The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1878-05-25
THE UTICA HORROR.

Intense horror and excitement were created
at Utica in this county, last Sunday, and indeed
more or less over half the county on the dis
covery of the dead body of little Maggie Cuddy,
under circumstances that proved she had been
most foully dealt with and a fearful crime had
been committed. Maggie was within few
months of nine years DID, and was the step
daughter of James Monahan, alaborer at Utica,
who had married and still lives with her moth
err The child seems to have been kindly treat
ed, and being in perfect health selfrcliantand
courageous, was allowed pretty full freedom.
Attending school regularly, she was good
student bright and prompt in her lessons. On
Monday, May 9th, about 10 o'clock, she got
leave to 90 to James Russell's, at Split Rock,
215 miles below Utica, to get cat that Mrs.
ed her for the walk and gave her a flour sack
to carry the cat in. She reached Russells at
about half past 10 o'clock, got the cat and at
eleven, refusing to stay for dinner on the plea
ed homcward. She was next seen by William
Russell az years old, son of VIM. j. RusselD on
the tow path at the waste gate some 400 yards
east of Russclls house, walking towards Utica.
was the last seen of her alive Her parents,
however, felt little concerned about her, as she
had frequently on former occasions gone alone
to relatives at Rockwell, mile or two furth-
co, "a al, mi ~
on the prairie, and remaining week or ten
days Nearly two weeks having passed with
out hearing anything about her, the parents be
came uneasy and not only began TO make search
for her but enlisted the interest of the people
of Utica generally in the case. The search
however, proved unavailing except that the cat
and sack were found, greatly increasing the eX-
citement, until last Sunday, when William
Russell, Ghe young man) and James Walsh,
farm hand working for VIM. J. RusseD went
out as they say TO take a stroll or "hunt flow
ers," along the bluff above Split Rock They
saw rabbit, pursued and caught it, and then
in a ravinc found Il handkerchief, which Rus
sell said he had seen in Maggie Cuddy's hand,
but which, at the inquest, was proved to have
been lost on the canal bank ten days after Mag.
gie's disappearance by Horace Culver, whose
name it bore. They followed the ravine to the
edge of the bluff where the water at its mouth
had made pool, and in this pool they found
the body OF little Maggie. A stone, seventy
five pounds in weight, rested on her chest Her
left knee was exposed, and the left hand extend
cd md exposed. On the right arm and leg
were two large rocks, one weighing one hun.
dred and twenty pounds, and the other weigh
ing fully three hundred pounds A slight
wound over one eye and the marks of strangu-
lation were on her throat. She had evidently
been outraged or badly injured in the attempt,
and then killed, apparently by strangulation,
though a small wound over her eye brow may
have been the mark of bullet,
The coroner was at once summoned on the
discovery and went to Utica where all day on
Monday and part of Tuesday he was occupied
IN holding an inquest. No clue, however, was
discovered to direct even suspicious as to the
perpetrators of the foul deed. The prevailing
suspicious is directed against ,ramps, by mum
Der of whom that locality has lately been in
tested. There seem to have been two at least
or more engaged in it, as no one man could
handle the stones that were placed upon the
childs body. The case is certainly one ofsuch
amazing atrocity as to justify every effort by
tho an critics county and etatn hv tho offnr nj
rewards and otherwise, to compass the arrest o.
the criminals and bringing them to condigr
punishment