Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1857-12-03
Tragedy and Dreams.

Henry Waters, a farmer, and formerly a
carpenter, residing at that place, suddenly
rushed into the room in which his wife, her
daughter and son-iu-law, Mr.. and Mrs.
Sturdevant, were at breakfast and COM
menced deadly assault upon them with
square IRON bar, without any apparent prov
ocatlon except a jealously of the manifesto
tions of regard which Mrs. Waters paye
her step-children. He beat out the brains
of Mrs. Waters and Mr.. Sturdeyant left
Mrs. Sturdevant bleeding and senseless in
the street, whittier through three doors and
the gate she had fed attempted to kin
his step-son-a lad ten years old, who was
up stairs, but who succeeded in making his
escape-and then hung himself in his own
barn.
JOHN E. DARL1NG's SINGULAR DREAM.
Mr.. Darling, who resides in the next
house to that in which the murder took
place, related the following. He is rela-
tive of the late Mrs. Waters:
Soon after went TO bed on the night of
Friday last, and when had just fallen
asleep, l thought that something made me
get up in great hurry, and that l heard
the cry of Murder ,shrieked out two or
three times by familiar female voice. l
forthwith proceeded as fast as possible from
my bedroom, where | thought was dress
ing, to the window in the end of the house,
and upon looking out distinctly saw my
niece Mrs. Sturdevant and her mother all
cut and bleeding, as was also the mother,
and Waters close by them, who, imagin-
ed had blood on him too, apparently run
ming away from something that could not
divine. then thought that l ran in and
told my wife something in a hurry, and
how it came to pass l don't know, but /
again found myself at the window looking
out in the greatest state Of excitement, and
1 clearly saw Mrs. Waters lying on the
ground motionless and covered with her
own bl Cd, and my niece on her kn. es in a
falling state, with Waters b3hind her with
an iron bolt raised with his two hands to
strike her another blow on the head, from
which tie blood appeared to flow profuse-
ly: whereupon | instantly understood the
whole affair, and shouted "Murder," as
loud as my voice would permit.
As if Waters was electrified he started,
the upraised arm shook, the blow was not
given, and something not very clear fol-
lowed but the next thing l remember was
my helping some lady who had been bad
ly beaten, and was covered with blood into
my own house from the direction of Wa
ters' house, and when | succeeded in get
ting her in l had my arms around her in
the room where we are now seated; and so
much was l shocked by this circumstance,
as we both Stood ON the floor, that |
awoke, terribly frightened, and could not
refrain from telling the matter to my wife,
which l did Mrs. Darling confirmed all
10 our reporter and others who were pres
ent. Then l felt my nerves very. weak,
but in few minutes | had recovered and
imagined that it was all the ridiculous fam
cy Of my brain. 1t was now midnight,
and | endsavored, with some success, to
sleep away the remembrance of so terrify
ing a-vision.
MARTHA ANNE DARLING's USAccoUNTABLE
UNEAsINEss.
was Just falling into doze when was
suddenly startled by shrek from my lit
tie daughter, who is always accustomed to
sleep both quietly and soundly. l could
not distinctly make out what she said, but
while l was considering the matter she sud-
denly boui ced upon to her feet and in a
most terrified manner shouted, "Oh, father
that awful man! drive him from me-" l
said, "there is no man near you, dear, -
down and sleep;" when she again exclaif90'
ed, with upraised hands and other eviden-
ces of terror, "ihere is an awfal old man
don't you see him there?' l now inagin
ed that the child did perhaps see some
thing that could not, and l therefore
now moved over to her to reason with her.
but perceived that she had regained her
usual tranquility so 1 laid her down and
she slept quietly from that till morning.
This circumstance worked so much upon
me that did not again sleep for an hour
or two, and then could hardly say what
o'clock it was, and in that sleep | remain
ed until was awoke in the morning by
what was really terrible.
WHIT MR. DARLING SAW IN THE MORNING.
Mr.. Darling, who had the dream, after
he had conquered his nervousness, went to
sleep, and-of the mornings realities, he
testifies:
got up about 6 o'clock, and hurried in
putting on my pants, imagining that was
late in attending to my business, as I be-
lieved that | had oversight myself on ac-
count of being kept awake by my dream,
and the other incidents that have related.
Suddenly overheard cry of murder"
accompanied by the most terrifying shrieks
from two voices. ran in the direction
from which the shouts proceeded, and on
looking out of my window, in the end of
the house which commands view of Wa
ters' house, l saw three persons, all cluster
I'd together in the front of the door, all of
whom, 1 now thought, were shouting and
'unning away from some persons by whom
hey had in some way been covered with
blood. What my sensations were at that
lwful moment, l could not attempt to tell.
After taking a quick glance at them, ran
o my wife who was still in bed, and said,
n hurried manner, "Why, they are kill
NC themselves in the next house! what
will do?" And without waiting another
Instant | darted back to the window.
What a terrible scene now burst upon
ne! / clearly understood the whole mat
er at glance, for l saw Mrs. Waters "
ng in her blood near the door, the Young
roman running towards this house and
Waters after her as fast as he could, with