The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1868-12-04

Single Copies of the Journal

Deserted children Murder. About
two weeks ago a man, with three children,
got off the local freight, at Clyde, at 3o'clOck
.. m, and stopped at the Junction Hotel.
Leaving the children seated by the stove, he
went out doors, and not long after the even
ing train came along. Il is suPposedthat he
left on that train, as be has not been seen
since. The landlord was thus left with the
children upon his hands, but being very
kind hearted man, took good care Of them,
and as the man did not return, and the neigh
bors beclme interested in them, they were
provided with good homes. They we're very
bright, intelligent children, and gave their
names as Mary E. HOrnbaek, Leonard Horn
back, and RosaIie Hornback, aged respective
ly swelvs, nine and four years, but said the
name Of the man who had left them was
Smith, and that be was their step-fIther.
They also stated that before he brought them
from home be had taken their mother to see
married daughter of hers, whom he repre-
sented as having been injure !, and de ired to
see her. he returned without her, telling
them be would tske them to her. They
knew no better until he left them at Clyde
From subsequent developements, it appears
they wers from Sullivan county. New York,
and that the man Smith, after inducing the
mother to 60 with him, had taken her along
a secluded road, and murdered her.
The murder was discovered in this wise;
A eolored man riding along the road near AL
ligerville, in Ulster county, discovered hu-
man beiug 10 the ditch beside the road, and
throwing its arms about wildly. Frightened
he went TO the first house, ahd obtaining
help vent back and discovered it to be Wo-
man, alive, but insensible. Evidently she
bad been there some hours, as the grass was
beaten down by her arms. A large stone,
covered with blood and matted hair lay near
by in pool Of blood, and near it two small
stones clotted in like manner, and seemed to
have been employed in the murderous deed.
The woman had struggled some distance
from the spot where she had received the
wounds. A bullet hole pierced her cheek
aud indicated she had first been shot. She
was conveyed to The house, assistance procu-
ted, but she remained unconscious, and died
on Tuesday evening, Nov. I7tb, two days
after being discovered. No clue was obtain
ed to the mystery, although it was thought
at first, that she had once resided in the vi
entity Her supposed father and sister were
summoned, photograph produced and the
body identified by all But the father, who
visited the placew his daughter had beer
well known, and returning declared the mui
eersd woman vas not his child.
A portion Of lBe wad of pistol was found
near where the body was found, and also {
whip. Tracks Of wheels were discovered, arc
her shoes being clean indicated that she hat
not walked, Two men, wh1 were overheard
talking of having. left their whip, we're arres
ted on suspicion, but subsequently discharg
ed having proved their innocence. The pub
licatiou Of the fact of finding the murdered
woman led to inquiry about the disappear
anee. of Smith and the children. Neighbor
entered the house, found the vsluables al
gone, except an old trunF, in which was
P;ece Of goods corresponding with the dsscril
+. ton of the dress worn by the murdered wo
van. From that slight clue she was identi
fed. aE
Since the above was in type, we have re
ceived our Clyde letter which gives fey
| addifionsl naFticulars