The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1878-08-03
Horrible Butchery.

| 1ttCHM0SD, VA, 1uIy - - ue
neighborhood Of Fluvania Court House
| in this State, was thrown into the
widest excitement by tho discovery
Of ono of the most horrible triple
murders aud suicides ever known in
that community. The fucts in the
case urc these:
For several years past Colonel
Wilson Houchins, o man Of some
property and prominence living short
distaucc from Fluyania Court House.
has threatened frequently to murder
members Of his family, consisting Of
bis wife, q beautiful and accomplished
woman Of about forty, o daughter
about eleven. and two boys, QUO Of
seven and tho other IN infant, and
IIouchiu's mothcr-in.law. Unfortu-
nately. these threats were disrcgardcd
and no attention given to tue matter
either by tue public or tho family,
although on several occasions HOuch.
ins had attempted to carry out bis
brutal threats. Not long since bis
wife discovered him standing over her
With drawn dagger, ready to drive
it into her heart. In some way she
avcrtcd tho impending blow. ElOuch-
ins on that occasion iuplOrcd his vito
not to llcntion tho matter, promis.
ing bct,cr behavior for tho future.
Since that timc Mrs. lIouchins has
been compelled 10 take her children
and seek refuge under tho roof Of her
ncighbors' houses.
On yesterday morning while the
family were seated at tho breakfast
table Houchins seized an az and CON-
menccd his bloody work, dealing tue
frs. blow to bis wifo, iuli:ting a
a horrible wound on hur head, extend.
ing from car to car, aud killing her
almost instantly. lie then attacked
his little boy. Tho mother. in.law
intertercd and implOrci the fiend to
dcsist. but instead Of yielding to her
appeals for mercy be turned upon her
and knocked her severely with tho ax
handle, and cody returning to the
horrible work of butchcriug his own
child, he chopped bis head of and
threw the body under tho table. Then
before bis mothcr-iu.law revived,
Hutchins finished her, striking her
several blows on tho breast aud head,
slashing and chopping tho woman into
nn almost unacceptable mass. His
spite seemed especially directed to bis
wifc's mother. Ilouchins' son, q little
fellow Of seven, camo into tho room
while tho horrible bu.chery was going
on, and sciziug bis infant brother lying
iu the cradle sought safety
iu the woods. Ilouchins looked for
them, but falling in this he, it seems,
went into the parlOr, and left the fol-
loving parting letter:
IL have intended to do this thing
for some time. The devil is in INC.
My mother.in-law drove mo to it.
She has torucntcd mo to death. 1
cannot live as long as she lives. She
bus poisoned my wife and children
against me, and l am a miserable man.
Whisky, too, has something to do
with it. Let all take warning BY my
end. Pick up my fragments.
WILSON HoucutSs. ="
After completing this, IlOuchins
went to his burnyard, seated himself
it is bclivcd, on keg Of busting
powder-and smoked hi. pipe. Alter
finishing bis smoke. it is supposed be
touched of his internal machine with
dre from bis pipe through the buug-
hole Of tue kcg. A fearful noise fol.
lowed tho explosion, attracting neigh.
bors twelve miles distance.
An investigation Of tho premises
disclosed portion Of llouchius' body
up in tho branches Of tree. forty feet
from tho ground, the hcad on top Of
the barn. Tho keg contained
forty pounds Of heavy blasting powder,
which had been used by llOuchins for
blasting purposes in bis quarry near