The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1869-07-23
MURDER AT SPRINGFIELD, OHI(
A RObber Shoots a Woman.

The Springfield Republican has al
account of the murder in that place
from which we give the following
selection
One of those startling crimes Will
which the people of our community
have grown only too familiar in tho
last few years Of our history, was
committed at aboIt halfpast four
O'Clock this "Wednesday morning,
July 14th, at the residence of Mrs.
Barrett and her daughter, Mrs.
Ormsbee, near the eastern limit of
this city.
The premises On which the murder
was committed are situated on the
north side of East High street, on the
corner OF East Cross street, which
constitutes the west boundary line OF
tGreenmount Cemetery-tlie distance
from the center of town being little
more than one mile. The house is q
story and half frame, fronting on
High street. 1t Stands in an apple
Orchard, of about two acres, running
north to the brow of the hill, from
which there is On extensive view Of
the surrounding country. On the
other side OF High street, for some
distance each way, is vacant lot and
light growth of forest trees. The
principal rooms ON the first floor are
a parlor and bedroom ON the east
side oil the hOuse, and dining room
running across the west side-the
bedroom being in the rear of the
parlOr and opening into the dining
room by door near the north wall
of the house, at the foot ofa stairway
Near the foot OF tEis stairway is .he
window looking north nPOn the
orchard, at which the atrocious deed
we now chronicle was committed.
The family occupying the house
consisted of Mrs. Barrett, an aged
widow lady, upward OF seventy Years
old; her daughter, Mrs b. A. Orms-
bee, also @idow, aged forty three
who was the victim of the murder,
and whose husband died abont one
year since two sons of Mrs. Orms-
bee, named benjamin and Richard,
the former twelve and the latter nine
or ten years of age. Some time ago,
when burglaries were prevalent in
this region, n man living in the
neighborhood stayed with the family
at night for their protection, bnt has
ceased to do SO for the last few weeks.
On Tuesday night, the 18th inst,
Mrs. Barrett and Mrs. Omsbee slept
in the bed room on the first floor,
and the two boys slept in room up
stairs. This "Wednesday J morning
Mrs. Omsbee rose rs usnal, ut about
half-past 4 O'Clock, and stepped, in
her night dress, from the bed room
into the dining room. Her mother,
who was awake but still in bed, made
some remark to her about the house
hold arrangements as she passed out
of the room. n moment passed,
when suddenly Mrs. Ormsbee was
heard TO scream-a shot instantly
foliOWed-and HRS. OrmSbee eX-
claimed, "Oh, motherl' Mrs. Bar
rett and Mrs. Ormsbee's son Benja- |
min Immediately rushed to the spot,
the latter from his room up stairs
Benjamin reached the window in time
to see a man about twenty PAGES dis
tant from the window, walking away. /
As the hoy looked out, the man turn
ed, gazed at the window There Mrs
Ormsbee lay dead, and then turned /
and walked away, going north q i
short distance, then turning west
through potato patch, and going
toward Warder's woods.
In the meantime-all this having
transpIred in much brieter space
than is consumed in the description
Mrs. Barrett, going to heE daGgh
ter's aid, found her leaning forward
upon the window sill, bent nearly
double, and quite dead, having been
killed Upon examination
it was found that she had been shot
in the right side, the bal! entering, as
was afterward fOand by DIR. j III.
Rodgers, near the shoulder blade.
and passing down into the lung.
The window was found raised, and
by stick of iirewOod
about two feet long long. 1t was or
dinarilv operated with a pressure
spring, but lad. iii this instance, been
forced open. Tue reasonable infer
eace from all the facts of the case is
that the man was just in the act OF
creeping in at the window whenhe
was seen by Mrs. Ofmsbee and that
upon her screaming he fired The fatal
shot at her, and walked away in the
deliberate manner already described. /
The deed was perpetrated under cir
which characterize it as
one of the most c)ld-blooded, cause
less and inhuman murders ever re- |
corded. The man had not been
attacked-he could easily have es-
caped, aud must have seen that only
a helpless woman Was likely to pur-
sue LIm-and the killing of that
woman was simply prompted
by devilish malignity.
The tragedy occurred in broad
day light, it being nearly sunrise
when Mrs. Ormsbee left her bed
The tracks of the murderer were
found in the soft ground Of the potato
patch through which he passed in
leaving the place, as already stated.
The track was that of number five
boot.
The boy BENJAMIN Ormsbee, who
saw the man turn and look at the
window after having fired the shot,
is able to give but partial descrip-
tion of his appearance. He was a
white man of about medium hight
and ordinary build, neither slender
nor thick-set. lie was in shirtsleeves,
and had dark pants on.
Remarkable Drinking Party.
The Louisville C0,rieI-J OwrRai re-
lates that, one night last week, there