The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1877-08-25
A FIENDISH CRIME.
A whole Family Brutaliy Blotted Out
of Existence--A Crime with Scarcely
Parallel.

KEoEuK, Iowp August ! --Gatr CITY
repof KS jrAt rom tho sceuo briu., .ar-
ther particulars of the murder OF Lewis
Spencer and his four children near La
roy, in Clark county, Missouri, night be-
fore last. From the condition Of the
wounded WHEN the physicians were
callei in, it was thought that the massa-
Gre was committed just before daylight.
The murderers procured the axe from
the wooi-pile, and evidently went first
to the stable and climbed up a ladder on
the outside to the lott where MIR. Spencer
and his sou Willis, aged ten. wer9 sleep
ing. and commenced the bloody work
upon them, dealing heavy blows upon
each. Mr.. Spencer had in hi4 possess
sion at the time about 81 300, which the
assassins secured
They then proceeded 70 the house,
crept in at the kitchen window and
forced open door into n bedroom on
the first floor, in which were sleeping
the daughter Jane, aged eighteen, and
the son Charles, aged seven. Jane
seemed to be struck dead while asleep,
but the boy was partially awakened, and
in his struggle fell across the body of
his sister, and was found in that posi-
ton. The other daughter, Alice. aged
twenty, was sleeping up stairs alone and
did not appear to have moved after the
fatal blow WAS struck.
The murder was first discovered by a
brother-in-law of Mr.. Spencer named
Willis James, who went there to work.
He gave the alarm, and the neighbors
soon congregated at the scene. The
father and both sons were still breathing
when found, but were in an unconscious
condition and remained so. So father
and one son lived about two hours, and
the other son little longer. All five of
the victims were killed with an axe, re-
ceiving from one to three blows each
upon the head, fracturing their skulls
and mangling their faces frightfully
The axe was found under the back part
OF the house, beneath the window
through which the murderers had fed.
1t was very heavy one and was be-
sneared with blood. Nothing in the
house was disturbed or carried away
except water bucket, which is sup
posed they used in washing the blood
from their hands and clothes.
The tracks leading away from the
persons engaged in the slaughter. Mr..
Spencer's father, who is so years Of age,
and lives in the neighborhood, on learn
ing the fate of his sons family. was
stricken with grief. and probably will not
recover from the shock. The news OF
the massacre spread rapidly and soon
hundreds of people have gathered at the
scene. Vigilance committees were
formed, and the day was spent in scour-
ing the country in every direction. Be-
fore night 1000 men on horseback were
engaged in the search, but no traces ol
the murderers could be discovered
During the night viglants were stationed
on all the roads Meantime Coro.
ner's inquest upon the bodies was CON
menced.
The principal witness was Willis
James, the brother-in-law. During the
Inquest few drops of blood were dis
covered on his clothes. He was ques
toned about this, but accounted for j
by saying he had the nose bleed a da,
or two previous. The conclusion which
had already been reached, that the deed
was committed by some one familia
with the promises, and knowing that MIR
Spencer had large amount of none.
with bin, the presence Of this blood AM
other circumstances led to the suspicion
that James was tho guilty party. A
last accounts the vigilants had takel
charge Of him and another man nance
Brady, and had gone off in the wood
with them. There is no positive evi
dence againH them, but if the guilt ca
be fixed on them there is no doubt bu
that they will swing, az the populace ar
in a perfect frenzy over the damnabl
outrage. The funeral of the victim
took place to-day, and was attended b
about ]. 200 people. The bodies are a
buried in one grave.