The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-04-18
An Old Man Kills His Daughter
for Adultery.
DREADFUL NARRATIVE.
lie Pleads the Commands Of the Old Testament
and the Teaching Of Martin Luther.

a
Thursday evening, December Is, 1877. between six
and seven O'Clock, the sheriff Of Licking county,
couple of jurymen and enjoying mis- evening cigar
ana thai peace Of conscience that all good sheriis
are wont TO enjoy. OUTSIDE was dark, cold, stormy.
winter night inside was light, warmth and cneer.
In the midst OF somc lrhing jest n short, sharp
rap was heard at tho door Come IN" said the
Snerih, In his business tone. AT the command
the door slowly and cautiously opened, and
singular object presented Itself to the gaze OF Tho
ustonishea trio 1t was old man, evidently from
the country TAIL and spare. q little bowed with age.
with sharp, keen features an intelligent tace, aud
clad in his best felt hat boots and plnialoons, and
crackers IN his lett hand, one OF which he was munch
Ing as he entered. Looking ~ Mr. Schohed, the old
''Are you the Shcrffr
Eyes, sir was the reply; ''what is wantedf"
~ have come to deliver myself up 10 YOU"
"Wny, what nave you been doipg3" asked tho
sheri halt jocuiary, thinking thai the old man was
either not right or had been drinking
home"
Who was your housexeepers"
"My daughter"
"Well what was the trouble?n
ION Pve Committed u terrible deed"
"What have you donef' sad the Sheriff, still half
In Jest; shave you KILLED any onef''
The old man nesi,a ed moment, guzed cautiously
around, and then answered IN a halt whisper -
81 atn AFRAID that perhaps nave!'
"Wnat in the world made you do such a thing as
tnai % asked the sheriff now becoming startied hui
MT yet believing that the old name story really
well Two had lots OF trouble am an old man.
aud couldn't stand It any longer. DO you know
q ,ytn,ng about Martin LuthefY'
The Sheriff acknowledged that he had heard OF that
gentleman
swell, he's the cause of all this trouble"
..But what made you XIII herr"
s'Because she was bad. and hadn't ought TO live any
longer
aOh, you know; with men,
'was there any blood IN this business?' asked the
Sheriff, noticing the old mans neat appearance and
still not believing his sialementA
.Blooal should lhink there was" was the an
swer; 'but Pve washed since that aud changed all my
clothes except my boots and nndersnirt"
faro you drunk or crazyY" said the Sheriff. be-
ginning think IRON the mans earuestness AND per-
sstenco that there might DO something in his story.
.Neltnern he replied. .I've had two horns TO-
day but Pm not drunk. Pm a Vlrginau, ana Irs
Virginia grit when man has broken law to give
himself up, and suffer tho penaity.n
.sWel, sir, )" SAID the sheriff more seriously, .sif
what you say rs true. shalt DO Obliged 10 put you
under a rest."
ma ter-oi.iact tone; 'rhat is what came In TORI
Ho tnen told the sheriff that his Alfred
Jones; that he lived about two and half miles north
east OF Linville, In Licking county; that he Was
sevcutytwo years old, and had killed his
had since walked into Newark twelve miles, 10 do
liver himself up He had been 10 the jail first, and
not finding him there came TO his Office.
on the way 10 the jail with the prisoner tho sheriff
again asked q question which he had asked III
several limos before and which the ola seemed
particularly avcrse 10 answering
..wnat did you XIII ner with 2" said the snorifr.
"You might as we'll tell me all ABOUT II, for III ind
out anyhow"
Looking all around 10 see that no one else heard
ana placing his mouth close TO the SheriTs oar, the
old man shrilly whispercd:--
III killed her with a hatchetl"
Tho sheriff locked tho prisoner IN a cell, went up
town and summoned Coroner's Jury. none OF whom.
emanation OF u drunken or disordered BRAN.
Gu returning to the jail the sheriff went TO the cell
and sad, .Jonos. where - tn 4 woman now"
Taxing the points Of tho compass IN his cell no
pointed ms finger in a certain direction ana SAID
you ~ hnd her BODY lying In the lot about sixty
wards southeast of the house"
SWELL Jones. /" said The Sheriff. II believe IN 20
out lhore and II you've told .he truth about this
and n you have she may not be dead yet"
III wish you would 20, sheriff" suid Jones; 'sput
youth find that she Is dead. know she's dead. be-
cause went back to her alter struck her and
pulied her logs straight aud drawod her clothing
down. She's dead, and you'll hnd everything Sjust AS
Then Jones told the sheriff wbero he had hidden
the hood mis- victim had on when no killed her and
also bloody clothing he had worn, aud the muir
derous Ratchet, as well as gave other directions with
the utmost mnuteDess.
