The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-11-10
Sal. t,nnte R.n,t..t:
THE REIGN OF BLOOD.
Another Horrible Case OF wife MUIR.
der Near Lima, Ohio.


LIMA, OHIO, Oct %, 1870.
Il has lust come to light to day that q
man, Lying about nine miles southwest OF
this place, named Bittinger, murdered his
wife last Monday night. The deed was
done by cutting her throat in an awful
with a butcher knife, and stab
hing her with. the same instrument IN
four different places, and then threatened
to kill his children If they told OF II, and
also told them they must bury her, 1t Is
said they then dug away some DIRT and
put her body under the porch Of the house.
Bittinvsr left Immediately for parts N
known. The children, it seems. remained
in fear M TO this time, and then informed
some neighbors, who came here TO day al
ter the Coroner to hold an inquest.
The mans name who committed the
muderi Is Andrew Brentlinger, lot Blttln-
ger, as first reported. Coroner Felss and
DR.. Metzgcr Of this place were notified
Yesterday Of the murder, and went 20 the
house. It is a log house, and distant
about half . mile nom any other farm
house. They found q crowd OF neighbors
there. and also the murderer Brentlinger.
who had returned home and made a full
confession. II appears that himself and
wife bad not been living peSceably togeth-
er, and parted at one time and got togeth-
er again some time sincc, but lived no bet
ter than before. Brentlinger was Jealous
Of q neighbor who visited the house often,
anil Thought he was crininally intimate
with his wife. On Monday afternoon last
about two o'clock they sos into a quarrel
in front OF the house CT the porch, when
he tripped her and struck her on the head,
knocking her down on her face. lie then
turned her over and stabbed her several
times with a small knife. Then he called
his little girl, telling her to bring his large
knife, = dirk. She refused TO &c 30 az first,
but he threatened 20 XII! her also, and she
finally got il. With this knife be finished
his hellish work, and left his vic 10 de
tie then went On horseback 10 ono OF ms
soma, working some Eve miles distant, amt
70 another some fifteen miles distant, and
told them what he had done, and gave
them instructions 10 bury her, saying be
would kill them If they refused or told ol
The murder. They went home, ana on
Thursdsv morning about i O'Clock aug .
hole about thirty steps from the housc,
aud about two feet deep, put the body IN
lace downward, in the same clothes IN
which she was murdered, al covered and
stuck together with blood, covered her up
aud plowcd aud narrowed the ground over.
to conceal the place. Tie body when re-
moved Yesterday WAS very black, and
showed eight stabs. four in tie region OF
the breast and four in the abdomen. Or,
Metzger hold . post msrtem examination,
which revealed two ribs broken, 4 stab
through the liver snd IN other vital parts,
Il was not shown in the testimony before
the coroner that the woman had been
criminally intimate with anyone. Brent
liuger was brought here last night and
lodged IN Jail. He is q man OF ~forblddiug
appearance. and has borne o bad ehsrae-
tor in the county. but has never been
known to use intoxicating drink. The
woman was his second wife, by whom he
has two children. Her age was % yearB.
while he is 81. His children by his first
wife are said to be very ignorant-cannot
read or write. An effort will be made to
have him tried at the October term CT
court, which is still in session here. 1t IS
not thought that he is insane.