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Story
April 23, 1819
Kentucky Gazette
Lexington, Fayette County, Kentucky
What is this article about?
In January 1819 near Barboursville, KY, a woman stabbed a man to death in Mrs. Hardin's home. Her newborn daughter bore identical stab wounds and died; exhumation confirmed it, raising questions about maternal fright affecting fetuses. (187 chars)
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OCR Quality
98%
Excellent
Full Text
A CURIOUS CIRCUMSTANCE.
Extract of a letter from Peter Engle, Esq. Post Master, Barboursville, Kentucky, to the Editors of the Kentucky Gazette, dated 12th April 1819.
"About the first of January last, a woman of color stabbed a man, by the name of Stephen W. Lewis, at the house of Mr. Hardin, near this place, so that he died. Mrs Hardin was in a state of pregnancy. A few days ago she was delivered of a female child, that, by all appearance was stabbed in the same part,—its bowels came out like those of the person killed—and the child died & was buried at this place. The citizens here in order to know the certainty of the affair, had the child taken from the tomb and examined, when they found it to be true—so that no one need doubt its correctness."
How far, or whether at all, women in the situation of Mrs. Hardin, can be affected by alarm, surprise or fright, so as to communicate to their unborn infants marked evidences of their feelings we are wholly unable to conjecture. Opinions on such subjects must grow out of the exercise of a species of philosophic knowledge, which we have never attained, & to which we have never yet had time to aspire. The above information, if true, (and we have no right to doubt it,) presents the strongest case we recollect to have heard of. But we are constrained to leave the deductions to the learned profession, and such others as feel curiosity in the disquisition of matters of this kind.
Extract of a letter from Peter Engle, Esq. Post Master, Barboursville, Kentucky, to the Editors of the Kentucky Gazette, dated 12th April 1819.
"About the first of January last, a woman of color stabbed a man, by the name of Stephen W. Lewis, at the house of Mr. Hardin, near this place, so that he died. Mrs Hardin was in a state of pregnancy. A few days ago she was delivered of a female child, that, by all appearance was stabbed in the same part,—its bowels came out like those of the person killed—and the child died & was buried at this place. The citizens here in order to know the certainty of the affair, had the child taken from the tomb and examined, when they found it to be true—so that no one need doubt its correctness."
How far, or whether at all, women in the situation of Mrs. Hardin, can be affected by alarm, surprise or fright, so as to communicate to their unborn infants marked evidences of their feelings we are wholly unable to conjecture. Opinions on such subjects must grow out of the exercise of a species of philosophic knowledge, which we have never attained, & to which we have never yet had time to aspire. The above information, if true, (and we have no right to doubt it,) presents the strongest case we recollect to have heard of. But we are constrained to leave the deductions to the learned profession, and such others as feel curiosity in the disquisition of matters of this kind.
What sub-type of article is it?
Medical Curiosity
Curiosity
Extraordinary Event
What themes does it cover?
Misfortune
Fate Providence
What keywords are associated?
Stabbing Incident
Pregnant Woman
Unborn Child Injury
Exhumation
Medical Anomaly
What entities or persons were involved?
Stephen W. Lewis
Mrs. Hardin
Peter Engle
Woman Of Color
Where did it happen?
Barboursville, Kentucky, At The House Of Mr. Hardin
Story Details
Key Persons
Stephen W. Lewis
Mrs. Hardin
Peter Engle
Woman Of Color
Location
Barboursville, Kentucky, At The House Of Mr. Hardin
Event Date
First Of January 1819; 12th April 1819
Story Details
A woman of color stabbed Stephen W. Lewis to death in January 1819. Pregnant Mrs. Hardin, present, delivered a female child days before April 1819 that appeared stabbed similarly, with bowels protruding, and died. Citizens exhumed the child, confirming the injury.