The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-12-31
CRIMINAL VARIETIES.
CulIed Here and There from the Columns OF
the Daily Press.


n
At Geigervlle, suburb OF Ashland, Ken
lucky, last Saturday morning, was revealed
one of the most dreadful crimes that ever hor'
rltied northern kentucky. special to the
Cincinnati Gazette gives the following details:
Mrs. ]. W. Gibbons and her three children
-Fannie, n handsome girl of II, and two sons,
Robert, a cripple OF Is years, and an interest
inc little boy Of l0-livcd in a neat cottage
near The centre OF the village. They were IN
dustrious, quiet, and highly esteemed. Fri
day Mrs, Gibbons received draft from an
other son working at Chattanooga, That at
tcrnoou she went 10 lrontOn and had 1t casheu,
remaining over night with married daugh-
fer Before leaving her home she arranged
with neighbor's girl, Mary Thomas, pretty
and attractive young lady of ~, to stay over
night with her daughter Fannie. The inmates
OF the house all slept on the first floor, ana
abou. O'Clock Saturday morning the Glo
buns cottage was discovered TO DC on ire. Inc
first person on the scene tried in vain To rouse
the inmates. The windows opposite their re
spectlve beds were broken in, and the flames
temporarily checked, while one or two brave
neIrhbors, in spite OF the fire and smoke, en-
tered and dragged out the bodies, stiff in death
Only one, Miss Thomas, was found In bed
The others were on the floor. The pillows anu
bedding pulled through the windows were sat
uratcd with blood. The bodies were not bad
" burned The COrOncrs Inquest showed that
the skull of each one had been crushed with
some blunt instrument ana that the girls nau
been ravished. The boys brains we're oozlng
from hole IN his head He had lost one leg
in n railroad accident and was no match for
the vlllalnous murderers. Ii seems that he
must have shown night or have made his es-
cape from the house TO give an alarm. lhere
was mud on his one boot, ana on ms hahus
and face indicating that he must have Deen
killed out of doors and hIs body carried INTO
the house to be burned with the others. Out
side the building were found bloody hatchst
and heavy crow.bar clOtted with blood, and
with long light hair adherng to it, afterward
identified AS that of Miss Thomas. The little
boy, who had accompanied his mother To Iron
ton. SAYS the Ratchet and crow.bar belonged
about the house Parties passing the house
after 3 O'Clock that morning saw light In the
kitchen, through which the murderer proOa.
hlv Gained an entrance. Mrs. Gibbons was
sent Tor early Saturday morning, and was only
told that her house had burned. When she
learned of the tragic death of her children her
grief was frantic. AS yet there IS no clue TO
! the murderers. There must have been more
than one, to have accomplished their fiendish
purpose upon both girls and have murdered
the three so quietly that the nearest neighbors,
not twenty five yards away, were not alarmed.
The people of this section are terribly eX.
cited over the tiendish outrage, unparalleled
IN the history Of Boyd county. A large and
spirited meeting Of the citizens of Ashland
was held Saturday afternoon. The council Of
iered reward of 5000 for the arrest of the per
pe,rators, and committee of siX-Judge Saw
age and Messrs Jacob Emmons, Thomas ;.
Era, L. f. Vassy, Al Miller and Joseph Mitch
ell-werc appointed to raise fund for re-
ward from the citizens. In very few MN
u,es they secured over 1000, and the work Is
still going on Several rough and suspicious,
looking strangers have been lurking around,
but luckily for them, the terriblytXclted
Ipopuation have not as yet II jot of evidence on
which to base an arrest.