Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1882-01-20
cARRARD COUNTY
lancaster

Mrs. W. o. Bradley and Mics Lon
Grant are visiting in Mt Vernon. Rob'i
Rinnaird will occupy the Ashley proper
~ recently purchased by John SGill.
Pleas Brown, a distiller Of Pollys
Bend, Kentucky River, was arrested last
week by Deputy U. s. Marshal Brown, Of
Laurel county, for moonshining, tried
before Commissioner Herndon, and cent to
Louisville for further trial.
w. II. Kinnaird, agent for the Baker
heirs, sold a tract Of % acres Of land on
the Stanford pike 10 John s Gill, for 81
900. siIas T. Ashley sold his property at
the Junction Of the Stanford and Crab
Orchard pixies to the same party for 5000.
The most horrible tragedy ever en-
acted in this county, occurred Wednesday
morning about FIVE O'Clock, in which
James Wilmot. an old and respected eiti-
zen living about two miles from town,
murdered his mother, aged So, his wife
and two grown daughters, with an are,
then went to the barn and hung himself.
No reason can be given for this bloody
turn In the mind Of very peaceable man,
except, that lately he bad a security debt
Of about FIVE hundred dollars to pay, and
being very close man, it IL supposed il
bore on his mind till he was rendered
maniac. The following are particulars
Of the horrible tragedy as ELECTED from
two witnesses before the Coroner's Jury
Wednesday morning. The payment Of the
security debts has been weighing heavily
on his mind for several days, and he show
ed decided evidences Of insanity, the most
striking Of which was, although he was
probably worth ten thousand dollars, he
was in dread that his family and stock
would starve to death. His son had en-
deavord 10 dispel this illusion, but with
out success. Tuesday night the house
hold, consisting Of himself, wife, two
daughters, about grown, one son, grown,
and one about ten years Of age, his moth
err, and Mas Colvin, who lived in the
neighborhood, retired, with no spprehsn-
sion Of violence. Wilmot, his wife and
youngest son occupied one bed, and his
two daughters another, in the same room.
His mother in another room, the Oldest
son and Miss Colvin occupying the rooms
up stairs. Wilmot arose about 5 o'clock,
made fire, went to the porch, got his axe
and going TO the room where bis mother
slept, killed her by cutting terrible cash
in her throat. He next killed his daugh-
tiers, who apparently died without strug-
gle. His wife, however, appears to have
been awakened by some noise, when she
left her bed, and seeing her husband with
the axe devined his purpose, and graphing
with him struggled desperately, but inef-
fectually for her life. She was cut in sew
ersl places on the hesd and bach. The
stroke on the head seems to have knocked
her down, after which he cut he throat as
he had those Of The others. Her screams
brought Miss Colvin down, and she was
met at the foot OF the stairs by Wilmot.
Young James Wilmot came down about
that time and seeing his father with a gun
asked what he was doing, to which be re-
piled, he had killed all bet him and in
tended to kill him and hang himself. Miss
Colvin screaming with terror, ran thro'
the family room and seeing the younger
son whom the old man had overlooked ia
his mad butchery, grabbed him and fed to
the house Of negro, near by. In the
meantime, young Wilmot endeavored 10
disarm his father, who was trying to, and
well-nigh succeeded in shooting him. Just
as he fired, his son knocked the weapon up
and ran in his night clothes to one Of the
neighbors for assistance. Returning, they
found that Mr.. Wilmot had looped a
clothes line around his neck, climbed up
the side of the corn crib and tying the
rope to a joist jumped of, breaking his
neck. The news reached town about z
o'clock, whereupon Richard Boyle, Mag
istrate, summoned jury and proceeded to
the scene, accompanied by a number Of
citizens. After viewing the bodies, the
Jury returned verdict in accordance with
the foregoing facts. The scene is describ-
ed as most horrible. Old soldiers who
have seen the ground covered with dead
bodies, declare they never saw anything as
sicksnins as the sight there presented. Be-
low is the Coroners verdict
We. the jury, find that the bodies now
lying bufore US, are the bodies Of james
X. Wilmot, Elizabeth Wilmot, his wife
Matte aud Mary. his daughters, and Eiz-
sbeth Wilmol, his mother. We ind from
the evidence before us, that his wife
daughters and mother, came to their deaths
from blows from an axe in the hands Of
James X. WIlmot. We further find that
after killing the above named persons the
said ]. X Wilmot committed suicide BY
hanging himself. Jan. 18th, 1882. ]. ii
Bruce, w. @. Anderson, G. s. Greenleaf
". T. Smith, Joseph Hicks, Il. II. Smith
Attest; r, Boyle, ]. p. G. C., Acting
Coroner.
BOYLE COUNTY