The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1876-12-08
A COLORADO HORROR.
The Desperate Deed Of - Mexican Assas-
Daughter Ia cold BIoOd-A 6hastIy
Scene.

sin murdertuE Wan, WIFE and
Daughter Ia Cold BIood-A GhsstIy
Scene.
fFrom the Denver Tribune
Huerfano County has been the scene
OF a most brutal tragedy, which occurred
last Wednesday evening, three miles
from La Veta, in which John Brown, a
in cold blood, and a married daughter,
Mrs. Rice, received injuries which will
probably result fatally. An unknown
Mexican was the perpetratOr Of the
deed, and very little light has yet been
thrown upon the,atlair.
A son of Mr.. Brown makes a state
ment 70 the effect that he, in company
with Mr. W. ii. Gribble, were out hunt
ing cattle, when on returning home
they were warned of danger by the cries
OF his sister, Mrs. Rice. Mr.. Gribble,
who was in advance, rushed toward the
house, and, when within thirty PAGES Of
it, discovered Mrs. Rice lying in the
dcequta. As Mr.. Gribble rushed for
ward and raised the woman up, Mex
lean near by jumped from ms horse,
saying in broken English, "Damn you,
leave here, - and fired two shots from
his revolver, which, fortunately, took
no effect. Proceeding toward Mrs.
Rice, he administered two blows OF his
revolver on her head, and some kicks
on her body. Her brother appearing
upon the scene, and calling to Mr..
Gribble 10 run 20 the house for the gun,
caused the Mexican TO mount his horse
and ride off.
After removing his sister TO the
house, she, in her few moments of con-
sciousness, testified to the following ac-
count of the terrible tragedy: She said
that this Mexican, speaking broken En-
glish, req~"Sfed TO stay over night, and
asked her father To 60 up and give his
horse some hay. He Immediately went
with him 10 the corral, where he KILLED
him, and returning, attacked her moth
er with the butt Of his revolver, strik-
ing her 10 the floor, and hit her one
blow on the head, after which she made
her escape, followed 10y him, when,
through faintness, she fell shrieking in
the ditch, out of which MIR. Gribble was
endeavoring 10 raise her, when the
Mexican again struck her with his re-
volver, and she was insensible.
A correspondent of the Pueblo Cher
tain, who visited the scene, reports il as
most revolving. "On arriving at the
log house of the Victims" says he, "a
scene Of ghastly horror presented itself
which beggars all description. On the
floor lay the murdered remains Of the
aged woman, wife and mother, her gray
hair matted and clotted with blood, and
gore covering her face. Appearances
indicated that she had been beaten TO
death with the butt end Of a revolver,
the several missions in her head prov
ing that fact. Ii was evident that the
old lady was preparing supper when she
was SO brutaly and savagely attacked,
and her struggles were apparent from
the blood-marks on the wall, and her
| fall toward the adobe fireplace. into
which she, III her death struggle, fell
with her hand, which Is burned almost
to a charred crisp.
"The next object which attracted at
tention was the daughter, Mrs. Nenie
Rice, who now lies in very precarions
condition. Dr. Washington, who had
/ been summoned, was bathing her
wounds anc using every remedy in his
power 10 relieve her sulierings. At 9
O'Clock at night the body Of Mr.. Brown
was taken from the corral and was
placed alongside that OF his wife. A
/ heart-rending scene here took place, as
/ the son gave way at the sight Of his
poor murdered old father, whose frac-
tured skull had evidence Of premeditat-
ed murder. The old gentleman is over
sixty years of age, while his wife was
about fifty-five. Their daughter, Mrs.
/ Rice, whose life is despair,d Of, is
I twenty-five years of age, handsome in
/ features and robust in form. Her hus-
/ band is unfortunately in the San Juan
country with load of freight, and a
baby OF three or four months old is now
! dependent for sustenance on the good
ness of her brothers wife"
The citizens of Huerfano County are
greatly exercised over the occurrence,
and declare that the three-fold murder
shall be avenged. At last accounts the
murderer had not been identified.