The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1877-03-01
A CURIOUS MURDER CASE.
TRIAL TO HENRY G. HENDRYX
FOR WIFE MURDER.
CunA. N. Y.. Fahrnaru 1G.

one Of the most prominent and estimable
farmers of this vicinity, was married to
Henry G. Hendryx, young farmer, than
whom no man in the county had more
enviable reputation. With the exception
Of three years, during which time they
were in Missouri, Mr. and Mrs. Hendryx
lived in this county ever since their mar
riage. For the past three or four years,
and up to July last they occupied the
Chamberlain farm, in the outskirts of
this village. Hendryx was always look
ed upon by the entire community as be-
ing as near perfect in character as a man
could we'll be, and is still so considered
by a large number of the best people of
the county.
It has not positively appeared that
during all the years of the married life of
Mr.. and Mrs. Hendryx anything but the
most perfect felicity, unanimity and af'
fection had existed in their household up
to within the past year, and that there
was any misunderstanding between them
even in that time is questioned. Yet
Hendryx has just been on trial, charged
with the cool, deliberate and premedita-
ted murder of his wife, for the purpose
of securing an insurance on her life and
enioying the uninterrupted blandish-
ments Of a paramour, until public opin-
ion was so dulled that he could raise her
to the position in his house made vacant
by his crime. How nearly the evidence
convinced the jury Of his guilt is manifest
when it is stated that ten were in favor
of his conviction two asked for his ac-
quittal.
A year ago last fall, to abstract the
story from the mass of evidence, a Mrs.
Mary Webber came from Angelica to
Cuba. She was a widow, young, hand
some and vivacious. She became the
inmate of the house of a prominent citi-
zen of this village. Hendryx and Mrs
Webber we're own cousins, and he fire.
ouently visited her, and she was often at
his house on the farm. The familiarity
between Hendryx and his cousin was
seized upon by gossips, who sought to
make it the foundation Of scandal; but
until subsequent and more terrible
events occurred they do not seem to have
succeeded.
Last April Mrs. Webber went to Mr.,
and Mrs. Hendryx's to stay, and prolong-
ed her visit into the summer. In May
Mr.. Hendrix obtained an insurance poll
cy on the life of his wife for $4,000, and
at the same time insured himself for the
same amount in an accident insurance
company.
A little after o'clock on the morning
of the 9TH of July last neighboring farm
er heard three pistol shots fred, the sound
coming from the direction of Hendryx's
house. The alarm was soon afterwards
given that burglars had broken into the
house of the latter and had shot both
Hendryx and his wife. The neighbors
hurried to the house and found Mrs. Hen
dryx lying dangerously wounded by a
pistol ball. Hendryx was also shot in the
| fleshy part OF the thigh.
The latter said that about 1:30 o'clock
he was awakened by noise in his room,
He raised up in bed, and as he was step
ping over hiswife to reach the floor the
report of pistol rang through the room.
He thought he saw some one moving in
the apartment. He sprang from the bed
and ran towards door leading into the
dining room. He pulled it open. In
stantly another shot was fired. The ball
struck Hendryx in the thigh. He shut
the door and locked it, and ran into
room where his little boy slept, whittier
his wife had also fed He exclaimed,
"Cynthia, Pm shotp His wife replied
in feeble tones, $50 am l |" The first
shot had taken effect in her breast, Hen
dryx says he desired at once TO 60 for
aid, but his wife prevented him, fearing
that the assassins were still lurking about
and would finish their work by killing
him.
When it grew light, however, Hen
dryx sent his little boy to give the alarm
and himself fred off his pistol three times
outdoors to attract attention. While he
was outdoors he found a pocket-book
which had been in his pantaloons poCk.
ct when he went to bed the night before.
Ten dollars that it contained were mis-
sing. On returning to the house he
found his pantaloons in another room
adjoining the one in which he had taken
them off This convinced him that some
person or persons had entered the house
for purposes of robbery, and, thinking
they were discovered, fired the shots
that had proved so effectual. Search was
made for evidence of burglars, in hopes
that some clue might be found to the
perpetrators of the crime. The windows
were all found fastened. Beneath the
window of the sleeping room Of Mr.. and
Mrs. Hendryx the ground was soft and
loose. No tracks led to or away from it.
The dewy grass beneath the other win
doWs had not been trodden upon. No
door had been tampered with; no spent
ball could be found, and no trace of any
intruder upon the premises discovered.
Physicians we're summoned to care for
Mrs. Hendryx. Her wound was probed
and a ball extracted. The ball fitted
exactly the chamberof a revolver belong
ing to Hendryx, the barrel of which was
stained with blood. Mrs. Hendryx died
from her injury, coroners investigation
was held and verdict in accordance
with the above facts was found.
Some days after the shooting the bloody
impress of human hand was discovered
on the window sill of the sleeping room
of the farmer and his wife. Careful ex-
aminations of the window previously
made had failed to reveal the mark. A
month or so afterwards Hendryx called
ON Deputy Sheriff Swift and told him he
had found pistol ball imbedded in the
window.casing, and had taken it out with
a knife. The hole made by this ball had
also strangely escaped the notice of pre-
vious Investigators. The bullet did not
fit Hendryx's revolver.
Stories of the conduct of Hendryx and
Mrs. Weber, since she had been men,
ber of his household, from the time she
nntarad hia houan nm IN and auhannunnt