Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1858-01-07
The LittIes Rochester Murder

1t is known that Ira Stout came n ~.
city some months since, Immediately ,l..
bis discharge from the PENNSYLVANIA p.:
tertiary. TO his acquaintance, the fac, n
lie recent disgrace was unknown. aas I'D.
was troubled lest it should 10 some wgg,.
made public. This anxiety was frcqs.9|g
betrayed to his own family, but more p,i.
ticularly y Mrs Littles to whom be va. +,
the habit of confiling his secrets aal m,.
ing known his troubles. lie believed II.
Imprisonment was unknown except bg n.
own relatives, and be feared nothing from
any one Of them except his brotbcr-ir-ar
Lttles. The quarrels of the latter viii 5.
wife, led Ira to fear that he might in a a..
ment of passion, and to punish his wife lr
refusing TO live with him. disclose tl.- Do.
pleasant circumstance IN his history, ard
is probable that the frequent calls of Ira or.
on Mr.. Lit:ies, at the Office of the la.tr. and
the manifestations OF KIDD fteHng, were r..
tended 10 establish a friendship which would
be security against such disclosure
whatever might be the relations between
l. tiles and his wife. But after all. be .e.
insecure. lie knew tlat Littles could a.
tany mOmenr, destroy his standing and
uneasy state of mind was well known L h.
sister, Mrs. Littles, and to other member:
the family.
Some mouths since, Mrs. Li't'cs intimate
10 Ira her intention of going " est in order
if possible, to get beyond the reach ADD
knowledge Of her husband, and there is tea
son u suppose that this was ab0u; the a-..
time that Ira thought Of murder as a meat:
Of disposing Of Litt,e,; o. if he had ever o..
fore contemplated the crime TIE awlu. ,ee-.-
had been locked up 10 his own heart IT,.
intimatiOn Of his sisteE's wish, however. -
be entirely rid vi her husband, embyiIoas:
Ira to speak to her Of his purpose u H..
him. la reply - her intma,on at d:
going West, be once said that, III Ll..es
should some time be put out Of the way
there would be no need Of her going We;
| u get rid OF him."
We are unable 70 give, 10 detail, and a.
the periods Of their occurrence, all that pas
Sed between Ira and Mrs Litt.es upon d..
subject, from this time until the awiu! erin:
WAS perpetrated but the various ways .-
which it could be accomplished, with pr b..
bic safety to themselves were, OF course
considered. The upshot was the adoption
a plan t. decOy Litt,es . the spot where ths
murder was perpetrated with the idea tia.
be would there discover satisfactory eyldeus
Of the improper intimacy of his wife VT.
some other person. 10 this respect, the ger.
eral surmise has correctly anticipated Tue
substantial truth of the case.
Mrs. Titles went ID the ground below
Falls Fields a little before o'clock on de
evening of Saturday, December 1874. a..
was soon followed By Ira Stout and Lul..-.
the former armed With an iron vclID0. .u-.
posed to have been unknown 20 LJ,;irs. az.
the latter with the piece of 4 chair, found .,
the spot. On reaching the ground, iiv
able position was sought by Ira, and IT,
blows quickly given. which tcl!cd Lite. o..
almost instantly proved fatal. Ljrtrs nayG
had the opportunity t. resist or defend lg
self, and the blows were repeated Until BE-
had almost ceased to struggle MT- Little
may assert, and pro baby will, that she s..
rot aware that murder was intended b..
the conversations with Ira, and her lonely
visit 10 the Appointed spot, are almost Gu
elusive against her on this point. She did
not strike a blow, and beyond dgu' was
shocked and frightened when the terrible
deed was done. The maugIed body OF hr
husband, and the consciousness # lc..
guilty Of the murder as an accessory, lor ..a
moment Overcame Ter, and she pass,
through a scene which no pen can adequ..-
ly depict
Ira Immediately dragged the body e ra
precipCe, and Dot being familiar with u.
ground, Tell down with il 4 distance OF net.
ly thirty feet, his shoulder aud arm st-Isr.
80 as to break the latter, as has been here
fore described. In his terror he Gale!
Mrs. Titles, and she not fully cymTrohsr.
Ing the cause or extent Of the caiam.ty s'a
ted to go to his assistance, and, before ta.
aware Of danger, she too went down the p,
cipice, and in the fall broke her writ 90.
sustained other slight Injuries. The brg..a
upon Mrs. l.. S face, s., were caused Is
fall. Her nose lied pTofusciy, auI b"
clothes were probably made b1oig trg
this, rather than by the blood from her m.-
dered husband.
Ira was for some time entirely hc.r.@,
having tainted away. He believed hIw.e.
to be dying, ard 30 told Mrs. Li.tie, %.
however, recovered sufficiently 20 roll ..
drag Titles body to the water, a.si.'ai e.
presume, Though Of this we are ngt Pc
lively Informed by Mrs. LjttIes. The a
ter got down to the ohiique path with e
difficulty, ard her torn skirts, broken coal.
lost rosette, and the burs in her cl3tHe. a'
hair, are accounted for by this fall, ari F"
the subsequent clamberiug down and a.-.
the steep bank and then up the pa;h -
stone quarry.
We are unable to state just how long off,
the murder, before Ira aud Mrs. L'H
reached home, on Monroe street, bu, %
probable that the lad who testified Oh s
trial told the truth, when he said be toer.'
them at home at halr-past eleven. Il l. o.
more than reasonable TO allow an hour ir o
the time of the murder until they ar..
reached the top Of the bank, and It 3D..
have been an hour and half 10 g.'.
faint and disabled condition II would '.a
them at least half an hour 70 walk hym.-
At ball.past eleven o'clock they were 81.
sitting up, and from that time until the 49,
geOn was sent for, plans were reyDlyci g..
e1tricating themselves from the Il 'rirln G -.
diton into which they had pluu eI them
selves.
IL will be seen that beth IrI S,.u' Or.
Mrs. Littles had motives FIR getting ri
the husband Of the later. Weak and r..
sufficient as these NJ tives may appear
others, it is impossible % Judge now s,rH
they may have seemed to Ira and b. ,....
The former stood in daily fear Of on .a.
sure which would compel bin 70 le..e .'
place in disgrace, while the degree VI! f"