MIDNIGHT RIDE
After O long, circuitous ride OF twelve miles, over
end css ranges OF hills, through the dark
stormy winter night, the Sheriff, with tho Coroner's
ia w ,hey Would DO obliged to hitch her nossss
aud proceed tho rest OF the way foot tho road
onding In the barnyard Of Mr.. Solomon swineharI
Joues' nearest neghbor, whose house Is distant
the scene OF .he tragedy. waking Mr.. swinonart.
the party took lanterns IN hand ana proceeded to
cautiously pick their way "cross lots up one ravino
and down another. Even then all but the ShorlN
seemed 10 think they had come a TOOLS erraud.
Ali vas slil as doath Not star was visible, and
IN sol.mn silence they moved on la their dreadful
quest
fashioned log aud frame structure, with porch run
ming tbs whole length VI The east side and a largo
stone chimney ON the trout or south side Tho house
was situated IN a gloomy, basin shaped depression.
the ground soping away 10 Tho rear and gradually
rising ~ the front 10 an elevation OF perhaps twenty
nvs or thirty feet
Il was now abou, O'Clock In tho morning. Tho
no dark and still no signs OF lic visible.
stepliug tue porch, the sheriff Knocked loudly.
No response. Another knock. only hollow ecIo
answered 'Geutcmen, /" said the Sheriff. turning to
the Jury with n pale lace, .Gentlemen, II Is true
Tnen, beginning AT tho 'front.' Of tho house. he slowly
paced on some sMty yards ny tho slope Ia a north
.asery direction, when, horror OF horrorst a sight
met gaxc Of tho parry so ghastly that u viii never
bs enaeed WINE memory lasts
There, prone upon the frozen ground, her white,
rigid lace cleaning In the nickcriDg hght, with
giarng eyes and limbs distorted IN tho last agony,
lay dead BODY Of woman, still warm, with the
top and back part OF her head beaten TO pulp by
cruel weapon OF death, and her brains blood spat
tering nor clothing and soaking the hard carthi IL
VINO had just voluntarily gwen himself up 10 the
Sherin as her slayer
ALpeGD yosgs' srRsRQuESr srAryaKsrs
In subsequent interviews with the sheriff from
time Jones has made substantially the follow
ing statements IN regard TO MS terrible ne,
causes that led thereto as well nc It's immediate occa-
sion lie SAYS tbat the trouble between him aud his
daughter nvst began when she joined tho Iutheran
Church. 10 which step ne was bitterly on.
poscd as well as to her subsequent Attendance
thercaL That aitcrward he had reason 10 believe
she was unchaste, particularly with married men;
aud they declared that whosoevcr commits adultery
should DO put 10 death IL his duty 10 XIII her.
Besides he was obliged to do II 10 prevent sopara-
ton between husband aud vile. "And that, you
know, he added, rs tue worst tbing 10 the wordlv
The To- oi the deed. according to Ills statements Is
about ths:lt Is right Tor any one to put
death Sue was an adultercss hence, the bloody
conclusion.
now rHE DRIED WAS coxxfrrAp.
On tho morning vi the fatal 18th 81 December. Jones
says, ho waikel over TO Brownsville. Keturning
homo no took dinncr usual About O'Clock ~
the afternoon, MS he was seated with fvicd arms IA
his CHAR, hall doing, he heard par OF squcakug
shoes the porch lie aad heard that sound before,
aud knew what II meant. Getting up IRON mis-
chair he went 70 toe porch ana
disappearing In the ravine In the back
corner OF the place, where tbs spring house
stood Presently ho saw his daughter coming back
up the hill carrying three large Hat stones In her
hands when she was going 10 throw In y Doggy
place Tor stepping stones. He hoipcd her carry obo
up and place u IN pOsJn near tue north end Of tile
porch rnen, suddenly turning 70 her, he SAID ..you
had "a over there ~
Father" she answered, ''you accuse me wrone.u
These wero Tn. last words snc ever spoke lie
picked up Ratchet which was lying fatally near and
struck her with the back OF II side OF head
she threw up her aims partly warning on the blow