The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1877-10-04
Graphic Account Of an Illinois Des-
nerad0.

1eVer Oh excitement over the Tragedy
which was enacted near this village.
The statements published hitherto
have been incomplete and inaccurate.
The facts presented below were cleaned
from eyewitness of every act in the
tragedy, and may be relied upon as cor
rect.
The little town of st. Elmo is located
on the Vandalia railway, seventeen
miles west of Efingham, and thirteen
miles east of Vandalia. 1t is town of
recent growth, having sprang into exis-
tence since the building of the Vandalia
road. About two miles west ofSt. Elmo
lived a well-to-do farmer of the name of
John B. Scoles, man highly respected
in the community where he lived. On
Saturday the Sth inst, Mr.. Scoles with
his wife and four small children went
to the farm of Mrs. Scoles's brother, Asa
Severns, who lives three miles south of
the Scoles farm. There they remained
over Sabbath, leaving their own home
deserted for the time. On Monday
morning they returned home, arriving
about half past eight o'clock. Mr..
Seoles and the children alighted at the
house while Mr.. Scoles drove on to the
barn, in the rear of the residence, where
he proceeded to take the harness from
his horses. While thus engaged Mrs.
Scoles came running from the house and
informed her husband that some one had
spent the night there and that some ar
ticles were missing. While pondering
over this statement, Mr.. Sco1es looked
across an adjoining meadow and saw a
rough-looking man sulking leisurely
away from the house and carrying a
valise. Mr.. S. hurriedly stripped the
harness from one of the houses, mounted,
and started in pursuit. The tramp
looked carelessly over his shoulder when
he heard the sound of horses hoofs, but
did not increase his leisurly gait. On
the east of the meadow was narrow
roadway leading from the National road
northward through Mr.. Scoles's farm.
The tramp climbed the fence into this
road, then facing around drew large
navy revolver, remarking as he leveled
the weapon at his pursuer: "Now then,
damn you, I've got you where want
you" With this preface he fired the
first shot of the awful tragedy. Mr..
Scoles fell from his horse, and the muir
derer sprang over the fence, went
directly to his protrate victim and fred
two additional shots. Subsequent ex-
animation established the fact that the
first ball, fired from distance of one
hundred and fifty yards, entered the alb
domen about two inches below the navel; /;
the second passed through the right
haud and lodged in the right shoulder.
The murderer then put the pistol under
the left ear of his victim and sent ball
through his brain. Having satisfied him
self that the work was complete, the
fiend picked up his valise, jumped over
the fence and disappeared in a corn-feld.
All this had been witnessed by the ter
ror-stricken wife and children of the
murdered man, and by farmer named
S. l.. Schlott, who sat in his wagon on
the National road, saw the whole affair,
and heard the murderer make the little
speech quoted above.
When the murderer had disappeared
in the corn Mr.. Schlott whipped up his
horse and made all haste to st. Elmo,
where he gave the alarm. Within
twenty minutes twenty men were armed
mounted, and speeding away toward the
scene of the tragedy. Arriving on the
spot, the st. Elmo party found about a
dozen farmers assembled, mounted on
horses, and carrying all sorts of weapons.
Among them was Frank Wireman, who
had been at work in the field on his
fathers farm, one and half miles dis
tant, when he heard the horrible news,
and had taken his horse from the plow,
seized a rifle and galloped to the spot.
The corn-field which the murderer had
entered was about two hundred yards in
width and about four hundred in length,
the ends resting on the National road
and the Vandalia railway. This field
was surrounded and thoroughly searched,
but it was discovered that the bird had
flown to other quarters. just east of
the corn-field lies strip of timber
thickly studded with underbrush. The
tracks of the fugitive led to this timber.
East of the timber is small stream
called Sugar Creek. A long trestle of
the Vandalia railway spans this stream,
and the ravine on either side of the bed
of the creek. A strong guard was
placed on the trestle to prevent the es-
cape of the assassin in that direction.
On the south of the timber lies the grade
of the National road. Along this grade
line of sentinels were posted. Senti-
nels were also placed along the lane
forming the western boundary of the
wood, and on the railway track on the
north. These precautions having been
taken, about dozen men, armed with
rifles and revolvers, began a thorough
search of the timber. About 11:3O
o'clock the men on guard at the trestle
work saw Misunderstanding scoundrel
sneaking out of the underbrush and
moving cautiously toward the bridge.
They Immediately opened with gun and
pistol upon the enemy, who, after re,
turning the fire retreated to the timber
He then passed through the underbrush
to the south end of the wood, where he
encountered Robert Brockelby and
Charles Brown. The first named gen
tleman was unarmed, and the last car
ried only small pistol. The desperate
succeeded in putting them both to flight
with few random shots. Arriving al
the National road grade he encountered
a line of pickets, on whom he opened
fire with hesitation. But few of the
citizens being armed, they gave way and
allowed him to pass. He crossed the
road and entered the timber on tht
south side, pursued by dozen or more
men mounted and on foot. Franl
Barnes, of St. Elmo, not being mounted
jumped into cornfeld west ofthe woot
lot. Passing south about two hundred
wards, he mounted the fence which sep
arated the cornfeld from the timber
He had been standing in that position
but a moment when the assassin ap
peared from behind clump of bushe
abouteighty yardsdistant. Barns, who wa
armed with double-barreled shotgun
loaded with buckshot, fired one barrel a
the man and attempted to follow up witt
the other barrel, but it missed fire. !
citizen was standing on the groun,
near Barnes, armed with rifle, but ha,
made no attempt to use it. Barne
urged him to fire, but the fellow said h
was afraid he could not hit the man a
that distance. Barnes then took tn
rifle from his companions hand, and
still standing on the highest rail of tn
fence, drew a bead on the desperate
but before he could pull the trigger tn
murderer fired, the ball entering Barnes