Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1880-10-25
Triple Murder and
Suicide !!
From the Lyndon Union. ]

on Tuesday morning Oct. 49, Jonathan
Park, "a years old, his wife, formerly
Mrs. Calvin Blake, 65 years old, her
daughter Alice, Mrs. E. A. Williams,
"a years old, were all murdered in cold
blood by Mrs. Parks son, Byron H.
Blake, % years old, who Immediately
afterwards hung himself in the barn
with the leading lines. The instrument
used was an old army gun, with which
he beat out their brains. Mr.. Parks
house is Cd the hill about mile above
Wheelock Hollow on the road leading
by the old Joshua ingalls, place.
On the morning of the tragedy Mr..
Williams left home for Lyndon, telling
Byron to finish a job of blowing. which
he had commenced the day before. Ev-
erything was pleasant as usual, and
nothing lead to suspect any trouble.
1t will never be known how the trouble
commenced, and the particulars of the
terrible slaughter can only be surmised.
as every inmate of the house was dead
at 10 o'clock, when the kitchen door
was first opened by J. H. Ingalls,, who
called with Mr.. Mitchell, to consult
with Mr.. Park about trading horses.
Byron was difficult young man to
manage at home, and wouldn't take
much advice from Mr.. Park, and it is
supposed that Mr.. Park urged him to
his work, at which he flew into a pas
sion, seized gun which stood behind
the cupboard in the corner of the kitch-
en-, and commenced the work of death.
When Mr.. Ingalls, opened the kitchen
door his first thong hit was, "why are
the folks all lying on the floor ?" Alice
Mrs. Williams-was lying on her
back with her feet near the door. Mr..
Park was on his face in the corner of
the room, and Mrs. Park was on her
side near him. In moment Mr.. In
gals, remembering the character of By
ron, realized the situation, and, fearing
that Byron was concealed in the house,
ready for more bloody work, closed the
door and ran to alarm the neighbors.
On their return they entered the kitch-
Ell and blood curdling horror was be-
fore them. The walls of the room were
besmeared with blood, and everything
was thrown about in confusion. Over
head was hole in the plastering made
by the gun as it was raised for one of
its deadly blows. Mr.. Parks head was
broken on the left side and on the back,
and one arm was broken above the
wrist. This he probably raised to pro-
tect his head from the force of the blow.
Mrs Parks head was broken in one OF
two places. Alice was shockingly mu-
tilated. Those who knew her remem.
|
bering her strength and courage, and
her usual control over her brother, think
that Byron attacked the father or moth
er first and that she few to their rescue
when terrible struggle ensued, as hel
clothes were partly torn off. and hel
hair was torn down. As she lay Dear
the door, it is inferred that she at last
seeing what her brother had done and
knowing what he would do, attempted
to make her escape and was struck dowr
at the door. The breech of the gun lay
broken off within foot of her head
and the lock, broken away, was snarle(
up in her lose hair Her forehead wa
crushed in over her right eye, there wa
long scalp wound clear to the bone OF
, the top of the head, the back of he
head was literally pomaced and Their
f were various cuts on her face and arms
+ indicating that she had long struggl
n in defence of her parents and herself
r After committing the deed Byron wen
G to the barn, FIVE rods back from tn
t house, threw pair of leading lines owe
the ridge pole, fixed a slip-noose in th
end, put his head through and swun
i off into eternity, thus completing tn
r tragedy.
v On visiting the place Wednesday "
: found the aged couple lying in the pa
o. lor bed, the mother having sweet e,
o preston upon her face and appearing 6
n if she had just fallen asleep. No MARI
4 were visible on her face. The EXPIRE
d sion upon Mr.. Parks face was pleasan
n but the side of his head showed tt
Al cause of the death. Alice was on board
is resting on chairs beside the bed, bl
" her countenance was so mutilated TIL
re- recognition was impossible. and bloc
1t still oozing out from the ugly wound
20 Byron was in the bedroom adjoinin,
,r with features natural, but face discolo
D. ed from strangulation.
a. Byron was born in Wheelock, al
h was the son of Calvin Blake, long tin
a landlord there. In his boyhood be W
Sc unusually bright, but had an ugly tel
st per. About nine years ago, while
10 work for S. G. Cree, be had a seve
rs fever which left him a little shatter
m and less able to control his tempe
w. After his mother married Mr.. Par
10 Byron lived for some time with his s
no ter Alice and her husband, E. A. W