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Story
April 7, 1774
The Virginia Gazette
Richmond, Williamsburg, Richmond County, Virginia
What is this article about?
In Oxford Road, a widow leaves her 6-year-old daughter and 3-year-old son alone while shopping. The girl, misinterpreting her mother's threats, cuts off the boy's genitals with scissors when he cries. Returning, the enraged mother strikes and kills the girl with a poker.
Clipping
OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
Saturday a widow woman in Oxford Road left two children locked up in her lodging while she went to market, the one a girl about six years of age, the other a boy about three. The girl having often heard her mother threaten her brother that if he cried she would cut his off, and the boy happening to cry during the mother's absence, his sister, having, it is supposed, endeavored in vain to quiet him, dismembered him with a pair of scissors. The mother, on coming home, and finding her son in this unhappy situation, was so affected and enraged that she unfortunately gave her daughter an unlucky blow with a poker, which killed her on the spot.
What sub-type of article is it?
Tragedy
Family Drama
What themes does it cover?
Tragedy
Family
Misfortune
What keywords are associated?
Family Tragedy
Child Dismemberment
Maternal Rage
Accidental Killing
Oxford Road
What entities or persons were involved?
Widow Woman
Girl
Boy
Where did it happen?
Oxford Road
Story Details
Key Persons
Widow Woman
Girl
Boy
Location
Oxford Road
Event Date
Saturday
Story Details
A widow leaves her young children alone; the daughter dismembers her crying brother with scissors, imitating mother's threats; the mother kills the daughter in rage upon discovering the scene.