The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-05-01
QUINTUPLE MURDER.
ADreadfuI Tragedy at Home
stead, Pa.
A Whole Family Butchered
and Burned.
The Alleged Perpetrator German
Farm Laborer.

PrTTsBURG, Pa, April so, 1874.
quintruple murder IL not an everyday occur
renee by any means, and In consequence OF q re-
port OF . tragedy Of such dimensions having taken
place to-day caused great deal OF excitement in
this city. The victims OF this dreadful butohery
are John Hamnet his wife Agnes their daughter
Emma, aged four years; Robert Smith, boy raised
by the family and the eldest daughter OF Mr. Ham,
net, Ida, aged eight years. The particulars OF the
tragedy, a. far and as correctly as can be learned
during the excitement attending the discovery
are as follows:-
THE SCENE AND THE VICTIMS.
John Hamnek well-to-d0 farmer, aged about
forty years, lived on the Lebanon Road about
mile and half pack OF the village or Homestead,
on the M0nongahela River, and situated so as to
overlook Munhall Farm, where the government
boiler experiments were made last fall. The house
Is pretty little one Tor was once before Q nend
reduced It to ashes). There il q grove OF peach
trees in the Ia wn In front, where the blossoms to-
day were just bursting. The grass was OF the
deepest shade Of green. and the premises alto
gether showing more thrift and care than any
within miles OF 1t. The farm consisted OF seventy
two acres OF well improved land, and on which,
among other improvements, was substantial
brick house OF two stories. John Hamnet
ried some ten years ago. He was considered well
on, and was supposed to have considerable
money and government bonds IN the house at all
times he was good, quiet citizen at peace, so
far as was known, with all his neighbors, never
having any quarrels, but being, on the contrary,
man whose chief characteristic was the settled
plan Of mindlng his own business.
THE BUTCHERY ON THE THRESHOLD.
Last night Hamnet and his wife had been visit
ing in the village Of Homestead, about mile and
half from their residence, and 1t was In all proba
bility fifteen minutes after eleven O'Clock before
they returned. They must have been stricken
down Immediately on entering their house. as from
the appearance OF their bodies they had not
yet laid aside their outer wrappings. It is posi-
BILE that the murderers were In the house on the
return OF the parents, ana, finding themselves
discovered. killed them also in order to escape.
bloody Ratchet was found which fitted exactly to
the wounds on the head OF the boy, whose throat
was also cut from ear to ear.
BURNING THE HOUSE AND THE DEAD.
There Is blank in the story from the time the
Hamnets left Homestead till three O'Clock this
morning, when Frank Alderman coal digger,
was awakened by bright light beaming In the
windows Of his bedroom. He aroused Q companion
and they both hurried to the scene OF the fire.
When they arrived the roof had fallen In,
but the brick walls were still standing,
and out through the Classics windows the
glare Of bed Of burning Goals within
gave forth an intense heat and dazzling
light. No living souls but these two men were
there, and they stood for some time in silence,
looking upon each other speeches. with horror.
When they had recovered from the terror that for
| the nonce had almost paralzed them, they gave
| an alarm and in few minutes the neighbors for
miles around were Hooking to the scene. 1t soon
became apparent that the dread fears which had
first allen upon the minds OF the two discoveries
were but too well founded. The sickenlng stencil
OF burning bodies filled the air and gave an indie
scr1baDle feeling OF rear to the spectators.
| DRAGGING OUT THE CHARRED REMAINS.
| It was daylight before the ruins cooled or and
| then as soon as possible search was commenced
for bodies. The first body dragged from the ruins
was that of farmer Hamnet. 1t was . charred
and almost unacceptable mass of human desh.
Portions OF his partially consumed clothing were,
however, stil in places, clinging to the unconsumed
| remains. The face was blackened and charred.
The search was continued, and in q few moments
| the horror OF the people was increased upon the
discovery and the dragging out Of another body
| from the ruins. This was Robert Smith, the
| apprentice, who was badly disngured. His
| right hand only was whole, but shrunken and
| shrveled The left arm was dislocated at the
shoulder. the member lying across the breast.
The feet were entirely burned OF, the shin bones
protrudng from the burned and steaming flesh.
The throat was cut In three places. the horrible
gashes gaping open at those who gaxed upon the
| horrible spectacle. A third body was believed to
have been that Of Emma Hamnet, four years oil
age, but her features totally unacceptable.
The lower members were entirely destroyed from
| the ends OF the small ribs, which protruded
~o~t~,r 80
body found was that Of Agnes, the wife Of Mr.
Hamnet She was recognized BY portions OF cloth
ing which were still. clinging to the re
mains. Her outside dress had been burned
but the underclothing was not entirel.
consumed. The wires Of her hoopskirt were still
about the body. furnishing the proof that she ha,
not retired to bed when she met her death. ID
Hamnet the eldest daughter, eight years old, L
still missing, but It Is supposed that she also fell
victim in the wholesale slaughter.
THE AUTHOR OF THE TRAGEDY.
The supposed author o. this most Immature
tragedy is Ernest Love, young German Of abou
TWENTY-FIVE years OF age. who has been in the EN-
poy OF farmer Hamnet from midwinter up TIL
the time OF the tragedy. He has not been seen to
day. which il something, indeed, very unusual
and though search has been made for him by sew
eral detectives, up to midnight tonight no clew G
his Whereabouts has been obtained. Love Is stou
young man, with norid complexion, and whose
dialect would at once Detray his nationality. d
has not been IN this country any great length 0
time, but he proved o valuable assistant to Ham
net, who at all times spoke well Of the young
man as being sober and industrious.
The police and citizens In the neighD0rnoOd
the crime are out securing the woods In search O.
the furitsye. and his escape will prove difncul
undertaking.
THE ELDEST DAUGHTER MISSING.