The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1874-05-07
From Pittsburgh Daily Post, Mays.
THE HOMESTEAD HORROR.

THE HEHOnEsTEAD HORROR.
The Murderer Captured and Makes q
Full Con6essiOn-His keaI NamS
Earnest OrtWein-FuneraI OF the
Vtctims-E1fteen dollars Realized
by the Butchery.
Our readers are by this time fully &C
quainted with the details of the Hamnett
butchery, one Of the most disbolicsl ever
| perpetrated IN this community.
The man captured on Friday night in
Wachter's saloon, whom we stated in our
issue Saturday morning, was supposed
to be the murderer, proved to be the
fend.
Love, whose real nane is said to be
Ortwein, started, to this city Immediately
after the murder. After visiting a num-
Der of places on the South Side, he crossed
the river and about ten o'clock called on
q man named Adam Beir, blacksmith,
! who works at the corner of Penn and Six
teenth streets. Bier states that Ortwein
frequently called upon him, they having
been sch0olmates when boys in Germany.
Ortwein said that he had quit work up
the river; that he had just come from Ale
gheny, where he had left his package at
the shoe shop, No. log Ohio street. He
called Mr.. Beier and others into the shop
TO take drink, and they went into
beer saloon next door. There they took
several drinks, Ortwein paying for it all
Beir cautioned Earnest against spending
his money so freely, but the latter replied
that he had plenty of it. Ortweln stayed
about the saloon all day and became very
drunk, part of the time being asleep. In
the evening Beir took him to his (Beir's)
house, where the murderer slept that night
and Beir getting mp early the next morn
ing left him sleeping. Arising& & couple of
hours later, Ortwein went to the black
smith shop, and about ten o'clock, after
taking sundry drinks, left for Allegheny.
Arriving there, be seems to have put
in the day drinking at the different sal
oons.
In the meantime, Mr. Beir had been
reading the account of the murder, and
his suspicious at once fell upon Ortwein.
he told his suspicious to Detective Long
and Officer McChessney, who followed up
on the track like two sleuth hounds, track
ipR the murderer from one saloon 10 an
other all day, and it is probable would
have captured him finally Lad not fate de-
creed otherwise.
In the evening the prisoner made his
appearance at Wachter's saloon on Troy
Hill, and there in conversation with a
number of men stated that he had worked
for Hamnett, and that be was very nice
man. A Mr.. Rollshouse who had noticed
him closely, told the proprietor to send his
son for policeman. He did so and call
ing Officer Quirk, the latter proceeded TO
take 0rt1ein into custody.
On Saturday morning the prisoner COM
fessed the crime in full, giving all the
particulars. He said he had gone TO
Hamnett's from Homestead on the even
ing of the murder, having been at the
grocery for the purpose OF getting some
sugar.
He said he had drunk some beer on the
way, but did not know how much. When
he got home he found the children asleep,
and waking Robby (the bound boy) up,
asked him where the Hamnetts were.
Upon being told they were out, he says
the thought came into his head to rob the
house, and 90 to Pittsburgh. Proceeding
to put his plan into operation, he was dis
turbed by Robby, who asked him what he
was dolRg7 he then ran to the kitchen
and got the az, struck the boy with it two
or three times, and dispatched him. Com.
ing down stairs, he found Emma awake,
and killed her by hitting her with the ak.
He then killed the other little girl, Ida,
and threw their bodies on the bed. Just
then Mr.. Hamnett came in and was strick-
en- down in the doorway. Mrs. Hamnett
shrieked and turned to run, but the fien6
caught her, and, pulling her back into the
room, finished the bloody tragedy. he
says he then run out of the house and
thinks he must have upset the lamp, but
WAS so badly scared that he cannot remem-
Der. After reaching the railroad track he
followed 1t 10 this city.
Earnest OrtWein is q native of Wurtem-
berg, IN Germany, and was raised IN Fine
q little country village of forty or fifty
houses, whore his parents owned farm.
His father died q couple of years ago. but
his mother is still living. Ortwe:n was in
the German army, but deserted after the
Franco -Prusslan war, early in 1873, and
came to America. He has been around
Pittsburgh four or FIVE months, but Ham
nett's was the first place he worked. II is
said, but this may be conjecture, that he
ran away from Grrmany on account Of
having committed a murder there.
The funeral on Saturday was one of the
largest and most impressive ever witnessed
IN this locality. Persons were there from
o4bbAHCc OF twenty miles. Inc lun6Ial
took place from the Franklin N. E.charch.
Rev. McCready, pastor of the church,
took charge Of the services, and Revs. Cra-
ven, Shriver and Kendig made appropri-
ate addresses.
One coffin contained the remains Of the
Hamnett family, and another those of
poor little Robbie Smith, who had not q
single relative in the vast crowd, 80 far as
is known. to mourn for him or mark his
grave. His tragic fate, however, will not
soon be forgotten in the neighborhood Of
Homestead.
An information was made against Ort-
wein before Alderman McMasters on Sat-
urday and another before Mayor Neillle,o
Allegheny.
The excitement was intense In Allie
gheny when it became known that the
murderer had confessed aud it was feared
that the prisoner would be lynched before
be could be put into Jail. Better counsels
however, prevailed and it is hoped the vii
liam may receive his deserts, without the
interference of any msudlin sympathy TO