Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-09-12
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
4 Mere Boy Murders Three Women,
and Then suicides.

AluCnnat SaeCAl OF Septem-
Der 4th says The particulars OF
the killing OF three women AT
WayueSville, o., with Ratchet, were
briefly telegrapned last night. The sui,
eide Of Willie Anderson, son of Mrs.
HATTIE one of the victims, news oi
which has just been received, completes
one ot the most remarkable eases Ut
crime in the history OF the state. The
inNtSuS ation ot the coroner and of de.
tecuves to-day have developed the fol.
lowing facts; Mrs. HATTIE lived in
Wayursvile, 81 small Quaker village IN
Warren county, with Willie Anderson.
her SON by former divorced husband,
a lad Is years OF age, With her were
staying temporarily her sister Mrs,
Clcmentine Weeks, Of Cincinnati, and il
l2year old daughter OF the latter. One
week ago last night neishhorS ol nAe
family heard screams issuing from the
house but little attention was paid totbe
fact, On Sunday morning the BOY Willie
left NayneSville for Cincinnati. On the
same day persons passing the house m.
Uced nm offensive smell coming there
from. On yesterday afternoon 1t got 50
bad that the marshal venturtd to orou
ono Of tho windows when
rHE SrENCu BECAME HoKRlBlE.
Entering he found the room i'll coutu
sion and two dead bodies lying, one on
u bed and the ether under. \ further
search revealed n third huG.r in lhe
back room. and all were IL N advanced
stage Of decomposition, while the head
~ a
eaten Ivy rats until the hair and scalp
were MI gone. The bodies were I'M
recognizable except 10y the garments.
The mother and child lay III the iron,
room. Mrs. Hattie, hi the back room,
near lounge, was covered with n tick,
and had her head mashed. The
victims had evidently retired, the
little girls pallet lying on the floor
near the window hoard, stained and
tumbled, while the child lay ON the
bed, partially covered 10y the clothes.
The poor mother had crawled under
the bed TO die. Her arm was gashed
with blows from the Ratchet, as il il
had been pat up to protect her head.
SUSPICION AT ONCE
attached to the hoy, whose conduct to-
ward the close Of the week had been
noticed 10 be suspicious It appeared
by testimony before the coroner to-day
that he had left the house on Tuesday
night and spent the rest of the week 1t
hotel. He was seen. however, several
times going back to the place, and the
discovery Of Il dime novel, which had
been loaned him on Saturday, lying hy
his mothers side shows he must have
spent some time in the house as late rs
Saturday night 1t appears that after
leaving Waynesyille on Sunday morn
ing he came To Cincinnati, where hls
father. Daniel X. Anderson is living
He stayed 1T Il 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 with the
intention of Confessing the deed or OF
putting II bold face upon the matterls
not known. He had no money, and
being unable to nay his fare, was put
off the train ut Painville, few miles
ont from Cincinnati. He went to no
tel, but was refused admiltance, not
having money To pay hls lodging.
Nothing more was seen OF him until ]
o'clock to-day, when he was found on
coal heap near the station with
BULLET THROUGH his HEAD
and his right hand grasping small
thlrty-two cahbre 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 wa regarded in
the village and in the printing office
where he worked rs n peaceable boy.
The only thing which affords clue to the
mystery is that he acted for or with his
lather. Mrs. HATTIE was married To An
derson when She was l6 years old. She
was pretty girl, and in her later years
was regarded rs n handsome woman.
After the birth Of the son difficulties
rose and divorce followed. Suisse
quently the woman was married to n
sir. HATTIE, who died not long ago III an
insane asylum. The theory OF the de-
tectives j. that Anderson is in some
way implicated in the murder, and
that Mrs. Weeks and her daughter were
killed because they were witnesses OF
the deed. The deed has created a
profound sensation, and further details
are eagerly awaited.