, 1866-06-21
HORRIBLE MURDER.

4 Rau.band Rutcberv FaEs vito aud
STEP. Daughter Win All Axt-
From The Coluuoous (Nich.> Journal June 1eh. !
We are called upon this eveniog to chronl-
cIe ono OF those terrible cases OF crime. which
from time TO time startIe oIlr peaceao oie con,
uunity, md make us question our Individual
safety when such criminals are abroad In our
midst. -... .......
Yesterday afternoon, q man named lsaac
Van Aucken. residing In the township Of
Medina, kNed bis vile and her daughter With
an axe, The particulars, as we learn them
from the criminal himself, are substantially
as follows:
He claims that number Of relatives OF his
wife are leagued together as band OF thieves,
and that be has been made to sn1er from
their deptednt'ons, having lost horse. har-
ness, and other valuahfes, and having been
severely punished By his wife's brother about
two weeks since. That at times his wife
would appear to fnvor him, and then agalo
to seem linked in with her friends to COM
plete bis ruin.
Things had been going on III this manner
for some time, when yesterday AFTERNOON the
| subject was broached In conversation. High
words ensued. He censured his wife for
| turning from him 10 assist others In robping
| him OF his possessions. His vile replied In
| sultinglT, and he made some demonstrations
| toward Offering her personal violence, but
two Of his sons were present Who entreatcd OF
| him not to iniure her and he deslstcd Tor the
time The boys then ran ont OF the house to
call fop assistance to prevent any harm btsn:,
done, leaving Van Aucken alone with his
vile md her daughter. young girl abo1t
eleven years Of age The Two women soon
aster started for the back part Of the house,
closely followed BY the criminal. The cou-
Yersatson still continued, and upon reaching
her husband, Mrs. Van Aucken said t' There
is the a1e; take It and finish me" Van
Aucken replied, ~ have been hammered
opce on your account and won't suler Il
again" As be spoke he spsaug forward and
dealt his wifs blow on the head with the axe
telling her 10 tie ground. He then started
in pursuit Of his step,danshter r. and a. struck at
the blow, and he passed on for lew steps
impelled BY his own momentum. He return
ed 10 to the gid aud struck hernpon the head
killing her Instantly. Fearing: lest the blow
administered 10 his wife Ind not been suM
cient to cause death, and that shs had cithel
| mined on her destruction, he went to th|
p1ace where she lay, and buried the axe Il
her ahroat, almost severins her head roH
her body.
The prisoner Is about forty years Of asc
rather below the medium statute. with darl
hair, grey eyes, and sandy whiskeEs. lie va
wei1>to-do farmer. having fine place, IN
der good state Of cultivation. a man 0
rather Ordinary education, but industriou
and enterprising, he was highly esteemed :,
his nelghDors who we're not connected viii
the family on his wile's side.
He conlesses to having committed the mur
der, says he Is tired Of life, and care not wha
they do with him. He could not bear to fee
that he vas victim tothe mschiuations OF q
/ set OF thiefes- Mrs. Van Aucken was hl
second wife, and the girl her daughter BY
former marriage.
We regret the necessity Of comment in thf
case, tor although the crime is horrible in al
lis details, We cannot but feel q degree O
sympathy with the criminal, who was drive
to the deed Of violence by the abuse of hi
| family.