Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1877-01-30
Correspondence Of the st. Joseph Herald
Monstr0us and Inhuman.


M0nstrOus and Inhuman.
A MAN MURDERS HIS WIFE AND ELoPEs
WITH HER SIsTER-THE GUILTY PAR
TIES LYNCHED AND CREMATED BY
THEIR NEIGHBORS.
ALBANY, Mo-, Jan. 15.-Albert Kline
came in this evening from Iowa, and re-
ports the particulars of a horrible TRACE
dy which occurred on Friday last near
the banks of Platte River. About one
year ago Phil. Ames moved into that
bringing with him a
wife, a little child and his sister-in-law.
He secured a small piece of land, and
erected upon it neat two-story dwell
ing. For time all things appeared to
go on nicely inside the family mansion,
but it soon became evident to those who
grew intimate with the Ameses that
there was skeleton in the house, and
that all was not as lovely as it should be.
There was GOODNESS growing up be-
tween husband and wife, only equaled
by an apparent warmth existing be-
tween the husband and the sister-in-
law. The neighboring women noticed
that the wife often appeared in tears,
was neglected and left unprovided for,
while her sister received the smiles and
caresses Of the husband. Whole days
the wife passed alone, having no COM
pany save the child, bright, golden
haired girl of five summers, who chung
to her. and in whose existence she APP
peared to live and have her being. At
length, on the 10th of November, thelit-
tie child sickened and suddenly died. 1t
was buried the next day-a rude country
burial, bitter cold nor h wind, leafiess
trees, and a cherries grave, crushed the
mothers spirit and broke her heart
Then 1t was that the spirit Of Cain ap-
| peared to take possession of the hus-
band. He frequently beat his wife,
drove her from his bed and forced hel
to occupy miserable straw and husk
pallet on the kitchen-foo while the
sister occupied the place which belonged
to her. At length the wife, driven tc
despair, told the story of her wrongs tc
Mrs. Rosa Mcclure, and she laid the sit
uation in the Ames household before bel
husband, and he soon had the men in
the neighborhood worked up to the point
of lynching the unnatural husband
They visited the house and would have
hung the monster, but for the pleadings
of his wife, who went down on hel
knees before the angry crowd ane
begged the life of the man who had &c
wronged her, while her sister at the frs
sound of danger had sought safety in
flight. The neighbors listened to the
poor woman's appeal, removed the rop'
| from the mans neck and set him free
To any but man possessed by devi
this would have proved a warning tha
would have turned him into better ways
4 But not SO with Ames. Scarcely had
the crowd dispersed when he went tt
the barn, saddled his horse, and returned
to the house with heavy curb bride
Up stairs, kneeling and at prayer, witt
photograph of her dead child in he
hand, ne found his wife. In an instan
he had struck her to his feet with thu
bit, dragged her to the head of the stairs
and thrown her to the floor yellow
where he continued to beat her with
the bride until life had departed. Ir
the meantime the sister had returned
from her hiding-p.ace. Another horse
was saddled, the body of the dead wo
man was thrown across the saddle, and
the sister riding one horse and leading
the other. Ames walking alongside anC
held the body in position until they ar
rived at the river, where hole was Gu
in the ice and the body thrust out o
sight. A young man returning home
; saw the parties journeying to the river
and when he reached the settlement
told what he had seen. A number o
armed men started in pursuit, and ar
rived at the river bank just as the muir
derer and his paramour were mounting
their horses. They were called upon t.
halt. when ,Ames drew q revolver anG
fired into the crowd. The fire was re
turned by volley and the guilty wo-
man fell dead from her horse, sho
through the neck. The man put spur
to his horse and attempted to escape IL
the dark, but fortunate shot brough
!, his animal down and the murderer wa
captured. A rope was provided and al
| the necessary arrangements made for
frontier funeral, when the wretchet
man made confession, the chief point
of which are incorporated in the abov,
. statement; and he further stated tina
the sister Of his wife had administered
poison to her little niece, in order to &c
| planning the murder of the wife, tina
. they might live unmolested together
In this they were prevented by the mol
of o few hours before, and that he thel
|, killed the wife as above stated. TIL
, rope was thrown over limb, stron;
men pulled at the end of it, and the mex
instant quivering body was suspende'
in air. A number of logs were thel
rolled together, brush was then pilet
upon them, and the bodies of the tw'
J inhuman beings placed in their midst
, A match was applied to the pile, and al
that now remains to mark the spot ant
the tragedy is bed at ashes. The bod,
of the murdered woman was recovered
on Saturday and buried by the side o
her dead child.