Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1882-06-07
TWO nsURDERs BY A BOY.
Tho Crlme Committed by John Tibbbitf
Youth Of sixteen Years.

Tho Crlme Committed by John Tibbbtts, .
Youth Of sixteen Years.
A special from Madena, Minn., gives the
details Of an extraordinary double murder
by a boy 16 years old, whose mind has
been poisoned by trashy novels. One OF
the murdered men was Edward Washing
ton, land surveyor who had been IN the
county only about two weeks. 1t is said
he came from Bay City. Mich. His age
was about 81 years. Nothing is known
of his employers, but it is supposed that
he was in tho employ OF some pine
land operators. The other victim was a
young man, % years of age, Leo Fehren-
bach, German, in the employ OF WASH
ington, recently from New York city. and
who had been living in Perham three or
four months. His only relative in this
country is a sister living in New York city.
They left Perham Thursday, May %,
stating that they were going to look after
lands. They were supplied with a tent
and camping outfit, maps, &c. Sunday,
Nav 20, they stopped at the house of John
Dornbusch, u farmer living near Red
River. They arrived there about 1OO'clCck
in company with John Tibbits, q boy about
1G wears old, whose parents reside in the
neiGhbOrhood, and with whom the de-
ceased men had stopped and left a part Of
their outfit the day before. Tibbets car
ried double .barle;cd shot gun which he
had borrowed that morning of a neighbOr
named Richardson, one barrel of which
was loaded with buckshot and the other
| with fine shot. Tibbits started of in the
timber, leaving them at DOrnbusch's S
They stald there to dinner, leaving there
| at o'clock, and stating that they were
going to section 12, pine timber
land, carrying with them an axe,
a Smith & VISIONS revolver, and
each having silver watch and chain.
| They did not return. Search was made
for them, aud their bodies were found,
one on Friday and one OH Saturday morn
| ing. June and 3, about 30 rods apart.
| Washington was found with a gunsEOt
wound in the back of his head, with his
pOckets rifled, his boots and hat gone, his
maps and plates lying on the ground be
side him, together with pocket compass.
The body of Fehrenbach was found about
20 rods north of the body of Washington.
It was horribly butchered. The ground
about the body indicated that the man
had made y hard fight with his assail.
ant. His throat was cut and his skull
broken by savage blow from the
axe. The bodies were brought to Perhan
Saturday, and County Attorney Corlis'
and Coroner Bedford were Immediately
summoned by telegraph from Fergu:
Falls. They arrived at Perham early thi,
morning and have been holding an inques
over the bodies of the murdered men to
day. Young Tibbits made his appearance
, in Perham on Monday, the next day fol
lowing the murder, with plenty of money
which was unusual for him. He purchas
ed 2 new suit of clothes, had his pictur
taken, and exhibited q watch, chain ant
revolver. He offered the watch to severa
persons, stating that he was going Yves
to Montana, and that nc would like t.
1 sell them. lie finally sold the watch an
? chain and took tho train west, rs it
supposed. The testimony before tn
! eoroner's jury disclosed the fact that tn
| watch, chain and revolver that were in b!
S possession were the property of Washing
, ton, lie had in his possession about g.
o The hat, rubbers and stockings worn
Tibbits Sunday were found near tn
bodies of the murdered men. Otht
strong circumstantial evidence points un
o mistaka5ly to tho guilt of this yOuthf'
n victim. A post -mortem examination W:
9 made by Dr. Newcomb, of Perham. For
buckshot we're found in the brain, and a
II extensive fracture of the skull of WashinI
;s ton. The body of Fehrenback was literal
hacked to pieces, more than twenty cut
ranging from the full breadth of the a,
downward, were found. The skull W
It crushed in and even the ribs were G.
= through with the axe in the hands Of th
ID human fiend. The body of Washingtt
q was buried by order of the coroner al
ID that of Fehrenbach by the Catholis ch1r.
of Perham, of which he is member. III
coroncr's jury returned verdict that Il
deceased men came to their deasns
the hands of John Tibbits. As soon
the bodies were found Justice Rot
y pletz telegraphed to all towns we
y on the Northern Pacific and Office
IL were Immediately sent in pursuit Of IT
z bits. WHO was arrested in Bismark, D. Z
and taken back to the scene of the murdl
;" He confessed. in part, by saying that
was not alone in tho affair.