The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-12-23

The Recent Murder At Lynn, Massa'
ehusetts-Fall Particulars of the
AFFAIR.
The horrible tragedy at Lynn, in
which q man murdered bis wife and q
police officer, and had to be shot five
times before he could be captured, occu'
pies considerable space in the Boston
journals. The following is an abbreVi'
ated accounto of the affair: ..
The murderer's name was William
Vannar. He was thirty-fve years old,
and native of Washington, Maine.
He had of late years been q victim oi
intem perate habits, which rendered
him an abusive, dangerous man.
Among his acquaintsuces from youth
up was Miss Luce. She was two years
older than himself and, over twelve
years ago was married to her first hus,
band. He died, leaving her with three
children. In about four years after bis
death she married Vannar, against the
earnest entreaties of both her own and
his relatives. Soon troubles arose be-
tween them, and four times she was
compelled to leave him and take refuge
in her fathers family, where she would
remain until Vaunar's entreatles and
promises would effect reconciliation
and return. The last time she left him
he came to her fathers house when none
but herself and mother were in, and de-
nanded in violent language that she
should return with him or he would
kill her. She refused to 60, when Van.
mar drew q knife and rushed at her,
giving her q stab in the breast Mrs.
Luce then seized a stick Of wood and
told him to stop or she would split his
head open, when Vannar turned and
stabbed her also in the breast. He then
ran hastily from the house, but returned
about four hours after. The two
women's wounds not proving serious, a
country justice simply put him under
four hundred dollars for simple assault
on his wife. He furnished the bonds
and then left the town, but kept his
vile secretly informed Of his wberea-
bouts, and after he had been missing
nearly four months, she left the house
under pretext Of going to see neigh
bor; since then she has not been seen
by her parents. She met her husband,
and they were seen taking the cars
from Augusta. This was last June,
since when, with the exception Of about
a month, they have been in Lynn.
On the day of the murder, Vannar
and his wife were in their room on the
second floor, when she picked up soil
ed shirt of his, saying that she would
take it down stairs and wash it. This
did not suit his convenience; but she
insisted, and proceeded down stairs.
The disregard shown to his wishes
seemed to infuriate Vannar to such an
extent that he sprang after her; but
from this point the story is incomplete,
for there is no living witness of what
trauspired till the terrible struggle which
ensued eliminated in murder. The first
intimation OF serious trouble was series
OF frightful groans heard by the land
lady, whe stood speechless with terror,
while murder was committed, and until
the murderer re-entered her apartment
smeared with blood. This he coolly
washed from his hands and face, and
after wiping his weapon, with which
the deed was committed, an ugly clasp
knife, with a blade five inches in
length, be asked the affrighted woman
to give his overcoat and gloves to his
sister, Mrs. Caswell, residing in Chest,
nut street. He then deliberately went
down stairs, stepping over the body OF
his victim, who lay dead in the front
entry, and undertook his escape from
the scene OF blood, proceeding to Rock 8
pasture, large, rugged tract Of land
between the city proper and Glenmore
village; but the alarm was so quickly
given that large number of citizens,
who were quickly joined by a detach.
ment of police, finally corralled the
fugitive upon a small hill in the
northern portion Of the pasture. .
Here the pursuers and pursued
made a temporary stand, but quickly
taking the offensive the murderer made
a plunge at Mr.. Goodridge, and par
TALLY overcoming that officer, was met
by Mr.. Thurston, when the two went
down together. Then followed a fright,
full struggle, the officer doing his best to
control the ssnguinary fiend, whose
cleaning knife was playing through
the air, finding lodgment in poor
Thurston's form five times. Every
effort was made to take Vannar of, but
finally Marshal Barrett intervened, and
by FIVE shots from his revolver, terml-
mated the miscreant's life.