The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-08-25
A whole Family Murdered An Mas.
xaurfsrwo years Ago-The supposed
sssurdarers Arrested An nfnnesofa.


From the chicago Rspuaiican, August 20.
On the NIGHT of November 1, 1868, Fran.
cid W. NeWland. his wife Hannah, and their
child Samuel Lincoln twelve months. old,
were murdered for what they were worth,
in Webster county, matter of SIX miles
distant from Marshfeld, No. What they
were worth at the time of the atrocious pro.
ceeding was something like I 800 in cash,
and several head Of cattle, which, it might
be stated, bore all the evidence of good
feeding. This was the price of three lives.
A farmer walking for exercise the morn.
ing following the murder discovered the
corpse Of Mr.. Newland lying on the copse
in a.pool of blood, which Redeemed the 500
for yards. Another farmer, four days sub
sequently, stumbled over the body Of bis
wife by the wayside, mangled, evidently by
q ponderous club, and her throat cut from
ear to ear. The boy Samuel Lincoln New
land was never found.
Horror was depicted most wildly, as q
matter of course, upon the countenances OF
the villagers, and gossip hoped from
mouth to mouth in the most approved
fashion. But never word was whispered
that might indicate the perpetrator or per-
petrators of a wholesale butchery enacted
fbf night for 81 800 in cash and several
head of cattle. ...@s' ..s1-s.>s J.
/ About three months after, q family, com.
posed Of Charles Waller and his wife Han
nah, left Marshfeld and domiciled in q
small town in Rock county. Their record
in Marshfield was good-good enough, In
fact, to have attracted the good opinion OF
the murdered family, who engaged them to
work, and, in fact, they worked in New.
lands house when the affair occurred. But
who would suspect those people? s. A
Harshbearger, plain farmer, rather stout,
but sharp as needle, as will be shown, and
a friend of the Newland family besides
Well, he was a cousin Of the murdered
man.
This gentleman followed the Waller
family to Rock county, whence he was
gratitied by the sight upon their newly pur-
chased land of the identical cattle missing
from the Newland estate IN Marshfleld
Thriving apparently under the shadow o.
the great crime of q triple murder, the Wal
Ter family moved away shortly to Beaver
creek. distance of about fifty-fye miles.
Here they remained for q time, when they
departed to Fairbault, Mimi, where the
enterprising amateur detective followed and
arrested them on last Thursday. Upon
the woman he found q piece of chequered
plaid worn by the wife Of Mr.. Newland be.
fore the murder.
They arrived in this city yesterday in
company with their captor, and having
stayed during the afternoon in the Union
House, on the corner of Madison and Canal
streets, left at o'clock for the scene of the
tragical affair, lost almost to recollection
under the mist of two dozen months on
the Chicago, Alton and st. Louis railroad.
The man Waller is about forty-tive years
of age, has a right hand sawed off above the
knuckles, and, mouthful of tobacco to the
contrary, looked decidedly detected.
The woman Waller is about forty years
of age, and appeared perfectly passive,
thou gh when arrested she displayed an in
dignation rarely displayed by women other
than those who are strong-minded, and
unusually so.
The gentleman who has pursued the OBJ
ject of his suspicion so successfully believes
firmly that the dignity of the law in Marsh
field will be indicated, and the unholy
deed avenged, to the vast unsettlement OF
his prisoners.