Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-04-02
Horrible Murders.

Horrible Murders.
JON. WALLACE MURDERS HIS BROTHER
WIFE AND CHILD, AND MARY CHURCH
HIS. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. CRUELTY
LYNCHED.
On Tuesday night. the 10Th of March,
near Littleton, w. Va, John Wallace
killed his brother Georges wife and child
and girl, Mary Church, a relation,
aged IA years, who was staying that
night with his brothers. wife.
The brother was living there under
the name of George Baker-his real
name being George Wallace. Both were
arrested on suspicion of being implicat-
ed in the murder.
John Wallace made confession which
exculpates his brother George, but i'm
plicates George Villars, and convicts
himself of having been most brutal
murderer. On the 22nd, he made his
confession, and on the morning of the
oath he was taken from the guards, who
had him in custody, by number OF
armed men, who put rope around his
neck and dragged him tor some distance
on the railroad track, and then hung
him to an apple tree.
In his confession before the Jury, as
reported by a correspondent of the
Wheeling Register, he said:
II went to Whites store and in few
minutes was Joined by Henry Villers
and some others who came in. I sat on
the counter. Henry Villars stood close
by me and said, twill you help me do
that tonight" I said, I will. He
then said. "I'll go with you we'll do it
tonight" and asked me who was stay
ing with Georges wife. told him Ma
ry Church. Then he told me, "You go
first and take one of the parties out OF
the house and kill them, and I'll kill
those remaining in the house." and
said, 'you will find half pint flask of
whiskey at the corner of the coal house
near the water station" The nine
o'clock train then passed and we all
went to the door, and Villers and and
some others walked to Pendegrast's
store; Villers stopped there and went
back to the DOCTORS; I walked on up to
George Lemaster's house. but did not
go in. I then went to the railroad and
went directly out to the country and up
to Georges house, expecting Henry
Villers to follow me. When I got to
the house I knocked at the door, but no
one answered. and then went around
to the window and knocked at it.
Georges wife asked, who's there?"
1 told her it was me, and she said to
come around to the door and come in.
| went in the house and she asked me
"what I wanted" 1 told her that Hen
ry Church's wife was very sick and
wanted her to come over as soon as she
could. She got up and dressed herself
and the baby. asked her if there was
hammer about the house, and said I
wanted one for Henry Church. She
said there was one. in the chicken house,
and went and got it and gave it to me.
THE TRIPLE BUTCHERY.
We started for Church's, me carrying
the child and her following. / carried
the child until we got to a point about
half way between the house and where
she was found dead. She took the child
here and carried it to where she was af-
forwards found. When we got to the
fence and went to cross it I.took the child
on my left arm, and, as she was crossing
the fence, struck her on the back of
the head with the hammer. He cried
here and said, "Have mercy on me!"]
She fell on the side of the fence I was
on, and I struck her twice more with
the hammer on the head. I laid the
child down, and when it cried 1 struck
it ON the head once with the hammer.
Then I started to go away as fast as I
could, but was afraid Villers had not
goneto the house, and went back there.
I got to the house and found Villers was
not there, and asked Mary Church to
get me something to eat. She got up to
get me something and went to the shelf
where the!dishes..are kept and then pass
ed around behind me, between me and
the door, and then stood facing the fire.
l struck her on the back of the head
with the same hammer. and then pass
ed out the door and turned back
and took the hammer inmy left
hand and struck her twice, strik-
ing through the half open door. l then
shut the door and went home as fast as
I could go. Whether Villers was there
or not I don't know; l didn't see him.
I came down past Henry Church's and
followed the road home; got there twen-
ty minutes before twelve; it struck
twelve before I got to bed. 1 took two
drinks in Littleton. I have nothing
more to say"
VILLAGES LETTER TO HIS WIFE.
The following letter was found in his
pocket written to his wife, i
MRS. MARY WALLACE
From husband to his wife.
will probably never see you again.
1 am a prisoner, and expect to be hung
for the murder of those who confessed
to have killed. Dear Mary, [ cannot
tell the reason 1 did it, only through
the hatred that had against George for
the way he talked about you when we
were staying at his house, and what
they said about you after we went back
to your fathers. That is what Mary Tho
mas said that they said about you. l
am sorry to say that was persuaded by
Henry Villars, more or less, and was
drinking some | was committed to
Jail for further examination. Dear wife,
[ Would like to see you, but cannot see
you unless you get we'll and come to see
me. Darling. fyou can come and see
NE, GUILE. WTlto lie b llu0 VI Two anu
send to me right away. If I liveto get
to Jail will write to you and tell you
all hope to say. Write soon. From
your husband,
JOHN WALLACE
P. ST. will trust in God to save my
soul. Goodby, dear wife; goodby.
Your once loved husband, and I hope,
as you will never forget me, let God be
your comfort. God forbid that any shall
do as have done.
The corpse was sent for burial to
West alexandria, Penn, where the
father resides. He telegraphed to have
the body sent there. It is reported that
the father, who is an old man and
much respected by his neighbors, is al
most insane with grief.
On the Goth, Geo. Villars was arrest
ed at Littleton, on charges brought by
thefather of Mrs. Wallacewho was killed,
charging him with having concerted the
plot of the triple murder. though he
was NOT present when the crimes were