Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-08-08
BLOODY BUTcHERY.
Shocking Tragedy near Luray
in Clark County, Mo.

Slaughter Of Whole Family.
The Keokuk Gate CITY says: Intel
ligence reached this city last evening
of a shocking crime which was com
mitted about five or six miles from
Luray in Clark county, night before
last. 1t was the
MURDER OF AN ENTIRE FAMILY,
consisting of Lewis Spencer and his
four children. Mr.. Spencer was
about forty-sevcn years of age and
an old resident of that county. lie
was trustee of Folker township. A set
Element of the affairs of the town.
ship had just been made and
he had in his possession the funds
which were to have been turned over
to the County Court which meets at
Kahoka next Monday. 1t is suppos-
ed that the horrible deed was commit
ted for the purpose of securing these
funds, which, it is reported amount
ed to over 500.
DETAILS.
Special Correspondence.
Luray, Mo-, Aug. 3.-Our little
town was thrown into fever of ex-
element by news received here at
s 80 this morning that Lewis Spencer,
an old resident Of this county, living
seven to eight miles north, together
with his family, consisting of four
children, two daughters aged respect
lively fifteen and eighteen, and two
boys aged eleven and thirteen, had
been murdered during the night.
THE FOUL. DEED.
was not discovered until after day
light, by a neighbor, who went to
work for Mr.. Spencer. The girls
and youngest boy were sleeping in
the house and were in their beds, APP
parently not having moved since the
fatal blows were struck. The boy, at
last information, was still. breathing,
but no hopes OF his recovery. Drs.
Paine and Davis went Immediately,
and will render all medical assistance
in their power. The father and old
est boy were sleeping in the hay loft
of the barn, some forty yards distant
from the house, and when found they
were lying as if they had received
the blows while sleeping and had not
moved. The father was still breath
ing, but in dying condition, his
head
MASHED TO A JELLY
with some heavy. instrument or club.
The boy was shot and was dead. One
of the girls was also shot. The others
had been killed with a club or hatch
ct. None of the weapons used have
been discovered. The community is
in perfect
FRENZY OF EXCITEMENT
and vigilance committees of this and
counties have been notified
and q vigorous search is being made
for the perpetrators. I have heard
later that they were all killed with an
axe and all of them dead.
Yours respectfully, f. V. Cox.
A THOUSAND MEN ON THE HUNT.
MT. STERLING, Aug. 3.-There are
q thousand men on the hunt of the
MIR. Spencer was one of
the most unassuming of men-no
better man ever lived.
From intelligence received from
various sources up to late hour last
evening, we learn the following
ADDITIONAL. FACTS:
The principal part Of the murder
Gus work was done with an AK, and
the bloody weapon has been found.
The holes in the heads of two Of
the children were found to have been
made with the prongs of pitchfork
which was also used in the massacre.
1t is thought that no shots we're fired.
The boy who was in the stable with
the father died yesterday at IL o'clock
and the father in the afternoon at 2.
The Anti-I[orse-thief Association
Of Clark County, to the number of
seventy -tive, have joined in the search
for the murderers. The whole coun.
ty is thoroughly aroused and no eff
fort is being spared to capture them.