Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1871-06-01
A Terrible Tragedy.

One of the most fiendish murders that
has eyer occurred in Ohio was enacted
Saturday evening last in Richfield,
Summit county. Robert Gargett, aged
seventy-one, and his wife Elizabeth,
aged sixty-seven, highly esteemed citl-
zens of Richfield, were shot down in
cold blood, by one John III. Hunter, a
disappointed suitor of their daughter.
It seems that Hunter had become ac-
quainted with Miss Gargett in the fol-
lowing manner Seeing a photograph
OF her i'm her sisters album in Michigan,
he wrote to her asking her to cOrres-
pond with him, at the same time taking
care TO furnish himself with numerous
recommendations After corresponding
some time, he visited her at her fathers
and by his faultless demeanOr entered
into the good graces of the family.
Miss Gargett subseq qently visited her
sister, Mrs. Gee, and during her stay,
became engaged to Hunter. Finding
out however, that Hunter was not the
aap she had taken him to be, she dis
carded him, telling him she did not
wish to have anything more to do with
him. This enraged hin, and he vowed
vengeance on her, If she would not con-
sent to retract her decision. She was firm
however, and returned home. Two or
three days after her arrival, she received
letter from him, filed with ardent pro-
testation of affection. i'1
The letter was not answered, and shs
aud her friends believed the intimacy at
an end. On Saturday, Hunter again
made his appearance at the house of Mr..
Gargett. Hunter asked him where Miss
Gafgett was, and he replied, at don't
matter where she is, she don't want to
see you, and you can't see her, Hunter
declared, with an oath. -Ethat he would
see her, whereupon Mr.. Gargett ordered
him to leave the premises. As quick as
thought, the cowardly. assassin drew a
revolver and shot the aged man through
the head. He rushed to the house, and
meeting the old lady in the hall, shot
/ her also, but not until she had called to
| her daughter, who was coming down
stairs, to 1run for your iifein The girl,
| taking the warning of her mother,
Jumped from her chamber window, d
distance of thirteen feet, without injury,
and escaped to 4 neighbar'S house. By
this time Rodney Gargett, the girls
brother, entered and grappled with
Hunter. A fierce struggle followed
Gargett received 4 shot in the head
which craZed him for time. Hunter
then went up stairs, evidently to murder
Miss Gargett also. Not finding her, he
came down and proceeded leisureiy tt
load his nearly emptied revolver. Sew
erai neigbbors watched him from saft
| no hic l,lctnI ln(
walked off, when one OF them slip
ped up and grappled his arms and hell
him until several Others closed In upol
him and bound him with ropes. TIT
proper papers being made out, he wa
taken TO Akron and lodged in jail. 1ouns
Gargett was severely but not dangerous
lIy wounded. 4he old gentleman, at las
accounts, was still breathing, but grow,
ING worse rapidly. Mrs. Gargett llyet
only about FIVE minutes.
Ground was broken on Monday a
Bucyrus, on the Northern Division
) of the Atlantic and Lake Erie Rail
troad. All the bells in the city wer
rung. the factory and steam mil
whistles blown, and 2 procession
formed of the different fire compan
les, and an immense concourse o
citizens, who marched to the poin
designated for commencing the roper
ations.
West Rochester, VI, IS atfiicte'
with black bears to such an eNten
that the people anticipate the neces
sity Of an orgSfized warfare agalns
them. r.. -'7s -..
: One real estate agent ut Newpor
has rented one hundred and tw
furnished cottages for the season
leaving only some twenty more I
? let. So great u demand for cottage
was never Known as this season.