The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1869-04-22
A MINNESOTA HORROR.
A Man Murders His Wife and
FRA 70. Four Children.
Horrible Details OF the Murder.
Arrest and imprisonment of the
Murderer--.His Statement and
His Conduct in the Jail.

four children, by John b. Gray, {
Oakdale township, Washington county
Minnesota, on the 9TH inst. The mul
derer is farmer, and was laborin
under temporary insanity at the time b
committed the deed. Gray is a ma
about forty years Of age, native Q
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. His wife
Alice, formerly Farley, was thirty Ugh
years DID, They were married q
Hastings eleven years ago. TIL
children were two boys and two girls
as follows: Margaret, aged 10; Jas
B., aged 8; David, aged 5, and Nelli
Jane 8. About daylight on tn
morning Of the murder, James Arm
strong, ncighbor, heard loud crie
coming from the direction of Gray
house. He Immediately went in tina
direction, and when near enough to til,
place heard Gray cry out, ''Oh com.
and hang me-" continually repeating
the cry. Armstrong walked nearer
and saw Gray sitting on the steps O.
the granary with rope in his hand
alternately whistling and screaming
Armstrong at once ran to the residence
of Gray's father, who lived near a,
hand, and the two repaired to the house
OF the murderer. They pushed open
the door, and found the four children
lying on the floor, side by side, cover
ed with guilt, their Threats cut from
ear to ear, and their faces gashed in a
horrible manner. At this moment the
maniac murderer came toward his
father with rope in his hand, and
would undoubtedly have strangled
himselfhad not Armstrong and another
son who had arrived seized the un.
happy man, and after a desperate
securely bound him. In an
swer to their inquiries in regard to his
wife, he said: ~ killed them all with
IN ak, and they have gone to heaven.
Oh, hang me; hang me." He finally
old them that his wife was in the
5ranary, and repairing thither the body
If Mrs. Gray was found on the floor
covered with quilt The murderer
WIS arrested and started for St. Paul.
IN his arrival at the Jail, the strength
If several men was needed to place him
n cell. When leaving Harrisburg,
he took a severe cold, which settled in
lis head, producing almost entire deaf
less. His disposition previous to this
vas eminently social. He was very
ond of company, and proud Of his
PERSONAL appearance. This sudden in
trinity seems to have weighed heavily
m his spirits. He became at times
norbidly moody and low-spirited. He
onsulted the most eminent physicians
t Harrisburg, and st. Louis and other
titles, in hopes of obtaining relief, and,
s hope died out, his disposition seeme,a,
0 undergo change. His deafness
reyed upon his mind, and affected his
ealth, but up to short time ago no
ears were entertained for his sanity.
Or three or four days before commit
ing the deed he had been unusually
'w spirited, and on Monday last his
rother Maxwell had accompanied him
} st. Paul, and got some medicine
ON Mr.. Wiley. On Tuesday, how
rcr, he felt much more cheerful, and
as busily employed the whole day in
ltting wood.
Upon entering the dwelling most
hooking scene met the eye. In the
ack part of the room are two beds
no on each side. That on the right
as occupied by the father and mother
I'd the little girl; the one to the left
rectly in front of the door, by the
her children. The pillows of the
tier were saturated with blood, and
70 bed was so tumbled as to indicate
considerable struggle. The other
ID was no more disarranged than it
ould naturally be in the morning.
pom the floor between the two beds
ID the door lay the murdered children,
aced in a row, the largest nearest the |
OF of the beds, and the smallest, a
rect, mild-faced, light-haired little
RI, between two and three years Of
e, nearest the door. Each one of |
EN- had their threats cut so thorough
as to almost sever their heads from t
cir bodies. These wounds were of
most horrible description. They d
re at least three OF four inches in t
dth, and extended clear across from t
+ to ear. Besides the gashes in her a
roat, there was an ugly one on the v
yer left jaw of Maggie, the eldest 2
'rs face. The horrible gashes were b
rem while the father was kneeling a
on the breasts of his children, with b
blade of an Ak in his hands, jam t.
ng the same down their throats. b
Is accounts for the cash in Maggie's e.
jaw, as well as for the depth of the b
unds in the throats of bis victims. "