The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1869-10-28
AN ExrKAoRD1NARr CASE.

A Clergyman Indicted on the Charge OF
Wife Murder-He Claims that she was
Drowned in Stream Seventeen Inches
Deep. .- '.l ~ To-
[From the Chicago Post, Oct 12.] ge5
The Grand Jury of Kane County,
on Friday last. found an Indictment
for murder against the Rev. Isaac B.
Smith, of Turner Junction, a little
town thirty miles west of this city,
on the Galena Division of the Chica-
go and Northwestern Railroad, for
the drowning of his wife last June.
The facts in this most extraordinary
case, as near as they can be learned
from the conflicting accounts of his
friends, and those believing him guilty
are as follows: aE ID.
Some time in the early part of June
last, Mr.. Smith, with his wife, drove
in his buggy to Elgin to attend min
listers meeting at the house of broth
er clergyman. Having spent the af-
ternoon and part of the evening, he
started for the house of a brother-in-
law, Mr.. Benton, residing upon the
Hammond farm, about two miles from
Elgin. -u.
About half-past nine in the evening
Mr.. Smith came to Mr.. Benton's house
in considerable excitement, asking if
his wife was there, and saying that
his buggy had been overturned in
crossing a small stream about a quar-
ter of mile from Mr.. Benton's, and
he and his wife thrown out, and as he
had not been able to find his wife, af-
ter getting out, he thought she might
have gone on to the house and left
him. He accounted for the overturn-
ing of his buggy by saying that his
horse was very headstrong animal,
and when he saw water would go in
to it, no matter how hard you might
try to turn him. att-'T'"- w.
The horse having stopped in the
stream to drink, he stepped over upon
one of the thills to uncheck him, that
he might drink, when his wife called
to him to hurry, that she felt faint,
when the horse started, and turning
sharply, threw them both out, dragged
him under water and across the stream
twice, the wheel passing over him,
and the horse stamping him under
foot. When he got up he looked
around for his wife, and seeing the
buggy-robe floating in the stream,
supposed it to be his wife and caught
it-took care to save it-and then went
on to Mr.. Benton's to look for help
To one person he said he didn't know
why he left a stable where there was
plenty of water, and was going to
another where there was pump in
side. But the sodte,- looked so good
he droUe an" 81
To still another, he said that he
drove across the bridge, but that the
horse, in spite of his efforts to drive
on, turned after crossing, and went
into the stream to drink. These dis
crepancies, together with the fact that
the horse was found standing still in
the water, with the buggy resting on
the side on two wheels, just where
the accident or murder took place,
the body of the woman only ten or
twelve feet from the buggy, led to in
vestigation. There was an insurance
to the amount of $4,000 on her life,
which fact Mr.. Smith concealed from
his friends until they learned other
wise. He also denied that there was
any more Insurance on her life, where
as closer investigation showed fur
ther accident insurance of $4,000,
which, when discovered, he said he
concealed by advice of his father, lest
1t should make talk.
After considerable time, the whis-
perings assumed such a form that the
matter was thoroughly canyassed, and
the reverend gentleman began to be
suspected of having some agency in
bringing about the accident.
Mr.. Smith is native of Princeton
Illinois, where his aged parents now
reside, and with whom his two chill
dren by his first wife i've, he having
taken them there last week, and
whence he returned ON last Saturday
OH learning that the Grand Jury had
indicted him. He remained in Auro-
ia over Sunday, and came to Geneva
yesterday morning and gave himself
up to the Sheriff. He now occupies
apartments in the Sheriff's residence
in the Court House, goes about as he
chooses, being at liberty in all else save
the name. a... .. --.
The late Mrs. Smith was about
twenty-six years old, the daughter of
farmer who lives near Algonquin,
Illinois, where Mr. Smith preached a
year ago; was very fair looking wo-
man, of an amiabIe, retiring disposi-
ton, much beloved by her fellow
Christians and the people generally.
Mr.. Smith has been in the ministry
about ten years, five of which were in
New England, where the first Mrs.
Smith died, and is said to be an elo-
qnent and earnest preacher. He came
to Turner last November and gave
general satisfaction, although he ap-
pears to have enlisted some enmity
even among the members of his
church.
Public opinion in Turner, Elgin and
Geneva is very much divided on the
question of his guilt or innocence, his
friends being very earnest in their ad-
vocacy of his cause. Some who had
previously believed in his innocence
are now rather doubtful, and speak
with strange emphases of his leaving
his wife in the stream while he went