The New York herald., 1874-09-11
HORRIBLE DEATH RIDE.
How Owen 0'Neil Was Ground on Wagon
Hub for 9 Distance Of Twelve Miles
Murderers Fasten Him Between the
Spring and the Wheel-Arrsst
Of the Supposed Criminals

~f~~06 eAu tuo W AoC@ A@A Sss
Of the Supposed Criminals
PLArTsDuRG, N. T., Sept. 9. 1874.
On the morning OF Sunday. July 0, 1874, about
i've O'Clock, CHASTITY and horrible sight met the
eyes OF Mrs. Owen oNeil as she came forth from her
swelling house, which Is situated on the turnpike
In Aitona, at a distance Of eight or nine miles
from this place. Her husband had lett home the
previous day to come to Plattsburg and had not
returned. Wondering what had oeen the cause OF
hts delay she arose, and looking out perceived
that the wagon which no had taken with him was
under the shed, as she could see the rear end pro-
jecring out. Calling to her son. Laurence
O'Neil, that hts father had not returned, but that
the horse and wagon were under the she'd she
hasteued out, only to md her husbands lifeless
body wedged in between the forward spring OF the
wagon and the hub his head hanging down, his
feet on the ground ana his left arm between the
thils and the horse.
HORRIBLE NUTILArIoN.
Made frantic by the learul sight thus thrust be-
fore her vision, she continued 10 remove the body
him who had left her In the prime Of ife healthy
ana strong tho day before. from Its position and,
with the aid Of fatherless child carried 1t into
the house.
The clothes on the side which had rested on the
hub were worn to shreds and the desh was all
rubbed on, making wound some ten inches In
length, through which the stomach could be seen.
There was also wound ave inches long, near the
armpit which exposed the lungs to view. Three
bruised In several places.
It was at nrst thought that perhaps he had fallen
accidentally out OF the waaon, but II was soon
demonstrated shat 1t was impossible to fall into
the position In which he was found, and It became
generally believed that he had been cruelty mur.
dered.
DEVELOPMENTS AT THE INQUEST.
Jury was summoned by Coroner Lafountain
and tho testimony at the inquest showed that
O'Neil had left Piattsburg between nine and ten
O'Clock on the night OF the 4sh, perfectly sober;
that one Witness had met three men In wagon.
several persons living along the road. commencing
several miles this side OF O'Neil's home. No one
had yentured out as AL thought 1t to be some one
Uner's jury decided that the deceased met his
death at the hands OF some person or persons un-
known.
SLOW. AGoNIzING DEATH.
The general belief was that he mad been at
and that after rendering him insenstble the In
human wretches fastened hum beneath The spring
1 ne r6aS g ae aew arp Grns d M tn. int
What terrible agony and pain untold he suffered
on that ride to death can never be hall realized.
The most savage ingenuity and cunning could
scarcely have devised more barbarous mode or
suffering; ..u.
SO completely mad the Villains covered up all
traces OF themselves that no one was arrested.
personal malice, as the deceased did not have
much money in his possession. His watch was
gone. however. No one VINO would XIII MIN Tor
his money would ever have made him suffer as he
did; no doubts remain but that IL was done for
revenge and to crafty hesn hatred.
seven children pervaded the whole community,
and such funeral as Is seldom seen in this sec.
ton followed his remains to the grave The
Board OF supervisors OF CLINTON county ned spe.
clal session soon alter and offered q reward OF
& or tae q OF r the guty parties
ness until Wednesday, August 20: when It was
again revived IN manner which added new inter-
est to 1t.
On the morning OF that day posse OF police
Leonard, on the road ON which the murder TOOK
place. and prrested two OF the sons, .Pete" and
We're were oi ought to fiattsUurt, and on the examina.
ton that followed the following testimony was
The cause OF their arrest was statement ma de
by an old man named Granger, who had been
working Tor several farmers In that section. in
which 1t appears that on the night alter the
funeral oi U'Nen he lett Plattsbufg, about ten
O'Clock, on his wav to the residence OF a man
way, the second time IN little hollow, near Il
brook which ran BY the house OF the LeOna d's.
Here ne sat down and lighted his pipe. Ere long
ne observed two men come out OF the house and
go down toward the brook by the road fence,
to be "Peteo and John Leonard, the I0rmer carry.
ing spade.
TERRIBLE REVELATIONS.
Upon seeing them come towards him Granger
placed his nand over his pipe ana slld down softly
under the cover OF the bushes. When they ap.
and something under MS arm, winch latter Tell to
tine ground sounding as II 1t were bar OF iron.
bundle contained, and, alter some s1S exertion de.
clared M lhat u, u e., as tae oood would nryer
advised him to burn them up. At this juncture u
woman, dressed in her night clothes, came out
aud appealed TO them, Tor the honor of God, to
come into the house, as enough had been done
already. Turning to ner "Pete" gruriy told her
to take the ciotncs with her into the house
departed one OF the men picked up the bar OF iron,
remarking that he had given O'Ncil three or iour
good knocks with It on the tnigh, anu also that II
the mead with II, the latter would have put him
out OF the wagon and that he had never thought
O'Neii was Us strong man as he proved to be.
The other SAID that II he mad not hit him on the
head with 1t "he would have euchred you" John
"Pete" sad that would be equal to confession OF
guilt. After other conversation they moved or
and went into the house, and Granger emerged
from his hiding place and resumed his journey.
GRANGER INFORMS.
AS may we'll be expected he was terribly fright
encd wnIe he Law among the bushes, and aston
isned at what he had heard, and was verv much
In doubt as to what was his proper course to pur-
sue. He had q dread Of lniornlng the authorities,
and kept his secret until q couple OF weeks ago,
when 1t became unbearabe, and ne went to the
OF this place. for advice, and that gentleman In
formed nm that MS DUTY was plaiu--to lay what
ever Information he possessed before the proper
officials. lie then went to a citizen OF the place
and told his story. An affidavit was made ou5 and
the Leonards as before stated were arrested.
"Petc" is pretty generally known in this section
and does not ENJOY very enviabe reputation. He
has been mixed up in great many quarre!s and
riots. which nave chiefly resulted from disputes At
the gaming table. He is OF medium height, with
red nustache anu chin whiskers John, who Is
now introduced to the puDllc the first time, Is
some what smaller than his brother has a bent
over, slouchy appearance. and rolls from side to
side in his walk. lie also wears a red mustache
and red chin whiskcrs. His appearance would IN
dicate that he could easily De controlled by his