The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-02-24
FrOm The Chicago TimeSl
Murder Of the Hon. Murray MCDONALD.
JAcKsoNvILLE, LIZ. Feh. 9.

'ACAsONN1LLEJ ILL.,, Feb. 9.
This ordinary quiet and peaceful
community was plunged into the will
dest excitement by the startling intel
Ilgence that Gen. Murray Mcconnell
one Of the most wide " known men
IN the State, and one of the oldest and
most prominent citizens of the DIace
nad been cruelty murdered in his own
mouse. thousands of excited DeOnIe
Immediately thronged the Vicinitv
Mnere the crime was Committed =
When the sad Intelligence was fully
cOHnIneu, all the facts that, could be
ooCAIneu were ascertaiped within q
!eW 1nin5es: and eagerly commented
upon and discussed with GREAT ,ao.,e,.- -
ness but nothing which couId ha
elected or surmised could furnish a.,
lnteillg1ble solution of the manner la
Wnlch the foul deed had been narno.
ITated, or who could be the assassin
Ihe crime certainly is one of the boI-
Ge5t ana most mysterious murders Of
Whlcn we nave any record-tha celia
Drated Rogers case, in New YorI-
scarcely affurding its parallel.
Gen. McConnell's Residence is ona
OF the principal and most freouenfeI
streets, and, at the time the in,IrIe1-
was committed, people were passin0
ana repAss1lg ia front OF .iI. The
mouse Is an ordinary two story struc-
ture, with hall opening from the
'front.' at one side, and extending Gle r
through IL TO the rear. At the side of
the mouse is a one story addition,
Win door opening to the front and
building. -"
In this addition are located the bri-
vate room and office of the general
and IN this r ON the foul deed was
perpetrated. He was last seen aft
ABOUT 20 minutes before 8 o'cfocx. hv
his grandson, who brought him bis
morning mail. The GenersI's tabie
is located near the corner of the rooSr1
tarthest from the door, with roo13
enough-say four feet-to pass bebfod
q person sitting at the table and the
door cases with which the room is
lined. -
just before the murder his grand
son found him sitting with his righf.
sloe 10 tne table, and his feet on Ihe
hearCh OF the stove. AT 8 o'clock
certainly not later-his wife va In
the kltchen, getting up lunch for
the General, who was preparing to o1o
to Springfield.
The door from the kitchen To the
dining room into the hall. and the
oack hall outside door, all being omen
the servant girl, at work in q room
over the dining room, heard a sound
like fall in the Generals room lie
the violent slamming of a dom and
she believes, footsteps in the nan IL
The General had recently had a sIio,bt
attack Of apoplexy, and was annre.
nenslVe OF anoJher attack. Fearino,
the General had fallen in an apoplecee
nc MT, the girl Immediately came
down and went to the room. where
she found him lying prostrate upon
tue moor, WeIteIIng in his blood, The
aIarn sIaG was Immediately given Mrs.
nell, the Generals son. was serf So,.
The General was breathinp y,bSn
George Mcdonnell arrived, but eTni-
req before the arrival of physician.
george anu the the physician were at
nrst OF the opinion that the General
had been taken with hemorraoa Of
the lungs. He was lying with his 6,ce
In pool of blood, which concsaIeJ
his injuries; but, when the pbvsicisn
commenced to wipe away the blood
from the face, the fact that nurrio1.
OF more than usual atrocity had been
perpetrated, became apparent Five
wounds were found, any one of which
would have proved fatal. The assas-
sln, whoever he was, having been de-
termlned TO complete beyond, all prob.
aolilty Of failure, his bloody work.
ne nau received blow upon theb
OF the head, by which the skulI he'd
not only been crushed, but literaIIy
pulverized, fragments of the hona
having been driven far into the brsin
The skull, near the right fennT,IA q
little above the line of the eve U1ss
fractured. There was wound on the
lett temple, reaching upward inst nm
der the hair, in which some fhrea
square Inches OF the skull had been
completely driven in, as with a ham
mer, the wound being fully two inch
es In depth, Back of the left ear Uas
another serious fracture of the skuu
and still another under the rIpbt ear
bCslues these wounds any of which
Wouid nave proved fatal-the left law
was broken, without, however. anv
ABRASION OF the skin. Some of the
wounds are double, CORES bonding
PrecIseIy y IN size and angie. as if the
deadly blows had been Inflicted with
a monkey
Suspicion at first pointed directly at
the servant girl, from the fact that it
seemed as If some one haying access
10 the GeneraI'S room at ali times
must have committed the deed. and
rom the flct that it seems impossible
Ior her 10 have heard the noise She
says she heard; but her appearances
on the stand, and the fact thai She
iIas resided with the family for six
years past, that she has aIWavs been
On the best terms with the General.
and, to all appearances, devoted to
him, and that the family utterly re-
fuse TO entertain such thought. have
entirely relieved her from SUSPICION.
IL Is generally supposed that the Dart
of her story relating to the noise or
fall she heasd, is the result of amin.
preston created upon her mind bv
the excitement attending the discov-
cry of the horrible crime.