The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-07-28
HORRIBLE DOUBLE MURDER.

TWO OLD PEOPLE BUTCHERED FOR THEIR
MONEY.
The Mishawaka Enterprise gives the par
ticulars of the last exploit of the fiendish
robbers in the north part of the state: One
of the NEST horrible, sickening and dastardIy
murders of which history furnishes any
record, was perpetrated in the northwest
cerner of this county on Wednesday night,
the 18th inst, the particulars OF which we
give below. The fearful deed was committed
upon the farm of Peter Swank. about three
and halt miles north of New Carlisle. The
victims were Thomas and Marie Cihanski,
two honest, quiet, hard working Polanders,
who occupied a lonely little log cabin in an
isolated swamp-just the place for such
dark and bloody scene as was there enacted
no neighbors near to hear their cries for
help, 10 see the burning cabin, or stay the
horrid deed. Peter Swank, on the morn
ing of the 10th inst, about 5 O'Clock,
discovering smoke rising in the d.
rection of the cabin, went over,
and seeing the bodies in the ruins, went Inc
mediately for a witness-a Polander who
lived short distance off-and the two wise
ly decided to disturb nothing until the coro-
ner arrived. Accordingly our venerable cor
oDer was telegraphed for, and he, in COM
pany with Mr.. Lynde Greene and Frank
Howard, started from here immediately for
the spot by carriage. where they arrived
about noon. A jury was impanneled and an
| inquest held, at which the following facts
were elected: The bodies were discovered
partially consumed. and were drawn out for
examination. Investigation seemed to show
| that the man had been murdered In his bed
by blows on the head with a hammer, axe
or some other instrument. The
wife had attempted to escape but was
| followed out and overtaken near
the potato patch, where she was struck with
hammer and felled to the ground, her head
/ lii, It'd r. ~ yt~A
was then struck several more terrible blows
on the head, scattering the blood and brains
all around the patch, after which the body
was taken by the feet and dragged into the
cabin, placed in the center of the floor with
the body of the husband, and the cabin set
on fire, with the evident intention, upon the
part of the murderers, to hide their crime.
| PROOFS OF THE MURDER.
| As is most always the case in such affairs,
there were still plenty of clues left to show
that the parties did not come to their death
By accidental fire. The lower part of the
bodies we're badly burned, but the bodies
and heads were so left that the marks of the
blows were plainly distinguishable, and
in addition to this the cap worn by
Mrs. c.. was found in the potato
patch, covered with hair, brains and clotted
blood, showing the blows of the hammer
The hammer with which the deed was done
was found in the ruins, the handle burned
out, but the iron still showing the traces OF
blood, and the face which just fitted the
wounds in the skulls and the marks ON the
night cap. IL was proven in the testimony
that the parties did not own a hammer oi
their OVID, consequently it must have been
brought by the mGrGerers. An axe belong
ing on the premises was missing and could
not be found. 1t is thought by some that
the man was murdered ia his sleep with the
axe. When the deed was first discovered
the bloody cap was found on the spot
where the murdred woman lay, but upon
the arrival of the coroner it was
found way out in the patch where il
seems as if it had Ibeen thrown after day