St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-03-14
The Isle of Shoals Murder.

For cool. Deliberate tiendishness. the
double murder III SmuttN Nose island.
hlonday night, forms a lit comparisons
piece to the. brutal \orthwood tragedy
The only occupants 81 the island We're
John and Mrs. lloutN ct. ami Matthew
HOutvet, brothers. Ivan Crissensou and
wife, Annette. and Il sister. Karen CHS
seneun. The mcu were absent most OF
the time roll-tishinm. and on the night
ing their trolls for the mOrrow's fishing.
Louis Wagner. the murderer, was i'll
the employ of liuutNet. aud during Il
portion of the evening was assisting Ill
the task lie VA, atterward seen on
one of the whaIVcs with AN AK. and sub
sequently ruwed to the island in dory
Reaching the sceue of his brutal work
about midnight. he proceeded to the
house. when the women. who had re-
tired, hearing him enter. supposed it to
be John HoutNet. Mrs. Houtvet and
Nrs. CrisSenson wer. sleeping together.
and were reused 10y the struggle in the
kitchen, where Karen Cris>tnson was
sleeping ON the lounge. Having finish
ed his first victim. the ticnd, proceeding
To the next room. dlSCerned Mrs. Girls
seuSon escaping through the window.
He gave chase. overlook her near the
corner of the house and struck her i'll
the back of the head with the AK. kill
ing her almost instantly. He then
dragged the body into the house. laid
il 10y the side of his other victim on the
floor. and, Lighting lantern. proceeded
to search the island for Mrs. Houtvet.
who had hidden among the rocks. and
remained undiscovered until morning.
when She succeeded i'll communicating
with Appledure island.
The murderer. having searched the
house for the money. which was the
motive for the deed. and secured SD.
started for Portsmouth, reaching the
city about o'clock i'll the morning.
Here he took breakfast, was shaved
and chopped, and started for Boston.
The authorities. meanwhile. ascertain
ing the direction i'll which Wagner had
lied, started III pursuit. with Il photo
graph, which subsequently served 30
identify him, at Boston. Wagner Is -
years OF age. Il native of Stettin, Prus-
STA, and came to Boston five ycaIs ago
to escape military service. He is of the
light. sandy complexion common to per
sens of his nativity, thin features, and
is, on the whole, quite prepoSScssing III
appearance. As il was supposed that
Wagner, who was familiar with the
North end, would seek some of his old
hauuts. search was commenced i'll that
objection. and soon rewarded bv the
discovery of the criminal. lurking in
the doorway of IL drinking shop. On
his person was found II small amount of
money. and subsequently his old clothes
al Ill, h.. L.. L
purchased Il new outfit and bore traces
OF blood. Wagner made no resistance
when arrested, and us he did not object
to returning to Portsmouth. was taken
back, yesterday morning. The progress
of the prisoner had been heraidcd along
the line of the road. and at every sta
ton excited crowds filled the depots,
rushed into the car and clambered up
to the window, eager to catch Il glimpse
of the murderer, who endeavored to
shun the curious gaze of the crowds by
burying his head i'll his hands. At
Portsmouth he was taken from the train
and conveyed to the station house in
charge of Il guard of marines, before
reaching the depot, which was filled
with an excited mob. Misses Annette
and Karen CrisscnsOn, the murdered
women, were of irreproachable charac-
ter, and were both quite remarkable for
their personal beauty. They were re-
spectively % and 80 Years of aye. and
but recently came from Norway. 1t is
reported that Karen had refused to mar
ry Wagner, and that high words had
frequently passed between them. but
this Is not thought to furnish the motive
for the tragedy. The question AS to
whether the island, where the murder
was committed, comes under tn. irris-
dlctlon of New Hampshire or Maine is
now being agitated.
MURDERER REMOVED TO MAINE.
Louis Wagner, the Smutty Nose is
lahd murderer, was taken te Portland
saturday night, the question of iurisdic-