The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1866-07-05
HoRRIB1E MURDER IN MICHIGAN.

The Columbus (Michigan) Journal of the 18th
instant, gives the following particulars of the re-
cent murder Of his wife and her daughter by
Isaac Van Aucken, of Medina township, in that
State:
Van Aucken claims that number of relatives
of his wife are leagaed together as band OIL
thieves, and that he has been made to suffer from
their depredations, having lost horse, harness
and other valuables, and having been severely
punished by his wifes brother about TWO weeks
since; that at times his wife would appear 10 Ia
vor him, and then again to seem linked IN Win ner
friends to complete his ruin.
Things had been going on in this manner Tor
some time, when yesterday afternoon the subject
was broached in conversation. High words en-
.ued. He censured his wife for turning from him
To assist others in robbng him of his possessions
His wife replied insultingly, and he mnde some
demonstration toward Offering her personal vio-
lence but two of his sons were present. who en-
treated of him not to inure her and he desised for
the time. The boys then out of the house to coll
for assistance to prevent any harm being done
leaving Van Aucken alone with his wife and her
daughter, young girl about eleven years of age
The two women soon started for the back part Of
the house, closely followed by the criminal. The
conversation still continued, and upon reaching
the woodshed, in reply to some complaint of her
husband, Mrs. Van Aucken said: "There Is the
axe take it and finish me-" Van Aucken re-
piled, 81 have been hammered once on your ac-
count, and won't suffer it again" AS he spoke
he sprang forward and dealt his wife blow on
the head with the axe, telling her to the ground.
He then started in pursuit of his stepdaughter and
struck at her. but she did not receive the full force
of the blow and he pressed on for few steps, I'M
pelled by his own momentum. He returned TO the
girl and struck her upon the head, killing her In
stantly. Fearing lest the blow administered to
his wife had not been sufficient to cause DEATH and
that she died either tainted or was shamming and
beinp determined on her destruction, he went to
the place where she lay and buried the axe in her
throat, almost severing her head from her body.
The prisoner is about forty years of age rather
below the medium stature, with dark hair, gray
eyes, and sandy whiskers. He was well-to-do-
farmer, having fine place under good state of
cultivation. A man of rather ordinary educatlon'
but industrious and enterprising, he was highly
esteemed by his neighbors who were not con-
nected with the family on his wife's side.
He confesses to having committed the murder
says he is tired of life, and not what they do
with him. He could not bear to feel that he was
victim to the Vaccinations of set of thieves
Mrs. Van. Aucken was his second wife, and the
girl her daughter by former marriage.
We regret the necessity of comment in this case'
for although the crime is horrible in all its details,
we cannot but feel degree of sympathy with the
criminal, who was driven to the deed of violence
by the abuse Of his family.