The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-07-10
Horrible Murder i'm Orange C0un-
ty, y,Indiana--FOurP II PersOns Killed
Particulars of the Tiendish
Crime.

A tragedy, rivaling in brutality the
murder of the Roosa family in Ohio, or
the Deering' near Philadelphia, occurred
at an early hour on Tuesday morning,
June 10, in the vicinity of West Baden,
Orange County, Indiana. We copy the
following account of the murder from the
New Albany Ledger of the 29thof june:
David Woodward and his family, con-
sisting of himself, his wife, three children,
sister and mother, resided upon farm in
Northwest township, Orange County about
four miles from West Baden, and eight
miles from Orangeville, and near the Or
ange and Martin County lines. Wood
ward and his family were poor, but hard
working, honest and respectable people.
The farm upon which they lived belonged
to, or was near, the former residence of the
murderer, William Sanders, and Wood
ward had formerly worked for Sanders,
who treated him in an oppressive manner,
making complete slave of him.
About one year ago Sanders had diff
fculty with neighbor, and determined
upon revenge on the neighbor; he COM
PEELED his own daughter, by threatening
to kill her if she refused, to set fire to
his neighbor's house. On the way to do
the deed the daughter had to pass Wood
wards house, and stopping there,she told
Woodward's family what she was going to
do, and why she was going to commit the
crime. They tried to persuade the girl
to abandon the wicked purpose, but she
was so moved by the threats of her faith
er that she feared to obey their good ad-
vice, and proceeded to do the deed. At
ter firing the house she returnedto Wood
wards and told them what she had done,
and they made the fact public, and San
ders and his daughter were arrested and
held to bail to answer in the courts fol-
the crime. Sanders being the possessol
of about six hundred acres of land, and
in good circumstances, was able to give the
required bail. He afterward frequently
said that he could never die content until
he had killed Woodward. The narration
of these facts is necessary to show the
cause of enmity Sanders had against the
Woodwards, who were to be witnesse:
against him on the trial
After what is related above had trans
pired, Sanders left the county and went te
Illinois. On the evening before the mur.
der Sanders and his wife returned to the
neighborhood, and what now follows was
related by Woodward's mother, the only
survivor of those who were attacked BY
Sanders and his associate in the murder.
A short time before daylight on the
morning of Tuesday, June 19, Sanders
went to the door of Woodward's house
and raped loudly upon it. Woodward
got out of bed, went to the door, opened
| it, and as he did so Sanders struck him il
the face with the edge of an ak, the upper
end of the blade entering the forehead
just above the eye, and the cut extending
down into the lower jaw, the face anG
head being literally split open, and the
wound sufficient to produce almostinstant
death. Sanders then stabbed his victim
! five times with large knife.
The murderer next proceeded to the
bed in which Mrs. Woodward was lying
and, with the knife stabbed her nine times
mangling her body in a most horrible
manner, killing her almost instantly. Hel
little babe, asleep by her side, was proba
bly, mot seen by the monster. It wa:
found in the bed at daylight, covered al
over with blood, and moaning piteously
in its efforts to get at the breast of its
murdered mother. Another child, lit.
tie girl, was in the bed, slipped out at The
back side of the bed while the fend was
engaged in killing her mother, and secre
ted herself behind a door, thus doubtless
saving her life. The murderer next pro
ceeded to attack Woodward's sister, Wit
had sprung out of bed, and in her con
fusion rushed into her brothers room
The villain struck her two or three times
with the knife, when she ran out into tn,
yard. She soon returned, exclaiming tt
Woodward's mother, II am stabbed y
The mother replied, Il hope not" Jus
at that moment the murderer made an
other rush upon the girl, and she fell
dead at his feet, having received sever
stabs, either one of which would have
killed her.
Not yet satisfied in his hellish thirs
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