The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1879-09-12
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.

An Ohio Lad Murders His Mother. Aunt and
Cousin. and Commits Suicide.
lCincinnati Telegram
The finding of the dead bodies Of three won-
on ut 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, q small Quaker village in Warren county,
with Willie Anderson. her son by q former d.
vorced husband, lad Is years of age. With
her were STAYING temporarily her sister, MRS.
Clementine Weeks, Of Cincinnati, and l2-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 II got 40 bad that the Marshal
ventura TO open one of the windows, when the
stencil became 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
room, and all were in an advanced stage or de-
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 tie garments.
The mother and child lay in the front room.
Mrs. HATTIE, in the back room, near lounge,
was covered with tick, and had her
head mashed. The victims had evidently re-
tired, the little girls pallet lying on the floor
while the child lay on the bed, partially COW
cred by clothes. The poor Dother had crawled
under her bed to die. Her arm was gashed
with blows from the Ratchet, as II 1t had Leen
put up to protect her head.
Suspicion at once attached to the boy, whose
conduct toward the close Of the week had been
noticed to be suspicious II appeared by tesu-
mony before the Coroner that he had left the
house on Tuesday night and spent the rest OF
the week al hotel. He was seen, however,
several times going back to the place, and the
discovery Of II dime novel, which had been
loaned him on Saturday, lying by his mothers
side shows that he mug. 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, liz living.
He stayed at a hotel here over night, visited his
father, and passed the time about the city,
Lat night he resolved to go back to the scene
of the tragedy, whether with the Intention Of
confessing the deed or or putting bold face
upon the matter Is not known. He had no
money, and, being unable to pay his fare,
was put off the train at Plainville, few
miles out of Cincinnati. He went to a hotel,
but was refused admittance, not having money
to pay his lodging Nothing more was seen
of him until o'clock to-day, when he was
found on a coal heap near the station with a
bullet through his head and his right hand
grasping thirty-two caliber 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 peaceable boy. The only
thing which affords a clew 10 the mystery is that
ne acted for or with his father. Mrs HATTIE
was married to Anderson when she was lG
ye1rs old. She was pretty girl, and in
her later years was regarded as a handsome
woman. After the birth of tue son difficulties
arose and divorce followed Subsequently
the woman WAS married to a Mr.. HATTIE, 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 Der daughter were killed be-
cause they we're witnesses OF the deed The
deed has created profound sensation, and
further details are eagerly awaited