Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-05-27
HANCOCK COUNTY.
The Death of Young Chain.

There has been considerable ex-
citement during the past week IN
regard to the death Of this young
man which took place at the sresi,
dence of his father last Sabbath. In
company with the Prosecuting At
torney and Ezra Brown, Esq ), we
visited the young man a few days
before his death. This visit was
made by the Prosecuting Attorney
f,r the i.u.pose OF taking his depo-
sition, that in case Of his death ;
which was likely to result, the ends
OF justice might be furthered, and
not at the request Of any one, as we.
hear has since been asserted The
young m n did not appeare willing
to make any statement at that time,
nor at any other. Below we give the
testimony of a brother Of the de
seased:
JAMES CHA1N-I am going on II
years Of age: my brothers name is.
Jeremiah Chain he died yesterday
at 20 minutes to 7 O'Clock P. NJ; it
was in that room in Hancock coun
ty, State of Ohio; was present at
the time of the atfray my father
was at the table, about 6 or o'clock
in the evening; it was not dark yet !
he said he was quarreling up town,
or at least he had fight; af.eT
Jerry had started to town, he com
menced calling my mother names !;
my mother told ME to go and call
him back; he was carrying on so
that she could not stand it; l hal
looed for him to come back ;he did
not know that anything was going
on; he told him (the accused }, tn
60 to town with Am, he should not
stay here; my father was lying on
the bed with knife in his hand; as
soon as Jerry came in, he got up in
this way (here witness showed the
position); Jerry told him he had to
go along to town, that he could not
stay here. any longer, and he said he
would not do it, as this was his. and
he was going to stay here; Jerry
went up to the bed and told him he
should go up to town with him !;
Jerry went up to catch hold of him :;
[ don't know whether he hit him or
not; they fell across on to the bed !;
Jerry was on top, and they lay a
couple OF minutes before Jerry hal
looed for them to take the knife out
Of his hand; jumped on the bed
and snatched the blade of the knife !;
mother got hold of his (the accus
ed's) wrist; and got the knife out
of his hand; Jerry hallooed that he
the accused had his thumb in his
mouth l shut up the knife and gave
it to my mother, and she tried to
pry his teeth open with it; she then
gave me the knife and got hold OF
his nose and choked him off; he let
go ofhls thumb, and she and Jerry
went to the kitchen and porch; she
cot basin full of water, and after
takiug his shirt off, washed him off.
Father went up to the bureau and
took something, and then went out
Of the house, and got out Of the gate
and went and picked up hickory
pole.-Bill Chain went out to watch
him, and Tthe accused Levi Chain
told him that if he went up to him
he would knock his brains out; then
he went across the commons and /
and Henry FIater and Charlie Kinzie
followed him to see where he would
90; that is all we seen of him till
the Constable catched him; Jerry
did not strike him; he might
have struck him with his open hand !;
1 was present and saw all that hap
pened; my mother and the baby
and my brother Mack were present.
William was not present.-When
the Constable arrested father, he
had a club in his hand: the knife