The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1870-06-23

Thy name on our tablets never will rust,
Nor thy memory cease to warm.
r.4 !. LANCASTER, o.
STRANGELY DISCOVERED.
In tile small town Of P, in
the State of Massachusetts,, in the
year 1880, lived two brothers, nam
ed George and Francis Wrexham.
George, the elder, was forty and
Francis was thirty-seyeD. Both
were married, both respectable and
both considered "well to dov in
the world. George was q farmer
who had varied his occupation oc-
casionally by buying up cattle and
driving them to Boston. Francis
was a store keeper and bought his
goods in that city.
1t happened that in the month
of September, 1880, thatboth went
to Boston but not in company.
Each went on business of his own,
but in a different manner. George
drove in some cattle, accompanied
by his son a lad of seventeen, and
hired man.
He left Boston one afternoon &C
companied only by his son. The
distance home was too far for o
single journey, and it was his in
tention, as expressed to his broth
er, whom he met in the city, to
ride out Of town about twenty
miles and put up for the night
Francis said he should be detained
in town some two or three days
This conversation occurred on the
morning of the same day on which
George set out on his return. The
hired man at his own request was
permitted to remain in the city an
other night.
Between ten and fifteen miles from
the city of Boston the road which
George Wrexham took led through
a deep, dark, heavily wooded val
lev. Here, as he and his son wer'
riding side by side late on the al
terioon of the fatal day, two shots
were fired in quick succession
from the thicket and both rider
fell. The elder Wrexham, slight.
in advance Of his son, was sho
through the heart and killed. Tn
lad was struck on the head by
ball, which glanced and only stun
ned him. He fell to the ground
however, and lay as if dead, an,
both horses ran away.
Soon after consciousness return
ed to young Wrexham, and, with
out moving, he distinctly saw tn
murderer, having a black mask o
his face, bending over the bod
of his father and rifing the pocl
cts ola large sum of money he ha
on his person. Instinct, ratht
than reason kept him quiet and b
watched every movement. He sa
the murderer take out his ow
pocket book, open it in hurrie'
tremulous manner, and then hastil
thrust into it a large roll of bill
after which he rose to his fee
glanced quickly around, and r
moved the mask long enough I
!. wipe the perspiration from his fac
The boy instantly recognized tt
face of that man Of crime, and b
came if anything more horrifiC
than ever. Still he did not spef
or stir, but lay as if dead, exact
I where he had fallen down. TT
murderer glanced around him for
{ moment or two, replaced the mas
darted into a thicket and disa
peared.
4 Young Wrexham lay in the san
position for some five or ten mi
utes longer, and then, in gre
confusion went over to the body
his father. On the ground whe
- the murderer had been kneeling
saw a tobacco-box and piece
paper with writing on it, Scare
ly conscious what he did in his e
cited state, and without any co
scious reason for the act, he fold
up the paper and put it into &
box. Then searching good siz,
stone imbedded in the earth at Il
foot of q large tree, he lifted 1t u
put the box under it and settl
the stone back upon so as to col
pletely conceal it.
., He had just finished doing I'll
y! when the rustling of the bush
attracted his attention, and, wi
increased terror, he saw the mi
emit dercr leap back into the road, wi
the mask still on, and hurried
q. search for something.
At first he did not miss t
LIE youth from his place, but when
Ill did he appeared to grow great
alarmed, and looked quickly abe
him. The lad, though screened
J. some bushes, was now SO fear
of being discovered, that he was
the point ofspringingup and da
ing away; but at this critical n
ment a dull, pattering sound J
came plainly audible and
frightened murderer turned q
~ fed. $50 1e $3.50 i'A
Not long after this two mou
@1I ed travellers appeared and disc
cred the horrible murder, Thou
greatly excited aswas natural Il
should be under the circumstan
~ sthey were brave men, and stopl
and examined the body. Then
y is drawing his pistols, said be wo
;l i.s remain there alone while the OF