Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1874-05-14
THE PITTSBURGH TRAGEDY.
COME ssion OF the Murderer of the Ham
nett Family-The story of Most Cruel
and Horrible Butchcry.

Confession oil the Murueref Oh the mann
nett Family-The story of Most Cruel
and Horrible Butchery.
The recent murder of the Hamnett family.
near Pittsburgh, Pa, was one of the most
cruel and diabolical human butcheries in all
the annals of crime. The wretch that perpe-
trated the deed has been arrested and has
made fpn confession. He is an ignorant
German, and goes by the name of Ernst Mint
ling He is described as british. sullen-
looking fellow, resembling. IN general contour
of features, Probst, the murderer of
the Deering family, in Philadelphia,
some years ago. In his confession the
fiend states that he had been TO the village,
and after taking several drinks he bought
some candy for the children of Mr.. Hamnett,
with whom he was living, and on his way
home it occurred to him he ought to have
Hamnetts money. How he went about get
ting the money we will let the murderer
relate in his own words: 1t occurred to
me that to get the money l must Kill the
children. 1 found the ak in the kitchen,
and, taking that with me, l went up into
the room over the kitchen. where Robert
Smith and myself slept The bed was
in the corner of the room. and l saw that
Robert was sleeping soundly, with his face
toward me. / took position at the front of
the bed. and with one blow killed the boy
He never moved. can't say how it was that
the boys throat was cut. / may have struck
him twice, but he never groaned. After the
boy was dead, went into the adjoining room,
where Ida and little Emmie were sleeping.
There were two beds in the room, one in the
corner, and the other, the one occupied by
the children, near the center. Both of
the little girls were sleeping. l struck
Ida fret. and she never moved.
then raised the ak and struck at
Emmie. She uttered a CRY and 1
hit her second time. She did not groan
again. After this / went down stairs and took
a position just inside the door of the room add
joining the kitchen, and waited for Mr.. and
Mrs. Hamnett to come home. They came be-
tween 10 and IL o'clock. Mr.. Hamnett came
into the house first. was standing SO that
he could not see me, and struck him from
behind. using the same ak. He fell to the
floor. Mrs. Hamnett then came rushing into
the room, and as she passed through the
door struck her, but did not kill Ter. She
shrieked once or twice, Oh. God, John, and
then / struck a second blow, which killed her
instantly. Mrs. Hamnett and the baby were
the only ones l hit twice. The others were
killed with one blow. used the ak all the
time. committed the deed to get Mr.. Ham,
nett's money. l searched Nr. Hamnett's
pockets. and obtained his pocket-book. 1t
contained only SIS in paper money l found
Mrs. Hamnett's pocket-booh on the sewing
machine. There were only fifty cents
in it, I looked over the house, but
all the money / got was SIS. The
silver money have brought from Germany.
My only motive was money; had no Ill
feelings toward the Hsmnetts. / always liked
the little children, and always bought them
candy when went to Homestead. The boy
Smith and were good friends, and l always
liked Mr. and Mrs. Hamnett.
He disclaims firing the house, but says in
rushing out he upset lamp. and set the
dwelling on fire. He then walked to Pitts
burgh