The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1871-06-15
lF-Om the Akron Times of May 81
THE SUBMIT COUNTY MURDERS.

lF.om the Akron Times of May 81
THE SUBMIT COUNTY MURDERS.
ReVeage OCa DIscardedL OVeF-MOfheE,
and Father RfIIed-A Brother 6hOd
Full Particular Of the Dreadfn1l
Affair.
On Sunday morning the usual quiet of
our city on Sabbath day was startled by
the announcement that on Saturday night
a murder most foul had been committed
in the township of Richfeld, a little over
q mile from the Center. SO numerous and
conflicting were the stories ahoat in regard
to the matter that we started for the scene.
Along the road we passed carriage after
carriage on the way to the spot where the
horrid tragedy was committed. We found
it a lovely spot. Nature had, with a Law
ish hand, beautifed and adorned this place
that for years had been the home of Rob
ert R. Gargett, his wife and family. Thirty
years ago he had come to this place poor
and alone. He had, by honest industry,
acquired wealth, and had seen grow up
around him a happy family. All Of his
children had left him save a son, Robert
R. Gargett, a young man twenty-five
twenty four. These, with his wife and the
WAAN Va AL1 will EAO AdpDI
household. On Saturday night q villain
named John H. Hunter had entered the
premises and ia one short moment sent
the loved wife and mother to her final rest
ing place, mortally wounded the old gray
haired father, and badly shot the sun, Wig
orous and strong on the threshold of man
hood. On the grounds were some three
hundred people from all parts of the coun-
try, drawn there by the tidings of the
dreadful tragedy friends who had come
to mour and ~sympathise with che family
thus suddenly cast into the deepest gloom.
From those on the ground and from the
lips Of those who were actors in the fear
full tragedy we learn the following particu-
lars:
Old Nh. Gargett has an elder SON resid-
ing with his wife in Alma, Grstiot county,
Michigan. In March, 1870, while board
ing at their house, q young man named
John d. Hunter saw in their family album
a photograph of Miss Chloe Gargett, and
on being told who she was said that she
was my wife I'd bet q thousand dollars"
He then induced her sister to write to her
asking permission to open a correspond
ence. This was done and the two cores
ponded, as Hunter says, until they became
engaged. Last August he paid her visit
NE-1 49, . AO&2Ct HAC4AA4uA1k NnClO
from Saturday until Monday. Willis
there he says he wastreated as the accept
ed sutton of the daughters hand. On his
way back to Michigan he stopped at
Oberhn to visit q sister, and wrote to
Chloe to visit him there. He says she did
so.
On his return to Michigan the CORES
pondenee was kept up, but rumors of bad
report reaching the girls ears she dropped
the correspondence. About Christmas she
went to visit her sister in Michigan and
again renewed her acquaintance with
Hunter, and, as he says, frequently ac-
knoWledged the engagement. He decided
her a lot Of land valued at one hundred.
dollars and bestowed other presents upon
her.
About three weeks ago she returned to
her home, and though Hunter says he has
written to'her several times she has not
replied. This so worked upon his mind
that on Thursday last he left his home and
came to Richheld. At Cleveland he took
the hack and on the way told Moses Nc
Farhn, the driver, that che was going af-
ter his wife, Chloe, and if he could not get
her he should clean out the whole family"
He also showed him the fatal pistol, say
ing that that was what he was going to
do it with" On reaching the Center of
Richfeld one of the first persons be met
was Robert Rodney, the brother of Chloe.
He, according to Rodney's story, sad moth
ing about his, sister, but went 10 the hotel
with him and drank q glass of beer. and
talking about matters of general interest,
rode, with him to the house. Hunter saws
that he told Rodney that he came for his
sister, that he was going to marry her, and
that he asked Rodney to assist him IN get
ting the. girl and promised to give him a
cane which ne had. They at last reached
! the house, Old Mr.. GSrgett and q neigh
Dor, Mr.. Seth s. Waldo, were inst enter
ing the yard when, according to Mr.. Wal
dos statement, Hunter asked for Chloe.
MI. Gargett turning said, "You can not
Esee her, and ALL lwRntof you isito leave
the premises" Hunter eaYs Mr. Gargett
attacked him with the pail. At any rate
| Hunter at this moment drew the pistol
and 6redone shot which entered the brain
| of the old gentleman and be fellupon the
grass. From this moment Hunter Gays be
remembers nothing until he was bound by
his captors; but from the statement Of
others it appears that quick as thought
the cowaEdly assassin drew the revolver
from his pocket, aimed at the head of Mr..
Gargett and fired, the ball entering square
" near the left temple abOutan inch above
the eye. Without uttering a word the
victim fell in his track like e bullock be-
fore the butchers axe. Mr.. Waldo and
young Gargett were, for a moment trans
liked with terror, and before they could
trecover themselves the murderer, whose
| fierce passions of rage, hate and revenge
had faII swav dasbed INTO the housesbv
the side door. Mrs. Gargett, who has
been rather inirm for several years, arose
from her seat at the sound Of the pistol
and cast her eye into the yard. A single
glance told her of the terrible crisis that
had come. At the sSmetime she heard
her daughter who was in her chamber
dressing for q party, coming down the
stairway, she, also, having been alarmed.
Mrs. Gargett had only time to cry out to
her. run, run for your life when the
ruf6an, revolver in hand, confronted her
in a small hall near the stairway doac.
What words passed beteen them, if any, Is
not known, except that he was heard to
exclaim, "Where IS the girl" With a
diabolical iendishness that couldn not be ex-
celled by the yeriest demon from the infer-
nal regions, he placed the revolver within
a few inches of the head of the aged and
helpless M and fired. The ball en-
tered near the left temple, also, and she
1 S1uk uDOn luC AlOOAs IL nv A--1NEl SLN
was q corpse. Mr.. Waldo states that not
more than a minute elapsed betYeen the
shooting of Nj. and Mrs dargatt. 1t was
evident that the assassin was bent on dos
ing his deadly work swiftly and surely.
By the time the second shot was fred,
Rodney Gargett was in the house, and
grappled Hunter with all his strength. A
fierce but brief struggle ensued- Gargett
received a shot in the head. Just st the
base of the left ear, which, for the time,
crazed him. The ball passed ont and en-
tered a panel of the door. During the
minute or two since Hunter had entered
the house a fourth shot had been heard
by persons outside, but afterwards Its
mark could not be found. The villain
evidently thought that he had finished
Rodney, and then, having shot three OF
the family. there being none lett 70 oppose