nothing serl-
Gus was apprehended, except that
her husband felt a little anxious
about her, and communicated with
her brothers on the subject. This
was all. No serious apprehension
was felt, although her husband con-
tinued to keep a strict watch over
her conduct. A short time pre<ious
he had purchased small bottle of
styehnine for the purpose ofdestroy-
ing the rats and dogs that we're rap
idly killing off their poultry. This
he secreted in the night time, taking
the precaution to lock it up in an
old bureau drawer, hiding the key in
place least likely to be discovered
by his wife, no other person in the
house knowing of the hiding place.


Sunday night all went to bed as
usual, though before retiring Mrs.
Ash sat down and wrote long let
ter, to whom we could not ascertain.
Her husband read the letter, but did
not suspect anything, although it
contained an account of her feelings
toward certain members of her fami-
ly with whom there was some IN
pleasantness. Mr.. Ash took all
three of the children in bed with him
self and his wife. Mr.. George Pat
terson, friend and relative of Mrs.
Ash's, occupied an adjoining room.


About 8 o'clock yesterday morn
ing, he and Mr.. Ash were arousedby
the cries of two of the children, and
entering the room, found Mrs. Ash
in the act of taking a spoon from
the mouth of the oldest child, a lit
tie girl, who had struggled and resis-
ted until her cries woke her father
and his friend, both Of whom feeling
alarmed, asked her what she was do
ing. She replied: "Only giving the
children a little powder, and l am
afraid have not given them enough
They begged and entreated her to
tell them what she had given them.
Mr.. Ash tasting the powder which
he found on the mouth of one Of the
children, discovered that it was quite
bitter. She finally took him to the
bureau drawer and showed him the
bottle Of strycnine from which she
i had dosed herself first and then each
other three little ones. : It was but a
short time after this before the
mother, a young woman about twen-
ty-fve years old, and her three in
teresting little children, two girls and
one boy, were lying stiff and cold in
the arms Of death. Dying in rapid
J succession, the mother, although the
first to take the poison, lived to see
her children all die and then follow
ed them herself. It is said the
struggles of the poor little creatures
were awful, the Oldest falling back
wards, was drawn together in such
a manner that her head and feet
nearly touched each other. The
afflicted father held his little ones
and wife in his arms till they breath
ed their last.


The time was too short from the
discovery of the deed to procure any
aid, although physician was imme-
diately sent for He arrived in time
to save the father, who, in his efforts
to discover what the drug was, had
Swallowed enough to render his con-
| dition dangerous.-SevaRRG NelCs.