The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1857-1858, 1857-07-29
B0RR'BLE IRA oEDY IN cfrr7yv177

1 n =.
f.. - ths Cincinnati Gaaelss. M.
Ataa easly hour yesterday nio,,t, IT,
was ssax1Ied By the announcems nj thai NJ NJ
oias ~ Horton, m old. we'll known. and inan.
enfial citizen, OF the arm Of NJ r. Horton 4 ~
manufacturers Of enameled CRATES and marhle'
iEed iron, had been brutality murdered ~ hi ~;
yate residence, on Ohio avenue. Vine Strs.,
Hi, IN the suburbs Of the city. The halefrl
news spread, and by nine o'clock hundreds OF
our citizens we're anxiousIy questioning each
other, and marvelling, IL the account OF the
Dloody tragedy, ms popularity given, equal Dc
tfne. number Of them soon repairea "a ,ha
house Of Mr. Horton, and there behsld !. sc.ns
wen calculated to freeze their blood. and head
. sanguinary tale they were at FIRST, il! prepared
70 believe. pp"'su
AUGMENTATION or RoRRoRs-rHE WHOLE sro.x
Mr.. Horton had been awakened q little after
Tour o'clock by heavy smoke pouring into nj.
chamber, and supposing the house TO Be on ID
he rose and opened the door and went into r.
hall, where he was encountered By a German
serving man, for some time in his emn,ov
named Joseph Lnfner, who struck him 10 ~
abdomen with butcher knife, causing a deem
ana gnastiy wound that proved fatal a few min.
htes alter, and then ran out OF the house
Mr. Horizons mother in-law, Mrs. Mary Ann
Sinltn, also awakened BY the smoke, came into
IT, II.
and heard him exclaim: Mother. I am st.b
bed. Mrs. s., terribly alarmed, ran to the
window AMI cried murder and fre.r ana Mr..
II. tell IN dying state to the floor.
The neighbors soon rushed into the house ana
found Mr. II. not quite dead, and the family
bordering upon state Of phrenzy. They re-
moved Mr.. H., who had no garment upon b;s
person beside his shirt, to the yard, and placing
d. MIN upon the grass covered him up with quilt.
They then looked about for the guilty marty
ana soon perceived Joseph Lnfner, near the
green mouse, on the premises, whom they pur
sued when he lay down. They came an T. ILL.,,
and found him bleeding proiusely from bo,h hi.
wrists and from deep cash in the throa,
They. asked him ii he had murdered Nv. Horton
and " ne had wounded himself and he express
ed assent. but could not speak
IL Was learned short time after, in a manner
that will be understood from the dispositions be.
low, that previous to numbering Mr. Horton he
had strangled his own wife, residing At No. sn3
VINE street, and then set fire to Mr.. H. honse
WIN the expectation Of wreaking revenge upon
It's proprietor for an imagined wrons Having !
accomplished his purpose, he had endeavored |
70 destroy himself by opening the principal
veins near his wrists, and cutting his throat with
razor.
THE ALLEGED CAUSE OF THE MURDER
Lniner and his wife had both been EMPLOYED
as domcstcs in the house Of Mr. Horton: the
former for nearly two and the latter for three or
four years. They often qnarreled, and Lrfner
was in the habit Of abusing her, which rendered
him disagreeable to the family Of Mr. H. who
often reprinanded him for his conduct Lu,fner
had married his wife, formerly Francisco knh.
Ter, about nine months before. Francisco had
not recently lived in Mr.. IL : family. but had
been there since the confinement of Mrs N in |
the beginningof last week. The husband lad |
abused her on Monday, and appeared more than /
usually malignant Many have supposed tina,
the herman had contracted a hatred for Mr.. H.,
because OF the censures OF that gentleman.-l
But seems that the chief cause Of th insane
wrath which impeed Lrfner 10 slay hi. wife
and his employer was jealousy. He has by signs |
confessed this since the tragedy. He, no doubt. /
though without reason as far we can learn.
suspected his wife of an improper intimacy
with Horton.
Mrs. Lwlner was much liked by Mr.. Horizons
family, and, kindly treated, because a faithful
and estimable domestic. This conduct on their
part may have been and probably was strange.
y misconstrued by Lrfncr.
THE MURDER or FRANCESCA LHrNER
The manner OF the murder of Mrs. Lmfner by |
Ter husband is wrapped in mystery, although
t appears that she either strangled or
|
he door Of the room occupied by Mrs L was
orced and her body half nude, and her face
scolored and livid, was discovered upon her
led. What the unfortunate woman suffered on |
hat fearful night from her demon husband, no |
ne can tell; but the loneliness of the hour, her
la0iiity 10 OBTAIN aid, the terror she must have ,
injured, the horrid manner of her death and
he mystery that surrounds it, call up picture
0 tragedy upon the stage could easily surpass
rPEARANcE AND CHARACTER OF MR.. AND NRs
LGFNER.
Lofner is apparently about forty years of age,
as dark and vicious eye, with nothing re-
aarkabe III his face, Judging under the unta, or.
Die circumstances OF yesterday. Ills reputa-
ION u that OF violent tempered Ati vicious
nan, often addicted TO excess in drinking He
as been carried by his anger to most ridiculous
kcesses, IN q number of instances.
Mrs. Lptner seems to have been ahunt TWEEN {
We years OF age; buxom, fresh, scodooking ,
'erman woman, her face indicating mild and h
ffectionate disposition. She was, as we have n
aid, greatly liked by Mr.. lis family, on account q
4 her gentleness, kindness and consideration V
0 all who came in contact with her. No one '
ut her husband seems to have regarded her e
therwise than fayorably. b
NICHOLAS 7. HORTON. .
Mr.. Horton had, we believe, resided in this \
itv some twenty years; had many friends, and
0 far as we know, was generally respected and Q
steemed lie was man of energy, enterprise b
nd integrity; had been engaged for number
years in the iron business, and had recently n
ntered largely into the manufacture of enameled
rates. His sales rooms were on the north side b
Third, between Race and Elm, and his fonn- {
ry on Elm, between Second and Pearl He was ,
man OF means, and a director in the Ohio Life | u
isurance Company, where his life was insured
'r the benefit of his family, consisting Of six !.
lildren, two Of whom, young men, have been {,
IT some time in business in this city, II
INCIpESTS-THE MURDERER
Lefner must have planned the entire affair o
it'll great GOODNESS and ieliberaton. After '
urderng Mr.. Horton, he ran out of the house \
} distance of three hundred yards, down a
emile slope near the house, where he attempted 9
, cut his throat and open his veins, and then q
lme back to the green house, where he was c
rst discovered.
Lntner must be indeed a Desperate, man Of !.
rrbic Nerves for he did what many hardened II
'imna would shrink from. Think OF his enor-
tiles upon single night He put his wife TO -
'ath in the most cruel and revolving manner; h
en- proceeded to Mr.. Herton's house and set ii RI
fire; waited for Mr. H. and plunged knife :,
10 his abdomen; and finally, with an unfaiIing
peate for horrors, attempted most perseve- OF
Ugly to take his own life. 10