The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1878-04-25
HIRAM.
Correspondence

HIRAM.
Correspondence
One of those startling, hideous trag-
edies that daze the mind and curdle
the blood, occurred in our vicinity last
Thursday about one O'Clock p. m. An
old man seventy. three years of age,
kills his wife with butcher knife and
then cuts his throat and dies.
The scene is in Troy township. Ge-
auga county, one-half mile west of the
N. and S. Center road and one-half
mile north of the south line of the
township, and about three miles from
this place.
The name of the murderer is Leon
ard Stroud, the victim was his second
wife. They had lived together about
seven years without any serious difii-
Guilty until within the year last past.
At the time of their marriage Mrs.
Stroud had some property which she
received from her first husbands es.
tate, whose name was Sperry. In
shifting and trading, Mrs. Stroud's
property somehow became united
with Stroud's, and some of it was in.
| vested in q house at the Center of
Troy, and was burned soon after it
was built. At the solicitation Of
Stroud and his wife, Lemuel Sperry,
Mrs. Stroud's son by her first husband
came from Michigan, to work the land
(Which was also at the Center of Troy
on shares, and take care of the old
folks and haye the property at their
decease. The property at the Center
was afterward sold, and about a year
ago they purchased fifty acres, where
the tragedy occurred. The old man
Stroud was extremely irritable and
contentious, and he soon, after com.
ing on to the fifty acres, had difficulty
with Lemuel, and it increased. The
mother sided with her son, and con-
sequently became involved in the diff
ficulty, which ended in a separation, and
application by Mrs. Stroud for q di-
Of division of the property, in which
the burned building was an important
factor. A division, however, was eff.
fected, and Mrs. Stroud took twenty
five acres with the buildings, and
Stroud the balance. Mrs. Stroud and
Lemuel returned to the premises dur.
ing the fall, but in the settlement
Stroud had the right to remain in the
house a short time until he could dis
pose of his effects, which he did in a
reasonable time, but did not yacate as
he had agreed to.
In December Lemuel's COW and
horse were poisoned with Paris green.
The old man was arrested, sent to Jail.
Afterward three indictments were re-
turned against him. In February he
was tried on the indictment for pois-
oning the horse. and although the evil
dence was conclusive against him, he
was acquitted through some technical
ity, and the old man promised to leave
the county and not return, if he was
not prosecuted under the other indict-
ments. He then went to live with his
daughter in Cleveland, whose husband
is an employe in the Herald office. A
party in Troy wishing to lease the old
mans land got him out there to ar
range the terms. Once in the neigh.
borhood his belligerent spirit became
aroused again, and he seemed intent
OH real cussedness. He replevied some
property from Lemuel, which he had
not the shadow of a right to. He af-
terward agreed to meet Lemuel at the
Office of Squire Nash, ON the west side
Of the river, on the day of the murder
and settle their case. They met, but
the old man receded from his agree
ment on terms of settlement, and they
separated, the old man returning by
way of the Rapids, and Lemuel by way
of the Center of Troy. Stroud drove
up to the gate, remained in his buggy
and called to his wife, who was alone,
and requested her to bring him key,
which belonged to his desk. She de-
liyared the key. He then requested
her to bring him some water. She re-
turned to the house, got the water and
handed it to him, he had got out of
the buggy. He drank little, return
ed the dipper to his wife, and she
turned to 60 back to the house. She
had taken two or three steps, when
he seized her with one hand with the
other piled the butcher knife, which
he had concealed upon his person.
The first wound was in the stomach
and not serious. The second was in
the bowels just aboye the naval. The
third and fatal wound was below the
the naval and about five inches across,
making a wound SO large that large
portion of tho intestines protruded
through it. In the struggle the vic.
TINS hands were terribly cut, but she
escaped and ran about twenty rods
when she fell. When Stroud saw her
fall, he deliberately took off his hat
and coat aud cut his throat, after
waiting q few moments he cut again,
and fell to the ground. He then crawl
ed to stone short distance away,
took out his watch and smashed it to
pieces. Persons were soon on the
ground, and his knife was taken from
him, then he attempted to get out his
pocket-knife, but was prevented. The
arteries were not severed but bis wind
pipe was, and he fingered two hDrs
in the most intense agony. He was
conscious, but could not articulate.
His struggles and gasplngs we're most
horrible. Mrs. Stroud fingered twen-
tv hOurs and ended one of the mOst