Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-17
OF GENERAL INTEREST.
ne ahs.tsr fIn., m.rror.

The uhsster dn.) Morror.
A OHEsrER Qll) special 20 the Chicago Ttmes
Of the 9th gives the following account Of tho
horrible tragedy recently enacted in that
place:
"Last Friday Louis TOokstein, a man twen-
| ty-six years old, farmer living about a mile
cast Of this city, showed signs of insanity and
was brought to town and placed In Jail for safe
keeping. Sunday his brother took him home
In the afternoon, when left unguarded, he
forced his sisters out into the yard, making
them kneel down and pray, but was surprised
| by the return Of his brother. After getting
into the house he became violent, and had 70
be tied down. Monday he was delivered to
the Sheriff, tried by the County Court, and
ordered committed to the Insane Asylum at
Anna, III. He had to be held until Tuesday
noon for transportation. The Sheriff placed
him in charge OF James Waters and his
brother, Louis Gerlaoh, locked In a room
in the st. Charles Hotel, on the ground
tOOr. Tho prisoner was very quiet
throughout the night and was awakened
TO wash for breakfast. He got up pleasantly
and started to wash, when suddenly he threw
the water into Gerlach's face and jumped for
the window. Waters caught hold OF BIS coat,
but did NOT succeed I'm holding him. He and
Gerlaoh pursued him, but the maniac bounded
over fences and bitches like a deer, and was
soon out Of sight. He ran west down long,
sloping hill. At the foot of the hill on little
plat Of ground stood the house Of Thomas
Ryan, small one-story whitewashed house,
about one hundred yards from any nefghbors.
The occupants on Tuesday morning were
Thomas Ryan, an old man, weak and feeble,
between seventy and eighty years Of age, his
daughter, Mrs. Smith, about thirty-five years
old, Mrs. Smiths daughter Sarah, aged twelve,
and Ryan's grandson, Arthur Bardoff, ten
NTnuW nr,1a
and took of his boots. Then he jumped rail-
fence and plunged bodily through the window,
smashing the glass and sash. Overturniug the
table, he rushed into the bedroom Of old man
Ryan and commenced to pull him out of bed.
The boy, who slept with his grandfather, woke
up and orawled over the foot of the bed, ran
outdoors, and passed his aunt and cousin at
the corner Of the house. his aunt holding an az
In her hand. He kept running, and gave the
alarm to the neighbors, who hastened to the
scene, but too late. Ryan, the woman and
little girl were welterinR in their blood, great
streams flowing from ther heads and throats.
The head Of the little girl was cut entirely OF,
leaving the chin attached to the body, the
head being carried away by the murdered The
neighbors were horrihed and stood stunned
upon viewing the remains, while the maniac
bounded over the hills, swinging the bleeding
head in defiance. Gaining the woods he dis
appeared from view, tearing the clothing from
his body and scattering the pieces as he ran. He
cleared the woods and came out at the back part
ofDr. Gordon's premises. Leaping the fence
he rushed in.p the kitchen, the ohild's head
still In his hands. The hired girl, Mary Hight
come, had just built the fire, when Tookstein
struck her with the head, knocking her down.
He then rushed into the bedroom of Mrs. Ed
ward Gordon, pulled her out of bed and would
have murdered her, but the screams of both
women brought the hired man, Louis Horn
beck, to their assistance, Who after desperate
struggle, succeeded in downing Tookstein. DR..
Gordon and HoTnbeok tied him securely with
ropes. The madman struggled desperately to
get the head Of little Sarah, saying II was hts
sisters head and he wanted it. He was again
remanded TO the care of the Sheriff.
"The Times reporter visited the scene soon
after the murder, and viewed the bodies and
the premises, Ryan's body lay about ten feet
from the corner of the house To the right
lay the body Of Mrs. Smith. About ave feet
on the other side of her lay little Sarah Smith,
the head having been returned to the body.
The sight was horrible. Great pools of blood
saturated the ground in heaps of human gore.
The CORY AK, on which the hairs of the old,
gray-headed man were still sticking, was there
between the bodies, and the gold dental plate
knocked from the mouth Of Mrs Smith with
her two teeth still attached. The az showed
of the yellow clay on the outside of the house.
There were no signs OF any struggle. They
were killed on the spot where they undoubt-
edly knet to pray. The maniac, stand
ing there with drawn ak, told them to
make their peace with Almighty God, and
waited with bated breath for them to say
amen, striking the man, woman and child al
most simultaneously. The blows Of the AK
were heard by the neighbors, like tho dull
thud OF one hammering leather. Inside the
house everything was turned over, the table,
chairs, lounge and dishes being broken. The
scene in the old mans chamber, although no
bloody marks were there, must have been
terrible, as he struggled weakly to defend
himself against the superhuman strength of
the glaring-eyed maniac, who forced him out
and slaughtered him at his leisure"