The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-06-04
Shocking Murder-Seven per-
sons Butchered and Burnt in
the night.
Sr Josp,u NV % 1875

the night.
ST. JosEPn, May %, 1856.
Last night, one of the most diabolica |
and terrible murders occurred within four
miles Of this city, that ever shocked a
community or outraged humanity.
Mr., JAcoB FRIEND, with wife and
five children, resided in a neat cabin,
embowered by ancient forests, upon the
border of the beautiful lake which lies
just below our town, and cultivated, in
a quiet but profitable way, a piece of
land which he had lately reclaimed from
the wilderr ess. The banks of the lake are
dotted with these simple habitations and
neighbors were all around him but his
house was not visible to any in conse-
quence of the thickness of the ;nterven-
ing foliage. The halo of a man, or the
barking of a dog, could however, be dis
tinctly heard.
Young BARADY was there last evening,
and left them in the enjoyment of health
and happiness. This morning, a young
lady was passing, and found the house
aud its inhabitance in ashes.
The news spead like wild fire, and in
a few hours many from our city and the
neighborhood were on the spot. Tie
natural question with every one was, how
so many persons could have been burned
in one room.
The cabin contained bat one room;
about sixteen feet square, with " doors,
a widow and a fireplace. The window
and the fireplace were in the opposite
onds, and the two doors in the opposite
sides. On either side of the window,
with their feet towards the doors, had
stood the beds in which the family slept.
From where the beds stood, egress was
easy and convenient through the win
dow and the doors.
1t was hardly possible then that sew
en- persons-a man of forty-ive, a women
of forty, a young man of eighteen, a girl
of sixteen and three small children,
could have been burnt from fire origina-
ting in the fireplace. There were two
many ways of escaping. Nor for the
same reason could they be burned to
death, if the fire had been communica-
ted to any part of the building. The
conclusion, then, before any examination
was that murder, most foul and unpatur-
al, had been busy with his bloody knife,
peforc the fire was ignited.
This conclusion was confirmed by ST
lent evidences which lay around. There
in the corner, near the fireplace was a
skeleton, nd there, just in front of the
fireplace, was another and were the
beds had stood, were all the others-a
large one with the smallest claped in
its arms, and the rest clustered near.
There were evidently the mother and
children. Those near the fireplace, the
father aud the son. By one of the lat.
ter was a knife !; and by the other a
threepronged pitch fork with points ex-
tcrmely sharpend, and the tarel Of Il gun;
and in front of the house a revolver was
found.
The jury of inquest arc nov sitting.
They nave arrived at no further couclu-
sion as yet, than that it was a horrible
murder, They will take measures-in-
deed are doing so already, by examina-
TO trace the murderes God grant
that they may be found and brought to
justice. This is the sentiment and
prayer of every good man in our coun-
try.
No cveat las ever given our commu-
nifty so s%cricus a shock. Our people
have been always noted for their libcr-
ality, aud personal security, 1t has
been unusual to fastenthe. doors at night,
and, sometimes in summer, even to
close them. There arc not five houses
in a hundred with locks upon them.
They, nearly all, have the string always
hanging out. This horrible midnight
assassination, therefore, has been more
startling than an earthquake, and the
whole country are aroused. There
be nave been more than one en-
gagged in this fendish work. That they
will be traced, l rave no doubt. If'mur-
qOiU out" then this must certainly
be soon developed. L will inform you
of further discoveries. Mr. Friend was
a good, industrious and prosperous lnan.
As | was told to-day bya neighbor, his
excellent character and upright deport-
ment made him enemies among the reck-
less and d~issipated. 1t is said he lad a
with one of this class, a short
since, about Il hog. 1t was also
thought that he had several hundred
dollars in gold saved up. What induced
he murder, therefore, must have been
jealousy, hatred or cupidity or, per-
rs. all.