After many years of researching family history you're bound to find a few tragedies in the family. Some of the stories are disturbing and I won't go into great detail for those. The first story takes place in England in 1899.
In Twickenham, Middlesex, England on a Saturday morning the 11th of March 1899 Herbert (or Henry) Goodale, who carried on the business of a monumental stonemason, let his workmen in as usual at 6 am and according to some of his men there was nothing unusual in his appearance and he did not appear to be suffering from any excitement.
After many years of researching family history you're bound to find a few skeletons in the family closet. Some of the stories were very disturbing and I won't go into great detail for those. The first story takes place in England in 1899.
In Twickenham, Middlesex, England on a Saturday morning the 11th of March 1899 Herbert (or Henry) Goodale, who carried on the business of a monumental stonemason, let his workmen in as usual at 6 am and according to some of his men there was nothing unusual in his appearance and he did not appear to be suffering from any excitement.
It is presumed that after letting the men in he went direct to his bedroom where his wife and two children, aged three years and four weeks were asleep. He attacked his wife first and according to the evidence there was a struggle as in addition to her throat being cut, her arms were gashed, the bed-clothes were all scattered about the room, and the walls and floor were covered with blood. He next went to his two children, cut their throats, and then cut his own, standing in front of the bedroom mirror.
The strange thing is that while all this was taking place inside the workmen outside were going on with their work as usual and did not hear anything. Mr. James Goodale the father of Herbert, lives next door and went to see his son between 7 and 8 am. Not getting any answer after knocking repeatedly he became concerned and, retrieved a ladder, climbed to the bedroom window where he saw the entire family lying dead in the room. He immediately sent for the police and a doctor. The doctor pronounced all four dead. The murderer who was about 36 years of age had lived all his life in Twickenham and was highly regarded. He was a teetotaler, took a prominent role in Church affairs, and was greatly loved by his workmen, one of whom stated that they could not have had a better master. One of the workmen says that his master had lately been much worried with business matters, he having undertaken more work than he could handle and that he stated that he would have to give up some of it.
Mr. James Goodale, the father, says he has no doubt that his son’s mind had become unhinged through the effects of influenza, from which he suffered not long since, while another relative informed the press that as soon as he heard of the crime he put it down to religious mania, as for a long time Herbert Goodale, in his opinion, had been somewhat peculiar in the manner.
Source: The London Times. 13th March 1899
During my research of the Goodale family I came across this story a few times and skipped it thinking it must be another family. Then I happened to notice, faintly written in a census return was a reference to this very family. It turns out that Herbert Goodale was a 2nd cousin three times removed from my paternal side. His children Rose and George were my 3rd cousins twice removed.
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