The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-12-28
A Chapter Of Grimes and Casualties

]
CHRISTMAS MURDERS.
NASHVILLE, TENN. December 25.-wn
Ross (colored), while drunk, shot and killed
Austin Halfair (colored) here to-day.
LOUISVILLE, KY, December 25.--Lincolr
nundley, negro, was shot and killed BY
Biu Thompson, another negro. this morn.
Ing. The shooting was unprovoked
Thompson is still at large.
LOUISVILLE, KY, December 25.-Ed.
inund "A. Hefiield was seized with fit OF
insanity this morning, and killed his wife
whiie she was sleeping by cutting open the
,srgc VEINS IN her arms, causing her Ia
/ bleed 10 DEATH.
DAYTON, o., December ga Young
man named John krupf died Yesterday
morning under mysterious circumstances.
lie had been out over night with several
companions, and on his return he COM
planned OF severe pain in the head, where
ne said he Ind been struck by a person
whose name he could not give. lie died a
few hours afterwmd.
WEALTHY GENTLEMAN COMMITS SUICIDE.
Boston, December 25.-John II. Bar
SLOW, tfty-seycn years old, wealthy gen.
tleman, committed suicide at the Parker
House, where he was guest. to-day. AZ
ter returning from church this afternoon
ne wrote a note TO his sister, saying he was
sorry for what he was about TO do. lie
then shot himself. dying almost immediate
/ ~. No cause can be assigned for the act.
PANIC IN A TELEPHONE 0PPIcE.
Miss Brady, who had charge Of the tele-
/ phone department OF the Local Telegraph
Company, in Philadelphia, Friday evening.
was very much startled by flash OF light
which burst into the apartment while she
was looking out Of the window. She and
the other young ladies present rushed from
the room, and there was panic. An ex-
animation led 20 the conclusion that one OF
the telephone wires had come i'm contact
with one OF the electric-light wires, and
was so surcharged with electricity as TO
create an action like a lightning stroke.
The switchboard was charred rs il by a
flash OF lightning, but the flames were
easily eXtinguished by fire-extingushers.
FMGHTFUL TRAGEDY IN KENTUCKY.
CINCINNATI, December ga special
from Ashland, KY, says that Mr.. and Mrs.
j. w. Gibbons, who reside near there, went
visiting on Friday night, leaving their
daughter, fourteen years old, and son RO-
bert, aged seventeen, and Miss Emma
Thomas, seventeen years old, in charge Of
the Gibbons homestead. During the night
the house was entered by scOundrels, who
outraged and murdered both girls. Their
clothing was then saturated with oil and
the house set on fire. Young Gibbons, it
is supposed, attempted to give an alarm,
when he was also killed. All three had
their heads split open with a hatchet. The
homestead was burned 10 ashes. There is
no clue TO the murderers. One thousand
dollars reward is offered for their capture.
Further Particulars.
CINCINNATI, ONO, December 2G.-News
from Ashland, KY, indicates a continue
ance OF the mystery in regard 10 the fright
full murders committed at the Gibbons
residence during Friday night. The poo
pie have appointed committee OF three
leading citizens TO take charge Of the fund
collected for the arrest and conviction OF
the murdererS and to direct its use. They
have employed q detective, but no arrests
have yet been made nor is there a definite
suspicion against any one. 1t is thought,
however, from the fact that the crowbar
and axe used i'm the murder belonged TO
the Gibbons family, that the murderers
must have known where these things were
kept.
The fire was discovered about O'Clock
on Saturday morning, and the body OF one
OF the girls was rescued. Soon the others
were taken out before the house was COM
pletely destroyed. Both girls were badly
burned about the body. The boy was but
little burned. 1t is thought that cOal-oil
was poured on the girls and the fire started,
that the fire burned out without setting fire
fc honsn nd bof fla .fot.
turned and set the house on fire a second
time. The funeral of the victims took place
to-day and was largely attended.
4 DRUNKEN MANS TERRIBLE CRIME.
FLUSHING, l.. l., December 2j.-This
morning the residents OF College Point
were Mortified on hearing that Edward
Hoppe, an old resident Of the town, had
murdered his wife and committed suicide.
Hoppe had been drinking TO excess, and
when under the influence Of liquor was OF
a respondent mood. This morning at
$3.50, as his wife was coming down stairs,
followed by her eldest daughter, Hoppe
stepped out OF the parlor, and, pointing a
revolver at his wife, fred twice, both balls
entering her left breast, killing her instant
ly. He then retired TO the parlor, and
shot himself through the heart.
AN EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF HYDROPHOBA.
PHILADELPHIA. December pa very
extraordinary case OF death from hydroph0-
bia occurred here to-day. The victim,
young clerk, Henry Il. Comfy, was bitten
on finger three and Il half years ago by a
common dog. The wound was at once
cauterized, and ~ the animal showed no
Of madness his friends supposed
that he soon forgot the occurrence; but it
appears that it continually preyed on his
mind until a few days ago, when he was
suddenly stricken down by the dreadful
disease. His case was very violent form
Of hydrOphobia, and he died to-day in great
agony at his residence, on Twentieth street
below Chestnut street.
SERIOUS SHOOTING ARRAY.
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn, December 25.-The |
details so far received of the shooting affray !
At HelenwOOd Yesterday are very meagre.
fleetwood is a small mining town, off
rom the railroad and 12j miles north OF
here. The trouble seems to have grown |
)ut of a dog-Gght. Pistols were used in |
lustriousy. John Cecil was shot through |
he breast, and is dead. Three West bro
hers, W. Smith, and man named Thomp-
ION, were shot, probably fatally.
Panic I'm Church.