Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-06-24
Court Pr.ceeains..

u
90. 'NofsGUILTY ~ as soon a. the verdic
ell from the lips OF the foreman of III,
Jury wild cheer and loud applau>,
Z broke fOrth-the excited but pleased
people crowded about the liberated mai
ami pressed his hand-such was the in
else and kindly feeling aroused by tn.
Investigation of the case-for this youn,
MN.
State of Ohio, VS.. Thomas D Carr
ndictment-murderi in the first degree
owing TO the time consumed by IN,
rial of youne kennon, this case Wa.
not reached until Thursday, June II
wo days after the time set. John Fox
the father of the murdered girl Was tie
first witness who took the stand He
stated materially that he became &C.
Equainted with Carr about the time
tehestnuts were ripe last autumn-thai
shortly after he met him, he came home
with his daughter Louisa-whs had
Ebeen working oGt-thal Carr excused
himself to him for accompanying her OH
account of her age-she being quite
fyoung-bnt that on the following week
as well as on several other occasions he
lcontinued TO come to his heuse--always
attentive to the young girl-manifesting
ia desire TO be near her, &C..
This continued for some time when
the girl made know to her parents that
Carr wanted to marry her, desiring
theIn to refuse their consent if he asked
them for her, &c. Shortly after which
Carr spoke TO Mr.. Fox on the subject
,when. The reply was given that Louisa
Was too young TO marry, that it would
be better to wait two or three years, ac-
cumuiate little property, prove him
self a worthy young man-and then if
the child was willing. he might marry
her. AT this Carr seemed sat SIZED ana
Tor short time said no more upon the
matter until few days before the deed
was committed which robbed the child
Of life. la the meantime, however. Carr
presented Louisa with various kinds of
clothing against the wishes of her pa
rents, but he Insisted on bestowiup
them, few days proceeding the murder
Car renewed Ills request To marry her.
asking the fatherii ne would be at home
IN the Thursday following, and saying
when answered III the affirmative. ..Tm
coming over. BY God / want to talk to
YOU" tas.. f,s..r-,#. ~.
Here in order to relate the facts we
I viii have to deyIate from the testimony
As it was given in, and take up the diff
| ferent portions as they come, in order
that we may make up readable re
port ,e,
| 1t appears that the young girls time
of service Was cut on the day of her
death, that she was returning home sc-
e mpanied by her little brother when
Carr suddenly came upon them while
emerging from the mouth of the lane
lbetwet1 the lands of Daniel Mumma
and .nmes Grove-that Carr put his
hand upon LOuisa's shoulder and walked
down the hill with her until they came
to run, when Carr pushed her over.
felt in his pocket for weapon, which
frightened the little boy, who fled to-
ward the house to alarm his father.
hearing the screams of his sister as he
ran along; that soon after Fox found the
dead body of Louisa lying in the ditch.
the head being nearly severed from the
body with numerous small woun Is upOp
her hands and breast-the father sick al
heart, and terror stricken, hastened AWAY
to alartd and notify the neighbors--in a
short time quite number of people were
collected 81 ~
The ground was covered with marks
of q severe struggle-the death struggle
o. the Innocent victim with the british
murderer-her remains wereiaken to her
fathers house. Carr in the meantime
fleeing toward Sewelsville, but return
ing by another road he stopped at q
house and borrowed a gun saying he
u, Il ~ Oh. l. ~
have been impelled by the ,stfansest
curiosity, or perhaps some deep fascina-
ton led him thither, for when night
came he returned to Fox's coal bank
where he passed the night, but during
this time, the restless, uneasy spirit
wit lin, which seemed to control him
utterly, led him to the front of Fox's
house, to look in upon the mangled
corpse of his fair young victim, himselfI
unseen amid the darkness. What a ter.
rible picture that must have been, not
like the prow1ing hyena seeking for the |
dead among the graves, but like q fiend
unhuman, pursuing the victim OF his
unhallowed and accursed malice, seek
ing TO discover in the repose of death |
the situation of the wronged or may-hap
he desired to know the end of his in
human outrage.
Perchance, as some suggest, he sought
that sight prompted only by the same
deep love which he AYERS was the cause !
of his taking her life. Such course !
could but excite our admiration, even
surrounded as it is by the most horrible |
circumstances recorded in the annals OF
crime. But God pity us if we are to be |
murdered because of a wild infatuation |
that might seize upsn the being of any
nnp-Gnnh hIS-fnr Ill
when. by no desire of our own, we in, |
spired such love: I
. When daylight came he went to Fox's
spring and proceeded to arrange |
Tor the consummatiOn OF his purpose |
10 commit suicide-he tied "a string to |
the trigger OF the gun, passed the gun
over the end OF "A ra1tef, pushed it from
him, when it was discharged, sending |
its contents, into his left breast, the bali /
passing through the outer and uppeI
portion OF. the left lung. Believing that |
this would Lot finish him he drew tn,
across his threat II an attemp. |
10 sever the wind pipe, the report of tn,
gun soon brought upen him the pursiler,
to whom he surrendered. He was taken
finally to the house of Daniel Mumma
after being refused admittance to thl I
house of Fox, where he desired to enter
He remained at Mumma's until incarce. |
rated In the County Jail. This is sub-
stantialiy the evidence as adduced al
the stand. The pleu of insanity wa,
used as skilfully as possible, by his
counsel, but they failed to convince the
jury and on Tuesday verdict was ren-
dered ef"GUILTY, as charged in the in |
dictment, 'Guilty of Murder in the first
degree" When clerk Campbell asked
as is usual in such cases--edch juryman I
the question, "ls the prisoner guilty o.
murder in the first degree as charged?'
the response Yes" came like a kneli
from the lips of each, the prisoner show
ed no sign save an almost unperceptibi
trenor when he arose 10 return to the