The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-05-08
1'he Work of an Inhuaaass Iete,se.
AN ENTIRE FAMILY MURDERED AND THEIR
BODIES BURNED WITH THE HoUsE-AR-
REST AND CONFESSION OF THE assassin

PITTSBURGH, April 3O.-On Thursday
night i'll Mitfiin township, the Monou-
gahela river, six miles from this city, Mr..
John Hamnett, well to do farmer, his
wife, their child p years old, a daughter,
and ln adopted sou named Robert Smith,
were murdered, and afterward the house
was fired and completely destroyed.
The fire was discovered about A. NJ.
Yesterday by a coal MINER who was pass
ing along the road. Then few smoulder-
ing ruins alone remained. \ brisk wind
was blowing at the time, and the fire seems
to have made short work Of the building.
As quick as possible the alarm was raised,
but little could be done until daylight,
when the search of the ruins began.
The search resulted in the finding of the
bodies of Mr. Hamnett and his wife in what
was known as the sitting room of the house.
Portions of their clothes still adhered to the
charred remains, and by these their bodies
were easily recognized. The remaining
members of the family were found in vari-
Gus parts of the ruins. The partially con-
suned clothing on the bodies gave rise to
the theory that they had not retired at
the time of the fire, and that they had been
murdered. If they had not been murdered
they would have had ample time to escape
from the burning building.
The next body was found in the kitchen.
1t was that of Robert Smith, the appren-
tice. The face was badly distgured. The
right hand was whole but shrunken and
shrivclied. The left arm was diSlOcated at
the shoulder, the member lying across the
breast. The feet were entirely burned OF.
/. The throat WAS cut i'll three places. The
skull was fractured and jammed TO a pulp.
A hatchet found in the ruins was brought
in and tho poll or head Of it fitted naturally
into cavity or depression III the boys
skull The feathers of pillow found on
4 not
su1ned, but we're saturated with blood.
The next body found was believed TO
have been that of Emma HAmnett, years
of age. The features were totally unrCcog
niZable.
The body of Mrs Hamnett was recogniz-
ed by portions OF clothing still ciingiug to
the remains. The wires of a hoopskirt
were still about the body, furnishing proof
that she had not retired when she met her
death.
Mr.. Hamnett was an Englishman by
! birth and Was all old resident of Mitftin
township. He owned 4 splendid farm, and
was supposed TO be the posseSsOr of censid
erablo money, which it is thought he kept
in his house. He was man we'll liked i'll
the community, and was not known to have
an enemy in the township.
Living with the Hamnett's was Ernest
Love, Swede, who was employed as
farm hand. He had been in their employ
y
he came from could not be aScertained.-
LoAe had got 80 cents from Mrs. Hamnett
and was zeen drinking about o clock i'll
the Shellbark saloon i'll the village. After
that lie mounted his horse and rode away.
That was the last seen of him. All the
facts in the case point strongly to him az
tho murderer, and detectives are on his
trail.
ARREST AND CONFESSION OF THE FIESD.
PIrTsBURG, May 3-The fend who
killed and burned the Hamnet family, near
Homestead, III this county, was arrested
in Allegheny City yesterday morning. One
Ernest Love or Ortn1ier was suspected on
account of his strange conduct: On Fri
day evening, while a number OF men were
talking about the murder on Troy Hill,
Ortmicr Joined i'll TIE conversation, and
said that he had worked for Mr.. Hanlnet.
AS soon as he had said this he ran off at
full speed. Officer Quirk, Of the Allegheny
police force, gave chase, and soon captured
him. His carpet bag, containing a lot of
clothes, was found in a store Oh Ohio street.
In a vest was an assessment paper directed
to John Hamnet, giving the valuation of
his property at $12, 720. Ortu1ier was
taken to the central lookup. When search
ed no weapons were found and Uut little
money. He seemed to be stupefod with
, drink, and either could or would not talk
, in English. Yesterday morning, however,
man fiuently, visited him in his cell, and
lac an at ouce became communicative.
} COMPOSING THE MURDERS.
lie gave his name as Ernest Ortmier
and said he was native of Stuttgart
| Wurtemburg, and came to this country
about year ago. He confessed that he
murdered the Hamnets. He left their
dwelling just after supper on the night of
the murder, and went directly to the vii
lage of Homestead. He drank two glasses
OF beer on the way, and that was all he
took that night. lie continued as follows:
just as l was leaving the saloon it came
into my head that L must have Hamnet' =
money. l thought he had a great deal of
money in the house, and L felt so queer
all at once in my head though l must get
it. went directly to tho house, but don t
: know howl got there. 1 suppose 1 must
= have been out of my mind. After Settia &
, into the house found Mr.. and Mrs. Hamnet
had not come homo. 1t occurred TO me that
TO set the money must kill the children. l
found axe in the kitchen, and taking that
= with me l went up into the room the
s kitchen where RoD't Smith and yself sic pit.
g KILLING THE CHILDREN.
, Tho bed was in the corner of the room and
. | l saw that Robert was sleeping souudl y
with his face toward me. l took u position
: to the front OF the bod, and with one blow
i killed the boy; ho never moved. l can't say
how 1t WAS that the boys throat was cut. L
= may have struck him twice, but he never
: groaned. After the boy dead L went
T into the adjoining room, where Ida and lit
. tie Emmie were sleeping. There were two
| beds in the room, one in corner and the
y | other, the one occupied by the children, near
: the centre. Both of the little girls were
; sleeping. 1 crept over cautiously to where
u they slumbered, and dealt Ida a fearful
Il blow, which silenced her forever She never
, moved a muscle, she was dead in a minute.
d l then raised the axe and struck at Emrnie.
e She uttered cry and hit her the second
J. time. She did not groan again. After this
/ went down stairs and took b position just
: inside the door of the room adjoining the
= kitchen, aud waited foI Mr., and Mrs. Ham
: net to come homo. God knows my feslipgs
when concealed there. ] was desperate now
= and
= THIRSTED FOR MORE BLOOD.
L After waiting a long time heard the foot
o steps of the couple coming up the lawn
= They came nearer and nearer, and clutch
$ ed my axe handle tight. At last they were
Q there. Mr.. Hamnet came into the room first.
= l was standing so that he coulH not gee me