Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1865-08-11
Murders.

tragedy enacted In the town OF Manch-
ester, Ct, Tuesday, of which the teIe
graph has given brief notice:
The quiet village of Oakland, Maucb
ester, about nine miles east of this city
was aroused this morning by the news o
the most fearful crime ever perpetratet
in this vicinity. AT the early hour Of 4
o'clock, or little sooner, Mrs. BENJAMIN
Starkweather, sister-in-law OF Nathan
Stark weather of this city, aged 46, an,
her daughter Harriet Ella, aged IA year
were both foully murdered while sleep
ing together in their house. They wer,
killed with an ak; but they were alst
stabbed in various places with butcher
knife.
We saw the bodies after they had beer
laid out, and hope never to see another
such sight. The mothers face was Gu
in two with powerful blow from the ak
which divided the nose crosswise, and
cut open the face entirely across, crash
ing through the bones of the upper jaw
and cheeks. Over the right eye was
another cash from the ax,sinking through
the skull and into the brain and there
was another which cut open the side and
back of the head, and also great cash
near the right temple. Besides these
wounds there were others made by the
tcher-knife-one through the lower
part Of the chin, the blade penetrating
deep into the throat; one deep into the
right breast; and another deep one in
the left breast.
Ella, the daughter, presented a still
more shocking sight. Her right eye was
entirely gone. The ak had cut terri.
BILE cash across the brow, eye and cheek,
evidently at one blow, letting out all the
eye, breaking in the skull and ceaving
down to the cheek bone. Above the
right eye near the top of the forehead,
was another fearful cash from the ak,
sinking into the brain and she was stab
bed through the bosom with the butcher
knife.
The first information of the murders
was given by the son, Albert Starkweath-
er, at A o'clock. He came to Mr.. Horace
Whites, a neighbor, rafting, or rather
falling heavily against the back door,
and arousing the inmates with this call:
Get up! get up! Come over to our
house; don't know but our folks are all
killed, and the house is on fire !"
Mr.. White ran over, followed by AL
bert, and found his (Albert's) room full
Of smoke and the bed on fire. He took
The bed out and put it out of the window.
Then he went up stairs, though the smoke
was SO thick he nearly suffocated. Al
pert did not follow him, but paced hur>
'iedIy up and down the lower rooms,
obbing and crying.
On getting into the chamber, Mr. White
ound the bed all in blaze, and the bed
DOM covered with blood. He lifted up
ella, and found her still alive, though
athed in blood and presenting a shock
lg sight. As he lifted her bloody ak
Tipped off upon the floor. Mr.. White
,ok it, and lifting the window, placed
'hile he next got Mrs. Starkweather off
le burning bed. and finding her dead,
laced her on the floor while he rolled
p the bed and threw it out of the win
ow. His hands we're blistered and bis
Iothing rendered very bloody.
The dying Ella he carried in bis arms
, back window in the adjoining room,
| order to give her fresh air; and then
INT his hired man (who with others bad 2
'rived) at once for the doctor. But the {
Dor girl died in a few minutes. Her
God covered the window-sill on which !
lie rested and the floor near by. |
Mr.. White at once instituted search '
r tracks about the house, but was I'M I
Die to discover any distinct marks of
ct except in the garden.
Albert Starkweather, "a years of age, 7
ept on the lower floor in the northeast
'om. His mother and Ella slept in the
orthwest room above. He says a noise P
} stairs Just before dawn awakened him y
ID rushing out of his room he was =
hooked down, near the foot of the stairs,
? a man, or men, coming down that '
, recovered and had scuffle in the n
lrk and was overpowered, thrown down 81
ID the man, or men, escaped. He n
ows scar over one eye which he says
as caused by the blow the murderer d
we him. This mark, unfortunately, b
as obviously of an older date than this oil
orning. Fl
At coroner's inquest on the bodies
lbert's butcher knife was suddenly ~
ought out, and its appearance before
) eyes made him start and tremble. A W
ry ugly fact is that the knife was found IA
drawer ir bis own bedroom. AL
rt's reputation is not good. He has
en- rather fast "young man," and his
are said to have been none of
the best. We hear that he was soon >.
be married. In his bureau was found
'um of money in National Bank bills, IT.
counting to about 1852. There were tic
zee 500 bills, one $50, and some er
ailer. He is an ordinary looking g.
ung man, but with an unpleasant ex-
ession, look of weakness and inca pc
city. He says 5000 of the money loI
S bis and the rest his mothers. The co
nily were in moderate circumstances, n
! had but little spare money.
One theory is that as Mrs. S. was a pa
ness against the negress Jane Fuller sa
that village in the poisoning case late
tried, she was murdered out of revenge; m
this lacks plausibiity. Albert has -
Inned a sirht of the victims" CO.