Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1867-02-08
MURDERS.
THE INDIANA TRAGEDY.

The following are the lull petlcularS Oh thc
shocking tragedy at Valparaiso, Ind. On the
| night of the 18th inst, a young man named
Bushore, returning from dance about twelve
miles from Valparaiso, discovered the house
of Mr.. Benjamin Long farmer, on fire.
Approaching the premises he discovered lean
ing against the fence woman clad in thin
night dress. Covering her with his overcoat
he fastened to the building, and discovered
two bodies burning therein. lie found that
the young woman was severely wounded and
carried her in his arms to the nearest farm
house. When her wounds had been dressed
she made the following statement:
Mrs. Long, wife Of Bcnjamine Long, had re-
questcd her to stay at their house on Tuesday
night, rs all the men folks had gone away,
leaving no one in the house but herself and
daughter, Mrs. Emma Page, former resident
of Valparaiso. She had complied with the re-
quest Of Mrs Long, and had retired TO bed
with Mrs. Page, while old Mrs. Long slept in
an adjoining room. About half past ten o'clock
at night she was awakened by hearing some
one pounding violently on the door. Mrs.
Long arose from her bed, and turning up the
wick Of small kerosene lamp that stood on
, stand in the room neared the door, and
asked who was there. The person replied
page and requested to be admitted. The
old lady answered that as there were no per-
son in the house except ladies he could not
come in. Upon receiving this reply, the man
at once commenced kicking the door, which
yielding to his efforts few open and the next
instant Chancey Page stood in the 70 m. lie
did not speak word, but pointing pistol
that he held in his hand at Mrs. Long, fred,
and she fell to the floor corpse.
Mrs Page, the wife Of the murderer hear
ing the explosion, and seeing her mother drop
sprang out Of the bed, and running forward
fell upon her knees before her husband, and,
with uplifted hands. bcsought him not 70 kill
her mother. The fend however, took no heed
Of her words but, catching her tightly by the
eft arm, partially raised her from her kneel>
ing posture: then placing the muzzle Of his
revolver against her brest, pulled the trigger,
and she too, fell back on the carpet corpse.
Miss Rudolph, who had been an eyewitness
to all this horrible scene Of butchery, pulled
the bed clothes over her head, hoping thereby
to escape the observation of the Infatuated and
blood-thirsty Page. In her efforts to conceal
herself however, she unfortunately drew the
clothes up to high, leaving one foot exposed
Page. who had come into the room where she
was lying, discovering her foot, ut ence took
hold oft, and by main strength pulled her
from the bed into the room where lay the bod
les Of his murdered wife and mothcr-in-law
Then, taking her violently by the arm; he drew
her nearly 10 standing position and again
pushcd her back on the floor. She arose, but
before she could say or do anything, ne caught
her by the left wrist, and holding her away,
at arms length, placed the barrel Of his revolt
yer against the side Of her head, just below
and behind her right eye and fired. He fred
a second time, the ball this time taking effect
in her right shoulder; third shot was fired
in her left wrist, and fourth bullet entered
her leg few inches below the knee.
After receiving these wounds, the poor girl
for moment became insensible, but, recover
ing, saw Page take the lamp from the table
and smash it on the floor. He then reached to
the safe, and taking out a match, scratched it
upon the WALL and ignited the fluid upon the
carpet. When this was accomplished, the
diabolical villain seized Miss Rudolph by the
hair and dragged her into the flaims, but be-
fore the fire had communicated with her loose
clothing, she managed to raise herself upon
her elbow and appealed to Page to kill her,
and not let her perish in the flames. The
fiend took her at her word, and raising aheavy
chair struck her terrible blow with it on her
head, and upon her grooming he repeated the
blows until he supposed life was extinct But
to reassure himself Of this fact he placed his
ear next her heart to ascertain if it still con-
tinued to beat, and she felt his hot breath upon
her cheek.
Wien Page became satisfied that his victim
was dead, he left the house. The moment he
was gone Miss Rudolph raised hers .lf upon
her elbow, and finding her hair and right
chest to be on fire, she, by means of q shawl
that was lying near by, succeeded in4ucnch-
ing the flames, and thea dragged herself from
the building into the yard, and, rs stated be-
fore, was found by Mr.. Bushore standing
against the fence.
The charred remains of the two women were
found in the ruins.
MURDER NEAR CoTTONyILLE.
Last Thursday, when we had nearly COM
pleted working off our issue for last week,
news was brought us that horrible murder
had been committed the night previous near
Cotton vile, in this (Jackson) county. The
murdered man was about twenty-five years of
age, named Samuel s. Cronk, and was, at the
time, acting deputy sheriff, and on Wedncs-
day. had been to Lamotte serving subpGnas.
On his way back he and an acquaintance, by
the name of Watkins, stopped and spent the
evening at Mr.. Nelson's, living mile or
more east of the main road between Cottonville
and Andrew. Cronk and Watkins left Mel
sons together, going in the direction Of the
main road. When about twenty rods from the
main road Cronk was murdered. His fore>
head was mashed in by club, his hand and
head cut with knife, and two holes perforated
in the back part Of his head. He was stripped
l. L.