The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-04-13
FRIeHTFUL Tragedy.

A Family of seven Persons Murdered
1 PHILADELPHIA, April 12.-Fun re-
ports of the Deering family murders
| show it to have been one of the most
horrible butcheries of the age. The press
reporters say that the body of the moth
er. and those of her four children, were
found in one corner of the barn near a
small clubhouse, which communicated
together bya small hole through which
the remains of the murdered victims
were brought to view. 1t seems as
though the bodies were thrown into one
heap, pell-meIl, and then covered over
with dirt and hay. The unfortunates
were most terribly decayed about their
heads. A new, sharp and bloody axe
was found in the rear of the building,
which had been used to do the bloody
work. All of the victims seem to have
been struck on the left side of their
foreheads, just above the eye, with the
heel of the axe, and then with the blade
of the murderouS weapon. The demon
finished his horrible work by
cutting the throats of all. One of
the little boys was so horribly
cut that ms head dropped off when his
body was lifted up. The other boy,
crooked and partially raised, as though
attempting to ward off the blow that
sent him into eternity. The mother
was defending her baby from the attack
of the demon, when she was merciless-
" struck down. The babe had receiV-
ed an awful blow on the upper part of
the breast, near the shoulder, almost
seyering one of its arms, and also anoth
err sharp cut on the side of the head.
Probably the most correct of the theo-
ries expressed, is that all this dreadful
work was done on Saturday morning,
during the absence of Mr.. Deertng.
His body and that of Miss keating
II. oil tho
barn not far distant from the spot where
the others were discovered. The bodies
of Mr.. Deering and Miss Heating were
covered over with hay with one of his
heels partly sticking out. A little boy,
aged IA years, who lived with the tami-
ly and waited upon the farm, is mis-
sing. 1t is believed he was also muir
dered and his body thrown into deep
we'll or one of the many bitches that
abound in that section of the country.
The well on the place was partly
searched last night, but no bottom
could be reached. The bitches in
the vicinity of the house were also
body of the missing boy. The search
is being resumed this morning with
yigor. IT, 49,.
der is examined into the more astound-
ing it appears. A mother and her
lOuE arc DASSA40AGAf ~ sup
posed singly, after being enticed from
home, and without leaving any marks
of the hellish deed behind, and then
upon the arrival of the husband and
niece, for them to have been dealt with
in the same manner and style, no spot
of blood found in the house or yard, is
indeed surprising. The only rational
theory that we have heard is that upon
the arrival of Mr.. Deering and his niece,
he discovered that his family were not
in the house, started after them, and af-
ter leaving the house was met by the
murderer and slain. The niece then, it
is thought, followed her uncle and was
in turn killed in the same manner. I'm
fortunately, it appears that the name of
the supposed murderer is not known
by any Of the neighbors, nor can de-
scription of him be given. 1t is only
known at present that he was u Ger
man laborer. The excitement in regard
to this horrible murder in the lower
section of this city is intense.