The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1858-01-13
From the Democrat Of the ID
The Rochester Murder.

Mrs. Littles went to the ground be-
low Falls Field, little before 9 o'clock
on the evening of Saturday, Dec. 10Th,
and was soon followed by Ira Stout ana
Littles-the former armed with an iron
weapon, supposed to have been unknown
to Littles, and the latter with the piece
of chair. found on the spot. On reach
ing the ground, a favorable position
was sought by Ira. and the blows quick
ly given, which felled Littles and al.
most instantly proved fatal. Littles
never had the opportunity 10 resist or
defend himself and the blows were re.
peated until he had almost ceased to
struggle. Mrs. Littles may assert. and
probably will. that she was not aware
that murder was intended but the con.
versations with Ira, and her lonely visit
to the appointed spot, are almost conclu-
sive against her on this point. She did
not strike blow. and beyond doubt was
shocked and frightened when the terri
bic deed was done. The mangled body
Of her husband, and the consciousness
of being guilty of the murder as an
Accessory, for the moment overcame her.
and she passed through scene which
no pen can adequately depict.
Ira Immediately dragged the body to
the precipice, and not being familiar
with the ground, fell down with it, a
distance Of nearly thirty feet. his shoul-
der and arm striking SO as to break the
latter, as has been heretofore described.
In his terror he called to Mrs. Littles,
and she not fully comprehending the
cause or extent OF the calamity, started
to go to his assistance, and before being
aware of danger, she too, went down the
precipice. and in the fall broke her wrist,
and sustained other slight injuries
The bruises upon Mrs. LIS face, &o.,
were caused by the fall. Her nose bled
profusely, and her clothes were probably
made bloody from this, rather than by
the blood from her murdered husband.
Ira was for some time entirely help
less, having tainted away. He believed
himself dying, and so told Mrs. Littles.
He, however, recovered sufficiently to
roll and drag Littles' body to the water,
assisted, we presume, (though of this
we are not positively informed by Mrs.
Littles. The latter got down to the
oblique path with great difficulty, and
her torn skirts. broken combs, lost ro-
se,te. and the burs in her clothes and
hair, are accounted for by this fall. and
by the subsequent clambering down and
along the steep bank, and then up the
path to the stone quarry.
We are unable to state Just how long,
after the murder, before Ira and Mrs.
Littles reached home on Monroe street.
but it is probable that the lad who testi.
fed on the trial told the truth, when he
said he found them at home at half-past
eleven. 1t is no more than reasonable
to allow an hour from the time Of the
murder until they again reached the top
OF the bank. and it may have been an
hour and half. In their faint and dis
abled condition, it would take them at
least half an hour to walk home. At
half-past eleven they were still sitting
up. and from that time until the surgeon
was sent for, plans were revolved for
extricating themselves from the terrible
condition into which they had plunged
themselves.
It will be seen that both Ira Stout
and Mrs. Littles had motives for getting
rid Of the husband of the latter. Weak
and insufficient. as those motives may
appear to others. it is impossible te
Judge how strong they may have seemed
to Ira and and his sister. Ths former
stood in daily fear Of an exposure which
would compel him to leave the place ii
disgrace, while the degree of infa,uatio,
on the part of Mrs Littles, about get