Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1871-05-31
Murder in Summit County.

---EL --- ~ III - III d ~
OF age, he tw~enty-eight. She returned
TO this state something over q year ago,
and last fall he paid her a visit. being
well received by the family. His visit
IN the family was prolonged, the attach
ment between him and Miss Gargette
strengthened and intensified. When he
returned home to Michigan he kept up
correspondence with her and endeavor-
cd 70 obtain the consent of her parents
70 MS marriage with the daughter. The
winter passed and in the spring he was
informed that the marriage was impossi-
bic, peremptorily ordered to desist from
all further correspondence, and to give
up whatever -pretensions he had to Miss
Gargett's hand. This aroused the de-
mon in his bosom. He swore that he
would have her or slay her, and used
every means in his power to execute his
threat.
Last week he concluded that all en-
deayOrs 10 obtain her in marriage would
be useless, and set about to take her life.
He came 10 this city and stopped at the
City Hotel, where he took the stage for
Richfield Saturday. Arriving at his
destination in the afternoon, he repaired
Immediately to the house of Mr.. Robert
Gargett and asked where the daughter
was. cit makes no difference where
she is" answered the father, you can
not see her.
81 will see her" said he, or Hkil all
Of you.'
The father hereupon ordered him to
leave his premises, and Hunter drew a
revolver and fired, hitting the old man
in the head.
The old man fell, rendered insensible
by the wound and the mother who vas
standing near by cried Quito her daugh-
ter:
"He has killed your father, hyl fly"
The daughter ran up stairs and the
murderer aimed at the mother, shooting
her in the head and causing instant
death. AS the last echo of the report Of
the pistol mingled with the moan of the
dying mother and ceased vibrating on
the air, the fend shrieked that he would
kill all Of them, and rushed forward
toward the staircase where the daughter
had disappeared. The lady's brother,
Rodney, here grsppled him, and a vio-
lent struggle ensued, n employing
every energy to liberate himself TO slsy
a ~defenceless and loved woman the
other bending every energy 20 save the
life Of a sister. In minute the blood
thirsty man triumphed. He leapt from
the clutches of the brother, and raising
his revolver fired at him a shot that put
him beyond the power Of interfering.
Rodney rushed into the street, frantic
from his wound, and ran about filling
the air with shrieks and screams, the
life blood trickling from his wound.
In an instant he was a good distance
from the scene Of the tragedy. A large
crowd gathered about him totally I'M
able to comprehend the meaning Of his
cries, and Dol moved toward his house,
where the bloody truths became but too
apparent.
In the meantime, the daughter, hear
ing the second report Of the pistol, and
seeing her maniac brother stagger thro'
the streets, leaped from a secOnd-story
window into the street and sought refuge
in a neighboring house. An old lady,
in whose house she entered, secreted
her in a cellar and then returned to
her front door Just in time to meet the
bloody murderer on the Threshold.
He demanded admission and was re-
fused. The brave woman stood before
her door, barring the passage way and
stOutly refusing him admittance. He
here again declared his purpose TO Kill
the young woman, mingling his threats
with the most unseemly oaths, and say
ing that she should either wed him or
die. The crowd gathered around, and
he then said he would shoot himself,
and raised the revolver to his head to
let il fall harmless to his side. He then
aimed the weapons at q young mar in the
crowd, uttering a threat, but did not fire.
He reeled about for a moment or two
pointing his revolver at every one who
| came near, and finally moved away from
the house.
It became evident now that Hunters
plan was to assume insanity, and he at
once began 10 play this part as a closing
scene in the dire tragedy. A mother lay
dead bathed in her blood, a father was
MORALLY wounded, a son was rendered
wild and insane from a shot, and the
author of all this crime now began to
enact the role of a mailman. With the
seven shooter in his hand, Q III barrels
loaded, he mingled with the excited
throng calling himself q murderer, and
extending his blood-stained hand to all
he met. ''Shake hands with me- said
he, "see how it seems to shake the hand
Of a murderer" al was determined to
kill or marry her. "Ifyou don't shake
hands with me III shoot you" "Hur-
rah for q murderer" With these and
other cries he staggered about the streets,
compelling every one 10 shake hands
with him, and finally wandered back to
the house where lay the dead mother
and the wounded father. Several at
tempts were made to arrest him, but to
all who approached he presented the
deadly barrel and they shrank back.
Here in front Of Mr.. Gargett's house a
man from the crowd slipped behind the
murderer and threw him to the ground.
An instant later he was bound. the re-
vOlver Wrenched from his hand, and all
power Of doing harm taken from him.
In this position the murderer asserted
that he had drank a great deal, and was
even then under the influence Of liquor.
He tried 10 vomit, and said he had taken
poison from remorse, and wanted to
kill himself. Neither assertion was
listened TO, for it was clear that he was
not under the influence Of liquor, and if
he had desired self destruction it could
easily have been obtained by the loaded
revolver.
The excitement existing among the
| crowd was intense, and a strong dispo-
sition was manifested to hang the muir
} derer at once without trial. The friends
Of law and order, however, prevailed,
t and Hunter wa placed in confinement
to await a judgement for his damned
/, crimes from twelve jurymen. The
| wounded son, OF behOlding him and
understanding the terrible crime that
agitated the bosoms Of these around
t him, attempted to grasp the murderer OF
his mother and destroyer Of the peace
? Of his family. He was restrained, and
the thoughts of the crowd turned to the
ana Lle ueaus
At four O'Clock yesterday morning a
messenger arrived at the Central police
? station witt the tidings of the murder,
and inquired for the Office OF DR.. Proctor
, Thayer. Citizens of Riehfeld had sent
for the Doctor with the belief that by
!, his aid the wounded men could be re-
, stored. The Doctor arrived yesterday
during the forenoon, and proceeded at
= once to administer all the care that sur
: gical and medical skill could suggest.
He has but little hope of the recovery of
the father, and the fate Of the son de-
pends more upon his own conduct than
I anything else. If he can be kept quiet
1 and calm, he will probably recover. The
father has a bullet in his brain, and may
live some days, though there is every
probability that the shadows of death
/ will thicken about him before long.
Yerterday afternoon Prosecuting At
terney Edgerton of Akron, with other
: county officers, arrived in Richfeld.
when a post mOrtem examination Of the
9 body of the mother and a cononer's in
1 quest was held. The verdict was in &C.
: cordance with the above facts.
Y Hunter was taken to Akron, to be con-
fined in Jail. On the way he conversed
= freely with his guardians, stating that
he did wrong to shoot the father and
mother, and only intended to kill the
1 daughter. He intimated that he was
unconscious Of what he was doing when
, the father refused him admission, and
seemed to be preparing the way for
{ emotional INSANITY"
n