Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1880-09-01

mother and children are doing well.
The weight of the children aggregated
twenty-four pounds.
Crime at a Picnic-Probable Murder
in Wampun, Lawrence County.
Wampum. a small manufacturing
town on the f. & P. R. r., was in a
terrible state of excitement last Mon
day, over what will likely prove to be
a murder.
The victim is Sylvanus Z. Beighley
and his assailants are Henry Epker,
j ohm Clary and James RoWden, all of
whom are residents Of Wampqm or vi
cinity The particulars of the affair, as
nearly as can be learned, are as followsl
There was a Catholic picnic held near
Wampum on Saturday last, and among
those in attendance were Beighley, Ep-
ker Clary and Bowden. Towards even
ing the last three named approached
Beighleg, and Epker addressed him,
saying that he had heard several times
at the picnic that he iBeighley) had
been making uncomplimentary remarks
about the Catholics and the Catholic
and that be wished TO know
if he had been informed rightly.
Beighley replied that he had made no
such remarks as those attributed to him,
upon which Epker offered to shake
hands. As Beighley reached forth his
hand to take that of Epker, Clary and
Bowden threw themselves upon him,
gfaspsd his arns tightly, and held him
as in wise. After he had been thus
secured, Epker drew something from
his pocket which resembled handker-
chief, in which was tied some hard
substance, and struck him a tremer-
deus hloW oyer the left temple with it,
telling him to the ground as if be bad
been struck with sledge-hammer. He
had no sooner fallen than Clary and
Bawden jumped on his PROSTATE body
and began to kick him on the head
With their heavy shoes. While they
were kicking him Epker yelled oHti
'fKick the - of a -! !"
Having satisfied their brutal passions
on tho ipanimate body of their victim
they left him, to all appearances dead
The unfortunate object of the murder
GUS assaults was taken to his home
and a physician called. An examina-
tion developed that Beighley's left
temple had been completely crushed
in, the wound having the appearance
of being made by some three=cqrneped,
blunt instrument, which had made 8
Jagged and horrible looking cash. In
addition TO this injury q large cut,
some four inches in length, had been
made on the top of his head, evidently
when he was kicked Another large
cash was found on the right side of
his head, which was also supposed to
have been made bv the kicks he had
received. The doctor in attendance,
after doing all in his power to relieve
the suffering man, gave as his opinion,
that the wounds would undoubtedly
prove fatal.
Two of those cases which may
well be pronounced stranger than fiction have
just been brought to light. In this State a
husband has found his wife and daughter after
q separation OF UWeuty-tnTee years, curing
which period the parties believed each other to
be dead. The wife had remarked, but the
second husband was dead, so that there was no
chance for an Enoch- harden case there. The
second instance is that man of seventy, who
has turned up in Brooklyn after an absence of
forty years, and made q social sensation by
to be the lawful inheritor OF share
of the large property left by woman who
died in 1879, after living for thirty years the
wife of citizen of Brooklyn. The old man
declares that he came to Brooklyn in 1852,
and finding that his wife had remarked, went
away without making himself known. To add
to the legal complications, which are many, he
is accompanied by son who asserts that he
il sGle heir to the estate, on the ground that
the chiidroI ky the second and illegal mar
riage have no legal eAistepGe. The children
in question naturally object ana acRy the
identity of the alleged father and son. All of
which furnishes abundant material for ro-
nance of the first order, and a splendid chance
for the lawyers.
S. G. Dunham. q lawyer of Hart
ford, Conn, went to Colorado last month to
pass his vacation at the various resorts of that
State. The first week of August found Mr..
Durham, the Rev. f. J. Lamb, Mr. Hubbell
and veteran guide attempting the ascent of
Longs Peak. Just as the summit was reached
4 violent snow and ice storm enveloped the
peak, rolling up the through" from the west
ika an immense white ball, and the cloud
bearing the stoFsi soon proved to be heavily
charged with electricity. Tbs pFesence of the
iuid was discovered at the rude mCnQaeAt
erected by Colonel Long and his party when
hey explored the peak in 1860. Under the
ee of this pile of stones the party attempted to
axe shelter from the tempest. They at once |
detected low singing sound something like |
ts bgzzing of imprisoned insect. This |
.apidly eathsyef in voIupe until it more re-
laI fucila1a cf tCrpnInac Tho tu
earring more violent explosion, and b0Bilg |
hey might find shelter presenting less sur |
ace and elevation to the thunder-cloud, forsook |
his place and moved to the open rock field. |
)ne of the party, thinking he had discovered |
Trough the storm an available shelter, pointed |
t out with his hand, which member began an
exhibition similar to that seen at the rocks, |
md its owner was caused not little pain and |
onsternation. The fluid rapidly increased in
ctivity, and Mr.. Lamb and Mr.. Dunham re
eived several distinct shocks which seemed to
corch their ears and foreheads and SINCE their
lair They described the sensation as similar
o that which would be produced by suddenly
ust below the iii. Gf the hat, accompanied by
,ricking of the head, shoIlders giddiness,
light nausea and display of blue fickelhg
lame. Mr.. Durham believed for an instant
hat among other results his hair had been
urned off, and upon raising his hand to his
mother of still greater violence. Mr.. Hubbell
ouid distinctly see blue light playing aboat
is head. During this display, thunder, un-
by visible lightning, was rHmh-
ing about the Summit perpetually; 1t was
either very loud nor very sharp and neither
istance nor direction could be determined. II
eemed to be precisely where the adventures
yere. With extreme difficulty the party made
heir way down the mountain and sought shell,
sr in a cave. They were benumhed with cold
nd frightened out of their wits. After the
torm had abated they returned to camp, and
was several days before they recovered from
he shock of the terrible experience.