The Indiana State sentinel., 1874-09-29
HoRRIBLE DISCLOSURE.

MURDER OF ROBERT CLARK, IN MONkoE
COUNTY, IN1s71.-HIs WIDOW REVEALS THE
| MURDERER-sHE MAKES A SWORN STATE
MENT.
BLooMISGToN, IND, Sept. %, 1874.
The taking of human life, even though it
be done in the heat of passion and strife,
always creates feeling of horror in a quiet
and peaceful community, and horror is min
| gled with indignation when the victim is
stricken bown by the hand of the assassin
whilst pursuing the quiet doings of the hus-
bandman. Such was the feeling of this CON-
munity on the % day of August, 1871 when
Clark, good and peaceaole citizen OF Eau
Creek township, was found by his little
daughter, within quarter OF mile from
his home, hacked and stabbed to death.
And such is the feeling now, revived in the
most unexpected manner, and intensified
by the lapse of three long years. AT the time
of the murder suspicion fell upon one David
Jacobs as the peTpetrator of the crime. 1t
was thought be had a motive for the deed
from the fact that Clark was an import
ant witness against Jacobs in "a
suit for bastardy brought by one Amanda
Crouch, poor idiotic girl, sister-in-law to
both Clark and Jacobs. Jacobs was arrested.
waived examination, took change OF
venue to Brown county, was tried and as
there was no evidence against him was ac-
Quilted. This was the end with him so tar
as the law was concerned, but still he was
! guilty in the belief of his neighbors. How.
ever, matters remained quiet until about
year afterwards, when a "true bill" was
found against one James Knight. He
but as there was not the shadow
-of evidence against him he was
also acquitted. Thus, ii was thought by all,
the affair must end. Thus, 1t was thought
by all, Justice had been cheated, the gallows
, defrauded of its dues, and the assassination
of Robert Clark doomed to remain mys-
terry forever. And so it would, perhaps, If it
had not been for the appearance of one
Thomas Nelson upon the scene. The
widow of Robert Clark married a
and again became a widow, since which
time Nelson has been a frequent visitor at
, her house. ALI too frequent to suit Jacobs,
it seems, as meeting him there a short
time ago, he accused him OF trying to cheat
, the widow out of some land, ordered him
away from the house, and threatened either
to
WHIP OR KILL HIM
if he ever caught him there again. A bad
, feeling sprung up between Jacobs and Mel
, son, mutual threats were INDUCED in, and
Jacobs, either fearing or feigning fear of
, great bodily harm from Nelson, swore out a
peace warrant against him. and, in company
with special constable, who was
armed with writ, proceeded to
! search for Nelson in order to arrest
him. 1t was not long before they found
him but Nelson who was armed, refused TO
place himself in their power, claiming that
Jacobs would seek an excuse to murder him
! and run away, whereupon Jacobs and the
constable pursued him and fired eleven shots
from their revolvers at him. Nelson, on
reaching some weeds, threw himself down,
hallooing, "You have shot me-" Such was
not the fact, however, as he was not
, touched, but came to town in Jew days and
swore out q peace warrant against Jacobs;
also filed information against him for petit
larceny and assault with intent to kill. For
all of which Jacobs was duly recognized
: to court by Esquire Lunderman,
on yesterday. In the meantime the widow
, of Robert Clark-now Mrs. Mitchell-in-
formed Nelson that she knew something
. about the murder of her husband which she
wished to disclose to certain of her neighbors
} in whom she had confidence, if she could be
assured protection. Nelson went to the
, parties designated, who agreed to meet
her at an appointed spot in the
woods and hear her statement. On last
Wednesday, the 10th inst, the parties re-
paired to the place and found Mrs. Mitchell
in waiting. And there, in the depths OF the
forest, with fear and trembling, she made
statement, which, from the surroundings,
was necessarily imperfectly taken down by
one of the parties present, and of which the
following is copy:
STATEMENT.
SEPT. 16, 1s74.-On the oath day of August,
: 1871, in the evening, started to 60 towhere
, Robert was at work. 1 heard somebody
! halloo, Lordw went on close to where
Robert was. Robert was down and Dave
Jacobs was standing over him, stabbing him
with butcher-knife. broke to run back
toward home. Jacobs followed after me
and overlook me, and said he was going to
Z kill me; said Bob was then dead, and that
!, if would not tell it he would not kill me
! then, but if ever did tell it he swore he
| would kill me certain. / think he has
sworn to me more than dozen times since
that if ever did tell it he would kill mejust
as sure as told 1t. He told me that, if told
it. his father would kill me; that he was
? just as good as ever he was before he did 1t;
that he (Jacobs) had plenty of friends that
would kill me if / toldit. Whom he (Jacobs)
!. 6rst overlook me when / was run
was killed, he (Jacobs1 told me
TO 60 home and stay there, and for me to
through the night and for me to send one of
the children next morning to look for Bob
l down the road toward Buik's and they
q would be sure to find him.
al her
: LOUISA Il MITCHELL.
Signed and acknowledged in our presence
Witnesses, James o. Baxter. G.. A. Carter
Henry Clark, Reuben Clark, John Lucas.
She has since made a statement more in
: detail snd made oath to it, but the
: above is the substance. She says
;, she was in the habit of going where her
husband was at work, in the evening after
5 she got her household work done up, and
gives this as an explanation why she was
| going where he was on that evening. She
r also says Jacobs has told her since, that
himself and Clark were standing talking
} friendly the evening of the murder, and
that he raised the AK which Clark had been
!, using and struck him with it knocking him
: down, and then used the knife, stabbing
him twice in the heart. She is now away