The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-11-08

ed to Cudham, leaving Alice Rhodes still
resident in the house of Louis Staun-
on. Within three weeks, according to
Clara Browns evidence, Louis Staunton,
with his wife and Alice Rhodes, went
down TO visit at the Woodlands from
Saturday till Monday. When returning
to town on Monday morning they did
not take the child back with them, but
left il in care of Mr.. and Mrs Patrick
StauntoD; at all events they left it at the
Woodland, and the child never left the
Woodlands again until, on April Sth in
the present year, it was then taken to the
hospital and died. On several occasions
three or four other occasions MIR. and
Mrs, Staunton came down to pay short
visit; between that time and the month
of August, and on one occasion Mrs. Har.
riet Staunton paid visit and remained
there week. She seems further, hav-
ing paid these visits some time early in
the month of August, to have gone down
again to stay at the Woodlands, and from
that period until her death, che never
left the Woodlands again except on two
occasions, when she came up to see Mr.,
Keene, a legal commissioner, who was
to take her acknowledgment of deed,
which was finally to dispose ofthe whole
property to which she was entitled to in
revision. From the early part of August
until her death, with the exception of
those two occasions, according to all the
evidence, she never left the Woodlands
In August her husband had secured
the last remnant of Harriet Stanton's
property. The money she was in pos
session Of at her marriage had become
Louis's absolute property on her mar
riage, but she was also entitled to a re-
versionary interest, which would be Of
the value of G2200, according to Mrs.
Butter6eld, who said the whole property
of the deceased would be worth about
$4,000. Instructions were given to sell
this interest, and it brought only &ll00,
which was not paid until October. Now
the Woodlands Cottage was asmall house
containing four rooms, large and small
parlor, two bedrooms above, kitchen
and a cellar. The parlors, one of which
was called the study, was IL feet 2 by u
feet 10 inches, and the other was l9 feet
by 8 feet 8 inches. These dimensions
will give you tolerable accurate idea of
the bedrooms above them. One of these
bedrooms was occupied by Mr.. and Mrs.
Patrick Staunton, with one of their chill.
dren. The other bedroom was occupied
by Clara Brown, with another of Patrick
Staunton's children, and jointly also by
Mrs. Harriet Staunton and her child.
The house would appear to have been
inConveniently crowded, having regard
to the number of its inmates. The house
was a mile away from the village of Cud-
ham. The house opposite was called |
the Poltlands, and between the Wood
lands and the Portlands there was an
other house. The house there had four
bedrooms in it, were furnished and 2 |
we're some twenty-one |
acres of grassland about it. By all the
prisoners counsel it was avowed that it |
was taken for Alice Rhodes and for Al
Ice Rhodes alone.
The existence of Harriet Staunton
shut up in her brother.in-law's house at
The Woodlands was concealed from the
whole neighborhood. According to the
this conCealment was inten-
led to cover the process of slowly starv-
ng her to death. In April last she was
'apidly sinking, and the four prisoners
net and removed the dying woman to
Penge, OH the 18th. When she arrived
in this new locality doctor was sent for,
and she died the next day. Vague state.
ments were made to the doctor as to her
and she would have been in
erred without further question had it
lot been for the fact that Mrs. Butter
ield had been recently stimulated to re-
lewed eXertions as to her daughters
esidence, and her inquiries came to the
,ars of the neighbors.
During her residence at Woodlands she
vas getting weaker and weaker, dying
~ inches, neglected and wretChed, and
III this time Louis Staunton was passing
Alice Rhodes off as his wife. Testimony
howed that during her residence at
'enge the same neglect was shown, and
he still seemed to be sinking. At last
he died. During the day, when death
vas imminent, Louis Staunton would
lave been the person to remain; but the
act was he left her. She was then in
ensible; her breathing was difficult and
abored; he tried to rouse her, but in vain,
nd she remained in that state for some
ime. When the doctor came he ordered
Ter to be kept quiet and have beef tea;
,ut she could not take it. He called la
er on, but found her dead, and the wit
less afterward gave certificate as to the
ause of death. When she died she was
- nt1k Of oh ,l |
or that purpose. The body was dirty
nd unwashed, and the hair alive with
ice. Cerebral disease and apoplexy
we're assigned by the medical men in at
endanCe as the cause of death. The fu-
eral had been arranged for the Monday
at 2 o'clock, and the name put
pom the coffin was Harriet Staunton,
ged 36; but for reasons stated, she was
lot buried that day. Mr.. Longrigg, the
octor, under the circumstances, felt it
lis duty to communicate with the G
Ter, and to suggest an inquiry as to the
ause of death. With that view the Cor
ner directed a post mertem examination
D be made; it was made six days after
be death, in the presence of a surgeon,
elected by the prisoner.
The autopsy showed that the body was
ntirely devoid of fat. One physician
that death had been caused
y starvation, while others rather vague
Y ascribed her death to tuberCular me-
ingitis. The case occupied six days in
be trial, with the result l have meu-
oned, During the passage of the SEN
ence the cheering of the populace out
ide, to whom the verdict had been con
eyed, frequently interrupted the Judge
4 the performance of mis- solemn duty.
London Cor. Brooklyn Eagle.