Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 February 1883 — HORRIBLE CRIME. [ARTICLE]

HORRIBLE CRIME.

.. * —| Three Children Slain &// Their Lunatic Mother at Milwaukee. Their Little Bodies Hacked to Pieces in a Frightful Manner. A terrible crime was committed in the city of Milwaukee a few days ago, a mother killing her three little children—the oldest 4 years, and the youngest 18 months—ln a most brutal manner,’literally cutting them to pieces and completely disemboweling them. From a local paper we glean the following of the blood-curdling horror: When the reporter reached the dingy apartment >ta-re the deed was committed he beheld a ten ‘ ble sight Left <?f the door stood a large,. aw bed, -and on the scanty, dirty bed clothes lay the prostrate forms of three little girls They were a ghastly group. The little bodies were nude and cut up in a terrible manner, The oldest girl had a large number of gashes made with a butcher-knife all over her little body. The arms of the second girl were cut off near the shoulders, the lower extremities hung to the body by thin shreds of flesh, and the little body was completely disemboweled. The small body of the babe was cut into six pieces, the head and extremities being completely severed from the trunk. Near the foot of the bed a voung woman, only partially dressed, wi h disheveled hair, crouched on the floor. 1 e d down by two strong men. Upon a table near by were the remnants of a frugal breakfast, and carelessly thrust among the cups and saucers lay an ugly-looking butcher knife, blood dripping from the blade, and a ooop»r’« knife, or qaiaper, with two handles, also smeared all over with blood. The butchery was honible. Blood dripped from the bed onto the uncarpeted floor, forming a large pool. The whole surroundings were exceedingly squalid. Poverty and uncleanliness gave the yoqms a dreary look, was not improved ’ by their* bittCr old atmosphere The young woman held down was the murderess Her hands were sme red with Wood, and the frbnt of her dress was dyed in gore. A stttanic smile played about her mouth and her whole appearance was that of an insane person. She was a fair-haired young per-on, and her features were not had. She is about five feet three inches high. Over her head was a bed-qiiilt and when she had been placed before the lire in the police s ation she told her story*in broken German. When asked kdw*be'murdered the chlldien she >aid she stabbed one in the breast and an ther in the shoulder. They cried hut little, as she made cmick work of the butchery. She smiled as sue pronounced the last words The woman 4isea a draw-shave and two small ca> vlng knives. With the former she shaved the children's bodies, and with the latter she -stabbed an 1 disemboweled them. While their bodies were shockingly mutilated, their heads were untouched. When a kaq what had caused her to do the fearful deed, she replied, “I read it in the boot* Her insanity is of religious form, and sho thinkß she has madeaxgreat sacrifice. She 'kept smoothing back \ her hair with her WOody hands, looked atNtlie crimson stains, and smil> d. Her eyes had a wild look. The sight was so terrible that the officers turned away sick at heart Hacked and cut and stabbed ahd chopped legs and arms, horribly severed from the body, is the butchering described In the shortest way. The husband stated that ever since their arrival in this country they had trouble, as there had been considerable sickness among the children.. About Christmas time she had read something in a paper that seemed to have nad a great effect oh her. Since then she Was spent whole days looking at a small prayer book in her lap. cooking no food, and not even beating the room. She Is doubtless insane from worrying because the sickness of the children prevented her from attending church. - -i _ - •The London Lancet, advocat e stocking* made Ike gloves to prevent soft corns. ,.i. . Ulllw *