True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-01-28
Horrible Tragedy.-Iovs, Jealousy and
Murder.

en- o'clock, by the report that George
Garnhart, had been murdered, and that
his body had been discovered laying in
the road, near The residence Of Daniel
Riblei, at the eastern extremity Of Main
street. We started Immediately for the
spot. but found the body 10 the possession
Of the Coroner, at DIR. Hackadorn's Of
fce, and found the house surrounded and
the room filed by large and excited
crowd. By the time we had gained the
table upon which the corpse reposed, the
physicians were examining the wounds
and probing for the balls, and it was found
tha, one shot had entered the right side
lodging in the abdomen, and another en-
tering the hack Of the head and lodging
in the brain, either of which would
have produced almost instant death.
The particulars of the sad event are as
follows:
A difficulty had existed between Garn-
hart and man named Starr, in relation
10 Stars wife, between whom and Garn.
hart walm attachment had existed be-
fore her marriage. ge.-Several times Starr
had threatened his life. and but a short
time before his death Garnhart received
an anonymous letter stating that Starr
contemplated taking his life, and although
he was boarding at the same house with
Starr and on terms of intimacy, he be-
came alarmed and applied to his friends
for advice. He proposed leaving, but
those with whom he counseed rejected
the idea, and related the adage that. a
barking dog never bites"
During Friday, the youngsters oi
Gallon were invited 10 attend a merry
making at the house of Mr.. H. Fortney,
about half mile from town. In the
course of the day. young Gafnhart asked
permission of his employer, Mr. StentS,
to attend, which was granted; shortly
after six o'clock, he left the store alone
Starr, who was in the store at the time,
went out a moment aflerward. and start
ed toward the depot. About fifteen min
utes after Garnhart left the store, several
young gentlemen passed by, en- route fol
the party, and when opposite the resi-,
dence of Mr. Riblet, they discovered a
person lying in the middle Of the wagon
track, who they supposed to be drunk
and after making several jesting remarks
one, with lantern in hand, approached
to scan more closely his features, When
Judge to their horror and astonlsbment
lhev discovered it to be their friend
George Garnhart. Immediately upor
hearing of the frighful tragedy, th'
friends of Garnhart unanimously restet
their suspicion upon Starr, and imnedi
ately repaired to his residence for thu
purpose of arresting him, but he was
not 10 be found. Search was Immediate
" instituted, but it was unavailing. Tele
graphic communications was then ha(
with all sections of the country, but IA
vet his whereabouts have not been dis
covered.
After Starr left the Store it is suppoS
cd that he proceeded in roundabout
manner, and came up on his victim II
the hollow below the house, and shot hin
in the side.-The physicians suppose
that he might have lived several minute
after receiving the first shot, and that n
,usned and ran as far as his strength
would sustain him, when he fell nPon hi
knees and received The second shot whlcl
No dnnht nroduced instant death. .-Th
marks upon his knees would lead to TN
conclusion. The family of Mr.. Rlble
heard piteous cries and grosns intermln
sled with conversation, as though tn
poor fellow was begging his life and en-
treating for mercy, which were al! slIen
ced by the last shot. Considering tn
phce--right in the public highway, nc
thirty yards from house, and the time
bright moonlight, between the hours {
six and seven, with persons passing an
repassing to d party, it is The boldeSt mu
der we have any knowledge Of
On Saturday evening the remains
3 the Inflated youth we've taken to She,oJ
the residence of his father, and buried .
Sunday morning.
While our eslimable citizen. Mr., Pett
Steniz, was a resident of Plymouth
Shelby county, an attachment sprang u
between his daughter Mary, then mel
child, and Starr, who was resident
the same place, but quite youth Star
proposed marriage, was accepted, and al
plied to Mr.. Sten,z for his consent to tt
match. The old gentleman refused o
account of their extreme youth.--Sla
then proposed 10 go 10 California al
marry on his return. Mr.. Sten'z agree
to this, and shortly after he departed
the Golden State.
During his absence, Mr.. Stentz move
TO Gallon, and entered the dry soo'
business. Young Garnhart had just r
turned from California, and Mr. S'en
employed him as clerk in the S,or
After bis engagement as clerk, Garnha
; boarded at the house of his employe
and being thrown constantly together
intimacy sprang up WHICH soon rlPen
into an ardent attachment, which rest
ted in an engagement. MIR. Sten'z o
served the drift Of matters and cautlon'
his daughter against centering her atte
ions upon Garnhart while she was e
gagged TO Starr, but gave her permissl
10 write 10 Starr and break the engag
mcnt, but this she refused to do.
Last June, Starr came home and Z
manded his bride. The lady objected
filing the engagement; he insisted a
her parents insisted that she should 7
thus rifle with him, and being prevail
upon, they were married in July, a
moved immediately to Davenport, low