The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-04-23
HOrrid Murdora at Columbus Grove, o.

L~~O DCAAcNAol
Once more it becomes our duty, III ckronicling
the news, to give our readers the siekening de.
tails Of q double murder, 16 miles frem Lima,
neer the northwest corner Of the Allen County
line, and near Vaugknsville, Putnam County,
Ohio, which occurred on Wednesday evening,
April s, 1874, between 4 and 8 O'clock. The VIC
TINS are an old man and wife, by the names of
seventy wears, and who lived All alone sbont one
mile from the village of NaughnsEille.T The
murderer, Peter Goodman, is a young prob
ably about e or 80 years old, and, from what We
learn, Is rather q small man, has light complex
ion. blue eyes, light hair aad beard, and looks
ike 8 mere boy. He lives in Columbus Grove,
Vanghnsvnle considerable, and became pretty
we'll acquainted there. Learning that Mr.. Hay-
wood had taken IN two or three hundred dollars,
on the evening mentioned he made up his mind
to commit the deed. Getting q rifle and loading
it, he proceeded to the woods, near the house Of
his intended victims, ostensibly in quest of
squirrels. After shooting several times and re-
loading, he went over to the house where the old
couple lived and told the old man that asne had
freed a squirrel; would like to have him. Hay-
WOOD come into the woods, near the creek, and
walk around the tree, so as TO scare the little
aoimal around to the side OF the tree where he
would station himself in order to shoot it, This
request the old gentleman readily complied with
and the two saun.ered leisurely eli together,
laughing and chatting on the way. When they
got about 40 rods from the house, to the place
designated, Goodman drew the hammer OF the
rife back, brought it TO his shoulder, and began
looking up toward the top of the tree for the
imaginary squirrel When the old man started
OF and had gone about twenty feet from him, he
aimd and shot Haywood through the back OF the
head, ball coming out Of the right cheek, killing
HIM instantly. Goodman then took the dead
mans penknife and watch and threw the corpse
in the creek. and rolled 4 log on il, but as the
water is only two or three feet deep. of course il
could not feat of. Looking ever toward the res
idence Of the deceased, he saw the old lady
watching him, when he Immediately reloaded
his rife and started fer her. She screamed and
ttemPted 70 run to a ~neighbor's house, across
the fields, but being SO old could not go very fast.
her, he fred, but missed her. Throwing the III
he down, he crew from his pocket his victims
soon oVertaking her, when he Immediately
stabbed her in the neck, working the knife
around and completely seyering the windpipe.
he then picked me body up, carried 1t to the
creek ana threw it in the branches Of a tree.
Goodman then went TO the house where the
the wife OF the farmer at the door, he said: did
you see me kill themT' She replied that she
Hdidn't know what he meant" but O., was afraid
she was not telling the truth, so he informed her
what he had donss at the same time saying, sif
you tell I'll Kill you and your husband both" She
band came home she told him all. He started
the alarm in the neighborhood, but the murder.
er was NOS found until the next day, when the
constable Of that township, assisted bv WiIf.H
Hitchcock, marshal of Columbu Grove in t6at
village mace the arrest OF tie murderer, he was
immediately taken 20 the county Jail at Ottawa.
Putnam county, Ohio, and it was 8 good thin.C fo1
him that he was promptly put in a strong iock-
up, under . strong guard, for the excitemsnt was
so intense, thst had he not been locked up. he
would have been lynched. Strong thre ats wsrs
made of taking him 10 the scene of the tTaes5v
and hanging INN on the tree under which, IN
cold blood, committed this terrible crime. Shot.
~ after his arrest he made a full confession, Civ
ing the facts as We have stated them. Stafin0
RfterWard also that he had an thai
they robbed the old man of two hundred dollars:
that his, Goodman's, accomplish, put a loaded
pistol to his head and threatened to shoot him III
he didn't give mp the money that he then han
ded it over, etc. This, h0WeVer, is considered
too thin y IN fact, = lie made out of whole cloth.
It is said by those who have saw the prisoner
in jail, that he hardly eats or sleeps, but cries All
the time. 1t is feared that he will become in
sane, and thus cheat the SasloWs. The popular
feeling Is strongly in favor Of stringiDg him
up, without waiting for Judge or fury-
While IN most cases we condemn lynch or mob
law, We don't know hnt VIII At, in this instance. il
would have been about as hir az to choke him |
by q judicial process in TOUR or five months from
the present writing. We do nos ever remember
Of hearing of . more cold bloOded, unproYoke ed
murder before.