Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1868-01-03
The KILLING of Congressman
Hamilton, of Ohio. by his -.
Insane Son. .,.t..t' ri,

l
tragical death of Congressman Hamilton
is published in the Ohio State Journal: q. :
g., % MARYsvILLE, o., Dec, %. :,
| This village and community are en-
| shrouded in a mantle of gloom, by one OF
the most horrifying tragedies known in
! the annals of crime, by the death OF Hon.
| Cornelius S. Hamilton, member of Con-
| gress from the Eighth Congressional Dis
trict of Ohio, by the hand of his eldest
son, Thomas G.. Hamilton, q youth Of
about eighteen. The facts in short are
about as follows: The son Thomas was
considered, and was, a remarkably good
and steady boy. About three weeks ago
he became uneasy about HIMSELF and
| wished his father to come home. His
| mother also being concerned about him,
| wrote to Mr.. Ell. to come home He came
home, and on Saturday last instituted pro
| ceedings in the Probate Court to send the
boy to the Insane Asylum, but did not
| get the papers in time to take him on Sat
| urday.
| Sunday morning at about 8 o'clock, Mr..
I'll. said to his two eldest boys, Thomas and
John, that they would go out and feed
the stock. The three went out, the father
carrying some corn fodder, distance of
ten or fifteen yards, and throwing it over
In the barn lot the younger q ohn) going
over and distributing it to the stock as
the father directed. Mr. Ell. then babe
John go and prepare for Sunday School
| He did SO, leaving the father and Thomas
| picking up and scattering corn and stalks.
| He testities that he looked back when part
way to the house. and that Thomas was
watching him. He had got to the house
and partly prepared to go to Sunday
School, when the mother went out on the
porch and saw Thomas coming to the
house alone. i9. q Dag. ~
She inquired, where was father? He
picked up an ak and made for the mother
John, seeing this demonstration, screamed
| and diverted Thomas from the mother to
himself. He ran into the house, first into
the dining room, then into the hall, then
into the sitting-room. Here Thomas came
upon him. John ran past him, and slipped
and fell about the time he reached the
door, Thomas making blow at him, which
| took effect in the lett shoulder and par
italy stunned him, but he crawled out OF
the house. Thomas then made pursuit of
the mother, who fed across the street to
MI John Guthries, distance of about
two hundred yards. Here he was met by
Mr.. G. s family, and Mr.. f. Wood, Super
intendent of the Public Schools of this
place, who babe him put down the ak, he
carrying it in an elevated and menacing
attitude. He assumed more threatening
manner, and made at Mr.. Wood, who re-
treated in the house. Thomas followed to
the door with the uplifted ak. fat
He then returned to the street, where he
wasmet by M. G. Lawrence, Esq, who in
quired of him, "Where is your father?"
suspectipg foul play. He, with the up
lifted ak. then made for Mr.. L who retreat
| ed down and across the street, Thomas fol-
lowing. He (Thomas) then crossed over
the fence, and make in the direction of the
wounded boy, who had gone back to the
| house and carried two small sisters dis
lance OF one hundred yards or more, and
was calling to Mr.. j. G. Botkin, who had
been attracted by the cry of distress,
"Save my two little sisters 2" Mr.. Botkin
reached the two small sisters and took
them up, but Thomas was coming in and
cut off his retreat; SO he took them back
to where they were by a wood-pile. TAX
ing stick of wood, which to him seemed
too unwieldy, he dropped it SIS Thomas
was coming on to him with the uplifted
ak olepched in both hands. Botkin with
great presence of mind seized the only al
Tentative left him, by jumping into him
head-frst, striking hin in the breast
while his arms were uplifted to strike him
with the ak. Thus he was captured.
Search was made for the father, and
the sequal shows that at the very place
where John left them, which is about 30
or 40 yards from the house, Thomas had
| killed his father, and covered the body
with corn-fodder 1t appears that he had
felled him with a heavy piece of two-inch
board, striking him from behind, and frac-
turing the right posterior of the skull
The left posterior was also fractured, or
may be better described by saying badly
smashed in.