The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-09-14
The Family Of Old John Harper
Killed in Their Beds.
The House Entered Sunday Night
and Their Heads Split Open
with q Haichet.
A HOrrid, HOrrid Work

lldI pcIi tlc O"HC' W hNuS'S''O"I WIN
murdered in their beds, at their resi-
dence, in Woodiord county, just before
daylight, yesterday morning. Who did
the terrible deed is not known. Mr..
John Harper and HE old bachelor
brother and maiden sister were the only
white persons who lived on the place.
They were born there, and had lived
there together until the youngest son
was over seventy years Of age. Ii was
an immense estate-one OF the largest
and the owners the most veal thy
farmers in Kentucky. 1t is about
three miles from Milway. and fifteen
miles from Lexington, adjoins the great
Alexander stock farm, and is in the
heart of the Blue Grass region. Mr..
John Harper was not at home on the
fatal night. He had gone to the Lex
ington races, at which the famous
Longiellow and several other OF his
horses were to run. Mr.. Jacob Harper
and Miss Betsey Harper were the only
ones at home, except about twenty or
thirty negroes, who are employed upon
the plantation.
DISCOVERY OF THE MURDER.
Judging from appearances the bloody
work must have been committed about
3 o'clock in the morning. 1t was not
discovered until alter sun up. Mr..
Jacob slept in room adjoining that Of
his sister upon the first tloor. About
halfpast five clock the housekeeper, a
negro woman, went into the room OF
Mss Betsey. -bu, noticed nothing wrong,
but she remembers Of hearing the old
lady groan once or twice but as she
was very feeble and had been almost
bedridden for a long time, no particular
attention was paid to it. A half hour
after this Mr.. Harper's man servant
weut in to wake him. He first called
and then took hold OF the old man s
shoulder, but still noticed nothing ex
cept that he was unusually hard TO
wake. He then lett the room. The
first discovery was made by the woman
servant who, having gone in TO waken
Miss Betsey, noticed blood upon the bed
clothes, and on looking closer found
that the old lady's head and face were
horribly mutilated, and that she was
lying in a pool OF blood. The bed was
literally besmeared with gore. The
woman ran out screaming, and the
alarm was soon given. Word Of the
terrible tragedy was sent through the
neighborhood, and soon excited people
began 10 flock in from all directions
Mr.. Harper was found with his head
almost beaten TO a jelly and dead He
was cold and stark and stiff Miss
Betsey was unconscious, but still living.
She was not dead at noon yesterday.
ARRIVAL OF JOHN HARPER
A messenger was sent to Lexington
for Mr.. John Harper, and he arrived
about nine o'clock, TO find his beautiful
home in an uproar and his aged brother
and aged and feeble sister the victims
OF crime 80 horrid and brutal and
bloody that the shock of it almost ever
came him. The whole neighborhood
had assembled and crowded the rooms
and the halls in mute horror. The
negroes stood around the doors weep.
ing, and the old house servant, the
nurse OF Miss Betsey. knelt at the bed.
side oil her old mistress, crying as if her
heart would break What a reception
for the man Of seventy years. Ills grief,
it is said, was indescribable. He cried
like child. 1t was a terrible moment,
and many who had feared the conse-
auences of his arrival now believed that
he would not survive the shock.
THE INVESTIGATION.
No time was 10 be lost, however, and
the investigation was Immediately un
dertaken. rhe coroner arrived about
eleven o'clock and proceeded to hold an
inquest. A number oi negro,s upon
the place were examined, and, though
the evidence had not all been helrI at
last accounts, there was enough To
fasten the guilt upon several Of the COL
ored employees.
OBJECT OF THE AssASsfSs.
1t seems that, on Saturday last, Mr.
Jacob Harper went down TO Frankfort,
and, it is thought, drew five hundred or
a thousand dollars out OF the bank
Upon his return to Midway, he offered
to bet large amounts on the Longfellow
race, and exhibited money, and this
came to the knowledge OF the assassins.
1t was not the habit OF the family to
keep money about the house Money
was undoubtedly the object OF the nur-
der, but whether the murderers obtained
any or not it is unknown. A pocket
book that Mr.. Harper generally carried
was missing from his body, though
nothing else about the house was dis-
turbed.
BLOOD ON HIS SHIRT.
Upon bearing Of the tragedy Mr.. Har.
per set out immediately from Lexing.
ton. and was driven home by his
trainer, Rolla, colored boy whom be
raised, aud who is devoted to him.
About four miles from town they met
a negro man who had been hired upon
the place only Jew days before. They
inquired about the trouble at home,
when he replied that there was nothing
the matter; that be had lett only an
hour before, and everything was all
right. He then passed on, when Rolla
remarked that he saw "blood on that
fellow shirt" This negro whose name
10 not learned, was afterwards sent after
and arrested in Lexington. Further
developments 60 to prove undoubtedly
that he took leading part in the mur
der.
HEARD SOMETHING FALL.
A boy named William, who VA
raised by Mr.. Harper. and who is abou