Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-03-12

NUSc lSiduus OuC vi tiiC OHUdlS, d. IIttlt way
out from Portsmouth,, N. H, but lying in
the jurisdiction of Maine occurred last
Wednesday night most horrible murder.
The occupants of the only house upon
Smutty Nose Island were three men and
three women, the former being absent from
home large portion of the time engaged in
troll fishing. Their names are John and
Matthew Hontvet, brothers, Ivan Cristenson
and wife, Miss Annethe, and Miss Karen
Cristenson. The women were left alone
Wednesday night while the men were in
Portsmouth batting their trolls for the NOR
was in the employ of Hontvet and during
a portion Of Wednesday evening was assist
ing the latter in the task of troll batting
He disappeared, however, about o'clock in
the evening and it is stated that he Was seen
on one of the wharves of Portsmouth with
an axe in his hand. 1t is conjectured that
he shortly after left for the Shoals, as one of
the crew of the fishing boat Iris missed
dorv from her about ten O clock, and as it is
afterward proved, was the one used by the
murderer in which to reach the scene Of his
| brutal work.
Thursday morning about seven O'Clock
! Hontvet went out to the Shoals to set his
trolls, and was hailet by some women from
an island adjoining that on which the muir
der was committed. They informed him of
the murder, although the extent of it was
not imagined by them. Hontvet in company
with two men went TO his house and found
Annette Cristenson lying dead in her night
clothes, with her head badly bruised and
mangied, apparently by an axe. From ap
pearances it is probable that she endeavored
to escape, but was oyertaken and killed out
side of the house and the body dragged into
the kitchen. He looked further and saw the
body of Karen lying on the bedroom floor
in semi-nude state in a pool of blood.
Louis Wagner the probable author of the
double murder, is Prussian by birth and a
sailor by Occu patton, and his object in the
commission OF the deed of blood was evident
ly two-fold, revenge and money. The sub
stance OF Mrs. Houtvet's account of the
murder Is, that reaching the scene of his
brutal work about midnight, he proceeded to
the house, when the women, who had retired
hearing him enter, supposed it to be John
H0ntyet Mrs Hontvet and Mrs Christensen
were sleeping together, and were reused By
the struggle in the kitchen, where Karen
Christensen was sleeping on the lounge. Hav-
ing finished his first victim, the ieni, pro-
ceeding to the next room, discernei Mrs Girls
tensOn escaping through the window. he
gave chase, overlook her near the corner OF
the house and struck her in the back of the
head with the AK, killing her almost Instant
lly. lie then dragged the body into the
house, laid it by the side of his other victim
on the floor and, lighting lantern, pro-
ceeded to search the island for Mrs Hontvet
who had hidden among the rocks, and re-
NAMED undiscovered until morning, when
/ Id - -
pledore island.
|, The murderer, having searched the houses
for the money, which was the motive for the
deed, and secured SIS, stlrted for Ports
mouth, reaching the city about ! o'clock il
; the morning Here he took breakfast, was
shaved and cropped, and started for Boston
The authorities, meanwhile. ascertalning tht
: direction in which Wagner mad fled, started
, quently served to identify him at Boston
: Wagner is 90 wears ofage, a native of Stettln
Prussia, and came to Boston five Years az
to escape military service. He is OF tn
= light, sandy complexion common to person
of his nativity, thin features, and is, on IL
r whole, quite prepossessing in appearance
| As it was supposed that Wagner, who wa
o familiar with the North end, would see
< ia that direction, and soon rewarded by tn
e discovery of the criminal, lurking in tn
: doorway of drinking shop. On his perso
was found a small amount Of money, an
e subsequently his old clothes were discovere
e in shop where he had purchased new Gu
a fit. and bore ,rac of blood. Wagner mad
: no resistance when arrested, and as he di
q not object to returning to Portsmouth, wa
. taken back, yesterday morning. The pr
# gress of the prisoner had been heralded alor
|. the line of the road, and at every station e
: cited crowds filled the depots, rushed into Il
It car and ciambered up to the window, Gag
p to cate. glimpse OF the murderer, who e.
r deavored to shun the curious gaze OF tt
crowds by burying his head in his hand
=, At Portsmouth he was taken from the ira
in and conveyed to the station house In char!
% OF a guard of marines, before reaching Il
= depot, which was filed with an excited mo
=, Misses Annette and Karen Christensen, tt
murdered women, were of irreproachab
rs character, and were both quite remarkah
= for personal beauty. They were respective
a % and 33 years of age and but recently car
from Norway. Wagner protests his inn
cence, His victims have been buried and
a taken TO York CounGy in Maine, where
ke will receive his trial, though New Hampshl
Is rum opened the way for the commission
th the deed.