The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1879-09-11
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
An Ohio Lad Murders His Mother, Aunt and
Cousin, and Commits Suicide.


An Ohio Lad Murders His Mother, Aunt and
Cousin, and Commits Suicide.
cincinnati telegram
The finding of the dead bodies Of three wom-
en- at Waynesville, Ohio. has been heretofore
mentioned. The suicide of Willie Anderson,
the son of Mrs. HATTIE, one of the victims, news
of which has just been received, completes
one OF the most remarkable cases of crime In
the history of the State. The Investigations of
the Coroner and of detectives have developed
the following facts: Mrs. HATTIE lived in Waynes-
vile, small Quaker village in Warren county,
with Willie Anderson. her son by a former di-
vorced husband, a lad Is years of age. With
her were staying temporarily her sister, Mrs.
Clementine Weeks, of Cincinnati, and 12-year-
old daughter of the latter. One week ago last
night neighbors of the family heard screams
issuing from the house, but little attention was
paid to the fact. On Sunday morning the boy
Willie left Waynesville for Cincinnati. On the
same day persons passing the house noticed an
offensive smell coming therefrom. On yester--
day afternoon it got SO bad that the Marshal
ventura to open one of the windows when the
stencil oerame horrible. Entering, he found
the rom in confusion and two dead bodies ly-
ing one On bed and the other under. A fur
Their search revealed third body in the back
composition while the head of the one IN the
front room had been eaten by rats until the
hair and scalp were all gone. The bodies were
unacceptable except by t-le garments.
The mother and child lay in the front room.
Mrs. HATTIE, in the back room, near lounge,
head mashed The victims had evidently re-
tired the little girls pallet lying on the floor
near the window board, stained and tumbled,
while the child lay on the bed, partially Gov
cred by clothes. The poor mother had crawled
under her bed to die. Her arm was gashed
with blows from the Ratchet, as, if it had been
put up to protect her head. .II
Suspicion at once attached to the boy, whose
conduct toward the close of the week had been
noticed to be suspicious. It appeared by testi-
mony before the Coroner that he had left the
house on Tuesday night and spent the rest of
the week at a hotel. He was seen, however,
several times going back to the place, and the
discovery OF d dime novel, which had been
loaned him on Saturday, lying by his mothers
side shows that he must have spent
some time in the house as late as Saturday
night 1t appears that after leaving Waynes-
vile on Sunday morning he came to Cincinnati,
where his father, Daniel r. Anderson, is living.
He stayed alta hotel here over night, visited his
father, and passed the time about the city.
Last night he resolved to go back to the scene
of the tragedy, whether wiz the intention of
COIlleSSlAS VIC ueou VI VI al d ooIu l"Oo
upon the matter is not k Y A. He had no
money, and, being, unable n pay, his fare,
was put off the train at aglainville, few
miles out of Cincinnati He Went to a hotel,
but was refused admittance, nbt having money
to pay his lodging Nothing more was seen
of him until o'clock today, when he was
found on a coal heap near tile station with a
bullet through his head AND his right hand
grasping thirty-two calibe1 pistol. He had
been dead some hours. The motive of the lad
for committing the terrible crime can only be
surmised. He was living apparently on good
terms with his mother and aunt, and was re-
garded in the village and in the printing Office
where he worked as a peaceable boy. The only
thing which affords clew 10 the mysteryis that
ne acted for or with his father Mrs. HATTIE
was married to Anderson when she was 1G
years old. She was pretty girl, and in
her later years was regarded as handsome
woman. After the birth of tie son difficulties
arose and divorce followed Subsequently
the woman was married to Mr.. Hate, who
died not long ago in an insane asylum. The
theory of the detectives is that Anderson is in
some way implicated in the murder and that
Mrs Weeks and her daughter were killed be-
cause they were witnesses Of the deed The
deed has created a profound sensation, and
further details are eagerly awaited.