The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1869-04-16

A Woman and Four Children Murder
ed Near St. Pau,-Arrest of tbe Muir
derer-His Statement.
St. Paul, Mimi, April s.
A terrible tragedy, which shocks the
community, and freezes the blood with
horror, took place yesterday morning, in
Oakda township, Washington county,
about ten miles from St. Paul, and half a
mile southeast of the Halfway house, on
the Saltwater road. A farmer, Lamed
James b. Gray, well known to many in this
city, in a fit of insanity killed his wife and
four childreH, the particulars of the hor-
rible tragedy being as follows
The perpetrator of this horrible deed, j.
3. Gray is u man about 40 years of age, an
American by Births native of Harris
burg, Pa, powerfully built, six feet in
| height, with fine form, long, black bair,
and blue eyes. His wife, Alice, was 33
years of age. They were married at
Hastings, about II years ago. Her maid
en- name was Alice Farley, and her rela-
tives, we belIvc, live near Hastings still.
The children were two boys and two girls,
as follows: Margaret. aged nearly 10 !;
James B., Jr., aged s; David, aged S, and
the ilifated man live within short dis
tance of the scene of the murder, and four
brothers and three sisters reside
in this state. He is the eldest, ard
the only one of the boys married-Mrs
Smith, residing in the same township, and
Mrs. Groat, at Saltwater The family
removed to Minnesota some IA years
ago.
In 1855, when living in Harrisburg, he
took severe cold, which settled ln his
head, producing almost entire deafness
His disposition, p evious to this, was em
inently social, and he was very fond Of COM
pany, and proud OF his personal appearance
! his sudden in6rmity seems to have
weighed heavily upon his spirits. He be-
came, at times, morbidiy moody and low
spirited. He consulted TIE most eminent
physicians in Harrisburg st. Louis, and
other cities in hopes of obtaining relief,
and as hope died out, his disposition SEEM
ed to undergo change. His deafness
preye1 upon his mind and affected bis
health but up to short time ago, no
fears were entertained Of his sanity For
three or four days before committing the
deed, he had been unusually lows spirited,
and on Monday last, his brother, Maxwell,
had accompanied him to St. Paul. and got
some medicine from Mr. Wiley. On Tues
day, however, he felt much more cheerful,
and was busily employed during tn; whole
day III c-,ttlng wood.
About daylight, yesterday morning,
James Armstrong, near neighbor, heard
loud yells coming from the direction OF
Gray's house. His suspicious were areus
&C, and he walked over toward Gray
place, and when neur enough to hear, dis
tlnguished Grays screams to be the excla
nation, "Oh, come aud hang me, con
tirually repeated. He walked nearer ant
Saw Gray sitting on the steps of the grain
airy with rope III his hands, alternately
whistiing and screaming. Armstrong ral
at once to the residence OF Mr.. Z. NJ. Gray
tie father of the unhappy man, and gave
the alarm. The startled father took the
nearest route across the field, while Arm
strong, and one of the brothers, followed
the road to Gray's house. The aged faith
er arrived first, and, repairing to the house
pushed open the door, and, horror Of hor
rors, what sight met his eyes. his fou
little prattling grand children lay upon the
floor, side by side, covered with quilt
their throats cut from ear to ear, and THEN
faces gashed and cut in horrible manner
Turning from the sickening sight, almos
frozen with horror, he staggered back II
meet the gaze OF his maniac son, who wa
advancing toward him with rope in hi
hands. Closing with him, the agonizoG
father would have added another to the
ghastly list Of victims, but for the time
arrival OF Armstrong and the son Henry
Alter desperate struggle, the frenZlet
maniac was securely bound.
In answer to their in Iuiries regarding hi
wife he said II killed them all with tn,
axe, and they have gone to heaven Oh
hang me, hang me" He finally told then
that his wife was in the granary. Repair
ing their, WI rst fears were realized. Tn
body of Mrs: Gray was found Oh the floor
, also covered with quilt. A team wa
) procured, and Maxwell Gray, accompanie,
by Mr. Arbisch, started to St. Paul witt
= = the murderer, while other neighbors hur
ried off to inform the authorities 0
S the terrible tragedy that had been en-
acted.
On the road to this city, the prisone
was qniet but arriving at the Jail
about II o clock yesterday, the strength o
several men were needed to drag him to
) cell. His eyes were rolling in frenzy, ant
he struggled violently, even after bein,
laid upon mat In the cell.
'iSllCu tuC ltlitDCuldlciS upOU learn
ing of the facts, but found it utterly impos
sibe to CLEAN anything from the unfortun
ate being who Was sirugg ling In the grasl
OF powerful men. who were restraining hin
beyond the exclamation, Il killed them
) and they are all in heaven"
Upon entering the dwelling mos
shock ing scene met the eye. In the back
part of the the room are two beds-one OF
each side. That on the right was occupied
by the father, mother and little girl. Th
one to The left, directly in front of the door
by the other children. The pillows of tn,
latter were saturated with blood, and tn,
bed was so tumbled as 10 indicate consid
cradle struggle. The other bed was no
more disaranged than it would natural,
be in the morning Upon the floor, be
tween the beds and the door, lay the MUIR
dered children, placed in row-the lar
! gest nearest the foot of the beds, and The
smallest nearest the door, Their throat.
were cut so thoroughly as to almost seveI
e their heads from their bodies. These
wounds were Of the most horrible dcscrip
3 ton. They were at least three or fou1
inches in width, and extended clear across
1 from ear to ear. Besides the cashes In tn,