SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VII, Issue 580, 28 June 1913, Page 5

SHOCKING TRAGEDY.

DEMENTED MOTHER'S ACT. THREE CHILDREN HANGED. LITTLE GIRL KJLLI3D. [IIV TKI.M.H Al'll. —DUNS VSMM'I.ATHIN". ] Auc.ltland, This Day. The death of Isabel Hull, aged ton years, wan caused yestorday afternoon at Warkworth, under distressingly tragic circumstances. Mrs Hall, apparently during a condition of mental derangement, hanged her throe children in the barn on her husband's farm. Isabel being killed instantly. The others, two boys, aged eight and three yonra respectively, escaped. Mrs Hall was arrested find charged with murder. In the early morning Mr Hall had loft for work, and shortly after the midday meal the mother suggested to the children that they should go to learn to play gaol. Under her direction the children stood on boxen. She tied a tight rope to a rafter, placed a slip-nooso round each child's neck, then knocked the boxes away, leaving the children hanging. She then ran out. on to the road. Isabel's neck was broken, death being instantaneous. The boys did not fall so far and wore not actully injured. Their cries brought the mother back and she apparently cut the rope 3 by which they were hanging. The first person acquainted was Mr Shine, who was stopped by the mother and asked to release the body of her child. Ho, finding the child already dead, decided not to touch the body and went for assistance. Moanwhile Mrs Hall cut the body clown. A little later the mother apparently realised what, she had done, and was terribly distressed. Some time ago she suffered a nervous breakdown; which evidently affected her brain, and she several times displayed symptoms of mental aberration. When the husband left, home she appeared in excellent spirits.