Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1875-10-14
A Terrible Crime at SuncoOk, N. I'll.

525 medium, S4.5G@475.
A Terrible Crime at SuncOOk, N. I'll.
CONCORD, n. H. Oct. 5.
THE terrible outrage at Suncook, re-
ported late last evening, has aroused in
tense excitement all over the State, and
hundreds are thronging the trains in their
eager curiosity to visit the scene. The
discoveries of to-day have, however, been
few. Miss Josie Longmaid, eighteen
years old, daughter of James T. Long
maid, who resides a mile and half from
the Pembroke Academy, left home for
the academy at eight o'clock yesterday
morning. The road is lonely one, and
in that distance there are but six houses.
| She was seen to pass the house Of Mr..
Amos HOyt, fourth of a mile from her
| home, but after that was not seen alive,
nor did she reach the academy. She was
not missed till evening, for her younger
brother supposed that she had remained
at home Her father at once aroused the
neighbors, and systematic search was
begun on both cides of the road. Short
ly after eight o'clock Mr.. Cope,
one of the party, came upon her head
less body in a dense underground of
| birch, about three rods from the road,
mile from home. The father was the
third or fourth man to see it, and as his
eyes fell Upon the sickening sight he eX-
claimed: sob, my GOd!'' anG threw HIM
self beside the bloody corpse, alternately
kneeling beside it and embracing it. The
ground and leaves for quite space were
completely saturated with blood, as was
the butt of the tree. The clothing of the
girl was torn into shreds and her under
| clothing torn and saturated with blood.
| Her dress and chemise were stripped to
| her breast, and three bones ofthe right hand
were broken, as if the hand had been struck
when vainly attempting to ward off a
blow. The head was cut off clearly, as if
cut by large, sharp knife The spinal
column was severed between the first and
second vertebr9. TWAS the unanimous
opinion Of the physicians that decapita-
ton was performed or begun before the
| girl was dead, because Of the evidence of
her having bled freely. The body was
otherwise horribly mutilated. Two rings,
one of plain gold and one rubber, and a
gold-enameled breast-pin and earrings
were not to be found on the body. The
| body was taken home, placed in the same
position as when found, the right leg
doubled under the left, the right arm laid
Ii.
| back At dawn search was made by a
! large party for the missing head, books
and water proof cloak. About eight
| o'clock Horace Aver found the head partly
rolled up in the waterproof about seventy
five rods northwest of where the body was
found, IN the same piece of woods. 1t
was partially uncovered, resting on the
water proof, which was carefully thrown
over it, but not quite concealing
it. There was wound on each
side some inches long, and cut
on the top. On the right cheek there
was well-defned imprint Of q boot-heel,
medium size. There was also a cut on
her check, just front of the left ear, that
was probably made by some sharp instru-
ment. A few minutes later the books
were found, and near by heavy oak
stick considerably stained with blood.
At about ten O'clock Deputy-Sheriff
Hildreth took one William Drew, Of Penn
broke, into custody on suspicion. Drew
is young man, twenty-five years of age,
of dissolute habits, and lives about half
mile back of the woods where the murder
was committed He is married to a
woman fully as dissolute. 1t was thought
advisable to lock him up. Though there
is as yet no direct proof pointing to MIN
as the assassin, Officer Hildreth was
obliged to draw his pistol on the crowd
when he locked Drew up at SuncOok.
A negro named Charles Woods has also
been arrested on suspicion of being con-
cerned in the crime.