Liberal Republican. [volume] (Dallas, Or.) 1872-1???, 1873-01-11
DALLAS. OREGON. SATURDAY. JAN IL. 1873.
Two Children Slain by their Father.

Columbiamo, o. (Dec, 13). Dcspatch to the
CiHcinnati Commercial.
One Of the most inhuman and brutal
murders ever perpetrated in this part
OF the State was committed yester-
day morning at seven o'clock, about
three miles southwest Of this place
Erben G.. Porter, the perpetrator OF
this horrible deed, and his family, con-
sisting of wife and two little daughters
aged three and one years, resided in
the same house with his father-in-law
Mr.. Henry f. Flickinger. At the
time the murder was committed Mrs.
Foster and her three brothers, Jacob,
John and Solomon, and her sister
Lydia, were in the house, and all ex-
cept Mrs. Porter were engaged in crack.
ing walnuts. Erben Porter after going
stairs and putting on three shirts, came
down with hatchet, and seated him-
self with the other members of the
family and commenced cracking the
nuts, showing nothing unusual in his
manner.
After brief interval Mrs. Porter
went up stairs to attend to some work.
Porter quietly arose and walked into an
adjoining reom, where his oldest child
was alone after shutting the door he
struck the chilk three blows with the
edge of tho sharp hatchet, cutting a
terrible cash at each stroke on the top
of the head, either of which would
have produced almost instant death.
lie then opened the door leading into
the room where the rest of the mem-
Der we're seated, and seized his young
est child, dragged it into the room, and
struck it two blow en- top OF the head
burying the. hatchet deep into the
brain at each stroke. He then walked
into an adjoining room and threw the
hatchet, all covered with blood and
brains, in wood box, put on his ha:,
aud started out of the house, passing,
as he did SO, his wife. who, on hearing
the first child utter pitiful cry as he
struck it the first blow, and come down
stairs to she what was wrong.
On seeing her husband throw down
the hatchet, she asked him what! he
had done. His answer was that he
had done what he ought to have done
before, and he eoul not help sit. She
hurried to the rom where the deed
had been conmitte and seeing her
children lying in their own blood, ran
out to the road gave the alarm to the
several Of whom lived near,
aud were on hand in few minutes.
Porter, after leaving the house, made
his way ut rapid rate direct to this
place, and thence TO Leetonia. lie
was followed to this place by one of
neigbors. Dispatches were sent in
every direction, and large number of
persoos started in pursuit of him.
Immediately on the receipt of the de.
spatch at Lectonia, it was placed 10
Mar hal Rolliu's hands, who, In about
twenty minutes, saw Porter crossing
he railroad track, and started after
him. On approaching him, Porter
iurned round and gave himself up,
that he had committed the
Iced, and asksed the officer to protect
him from those who were in pursuit of
lim.
The Marshal brought the prison to
bis place on the 9:55 p, IN: train, and
,e was Immediately arraigned before
Josiah Rohrbaugh, Esq, for hearing,
when he pleaded not g~ilty to the
,harge of wilful murder. After hear
ng the testimony in the case, the JUS
ice committed him to trial at the next
erm of the Court of Commons Pleas,
nd sent him under strong escort to
New Lisbon.
The Justice them empannelled a
jury add proceeded to the house
where the deed had been committed
o hold an inquest, when the following
acts were elected /:
Mrs Porter sworn. and disposed
q follows I am the wife of Erben
/. Porter saw Porter so up Stairs sew