Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-02-16
TERRIBLE TRAGEDY.
TRIPLE MURDER AND SUICIDE.


A terrible tragedy was developed in tn
village of Bainbridgc, Conoy township o1
Saturday, though it had been enacted sew
eral days previously.
Levi Lane and his family, for two o.
three months past, occupied an almost un
tenantab!e shanty in the village OF Balm
bridge. AS none of the family were seen by
the neighbors since Monday last, and the
house was locked, some uneasiness was
felt, and on Saturday it was resolved by
some of the citizens to break open
the house and make an investigation
Ex-Sheriff Smith and several others went
to the house, knocked at the doors, both
front and back, and, receiving no answer,
broke open the back door, which was very
easily done, it beng but poorly secured on
the inside.
On entering the room most horrible
sight met the eyes of the visitors. Lying
on q miserable bed were the dead bodies of
the husband and wife and an infant child.
On the floor not far Off lay little girl
about five years old, cold i'm death, and
crouched in a corner, the only living men,
Der of the family, little boy about three
years old, with haygard face and his feet
and legs frozen almost to the knees. AS
the citizens entered, this poor child said,
in fearful, chattering tones, ''DOn't make
a noise, pap is asleep, and ifyou wake him
up he will whip me-"
Squire Erb, deputy coroner, who lives
some distance out OF the village, was at
once summoned and empaneled jury to
hold an inquest on the four dead bodies.
The body of the wife had nothing on it but
the chemisc, her neck was found to be
broken, and the back part Of her skull
crushed in. Tie body was much decOm-
posed. and il was the opinion of the cOro-
ner's physician, DIR. Weseman, that she had
been killed us carly as Monday night or
Tuesday morning. The body Of the little
girl whose neck was broken, was also de-
composed. and she was probably killed at
the same time. The babe, about three
months old, was lying Oh its mothers
breast No marks of violence were found
on its body, and it is believed it was either
frozen or starved to death. Lanes body
bore no marks of violence, but a post
,nc.tcm examination Of the stomach left
no loubt that his death was caused by
arsenic, administered by himself, and that
he died probably on Thursday evening.
The testimony of witnesses examined is
to the effect that Lane and his family
came to cambridge last spring. Lane said
they came from Maryland, but did not say
from what part OF the state. Lane was a
powerful man, six feet and six inches in
height. and aged about - years. He had
no trade, but occasionally earned a little
money by odd Jobs of labor, spending most
%: his earnings for liquor. He was a coarse,
rutiianly fellow, abusive to his family and a
terror to his ncighbors. \ day or two
after the November election he sold what
little furniture and household goods he
had and said he WAS going West. He at
once left BainbriGge, taking his family
along. In about two weeks afterwards his
family returned and were several days
without :. home. Lane arrived soon
afterwards and took his family into the
shanty III which the tragedy occurred.
During the winter they nave been support
ed partly by charity and partly by pur-
cllases made by Lane at the stores on credit.
The stOre-kcepcTS were afraid of him and
let him have nccessar;eS for his family
without money. It is said the family did
not suffer for food or fuel. AS stated
above none "t tl:e family were seen outside
the house since last Monday, but Oh Thurs
day before noon little daughter of one of
the villagers, whose mother had borrowed
4 smoothing iron from Mrs. Lane, went to
Lanes house to return the iron. Finding
the front door locked. she went around to
the back door, which was unlocked, and
left the iron. On returning home she told
her mother that all the family were
''s.ecpin. in daytime" except Lane, WHO
was sitting on chair. The child's state
mcnt would seem to confirm the opinion of
the doctor that the wife and child had been
killed as early as Monday, and that Lane
had not committed suicide until Thurs
day.
No deadly weapon Of any kind was
found about the premises, but blood
stains were found upon the rail of the
bedstead. 1t is believed that Lane, on
Monday night quarreled with his
wife and drove her out into the yard, or
that she ran into the yard to escape him,
as there were evidences that she had been
in the yard. 1t is supposed that he
dragged her back into the house,
dashed her against the bedstead until
her neck was broken and her skull frac-
fured aud thaD threw her unou tho hnd
and killed the five-ycar-old child to prevent
its giving an alarm. There were no marks
of violence on the body of this child except
the broken neck, and it appeared to have
been dislocated by being seized in pow
erful grasp and twisted out Of place.
Squire Erb has not yet returned his ver-
dict to the county commissioners, though
it is said to have been completed, and is to
the effect that Mrs. Lane and the Oldest
daughter came to their death by violence
at the hand of the husband, Levi Lane
that he came to his death by poison admin
istered by his own hand and that the in
fant came to its death from starvation and
exposure.
The four dead bodies were inferred on
evening, it being impossible to
keep them longer OH account of the rapid |
The doctor retained the |
stomach of the murderer for further ana ly-
SIS, should this be found necessary.
The three-ycar-old child is in most pitt
able condition. its lower limbs being so
frozen that they have turned
black tha blood does NOT cirpu Ia TO thrOllrl |