Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1882-01-19
HoRRlBLE.
Attcmets to KIN His Son, and Thsa le1p
Himself Sieksaing Aeeavst sfths
Fearful Scene I'M cspasPsla.
quest-Full Particular.
OTHER GRIMES AND CASUALTIES

Vtueh SMWsS ANU tASUhStieSv
LOUISVILLE, Ky, January Is. - The
Coaier-Jourrai furnishes the following, lust
received from its Lancaster reporter: This
town was shocked, this morning, by ths
reception Of the news Of the most horrible
tragedy that has ever taken place In Gar.
rard county, or, indeed, In the State Of
Kentucky. About o'clock q negro man
came to town, bringing information thst
James A. wilmot, farmer living about
miles and half from Lancaster, near tho
Danyillc pike, had murdered his
Wife, Assher and I've Daughters,
and then eliminated the awful sct by
hanging himself.
Esquire r. Boyle, acting q coroner, ina-
me6iately repaired 90 the scene Of The
tragedy, accompanied by q largo number of
the people. On arrival several OF the
nearest neighbors were already found thsrc,
but none had dared 10 touch the dead
bodies Of the parties named. The truth Of
the information was substantiated by find
ing the ffeleSs body OF Jas. X. Wilmot
hanging in his barn dead, and the
bodies OF Elizabeth Wilmot,
His Mother, Agea Eighty Ntast
Matte and Mary Wilmot, his daughters,
aged about 10 and Is, lying In their beds
wish one awful cut across the neck. pro-
duced by q blow from o shary, new axe
found lying on the floor OF the room, and
also the body Of Elizabeth Wilmot, his wife.
lying on her face on the floor with three or
four horrible gashess in her head and back.
made b v the same death-dealing axe.
A Jury was Immediately impancled BY
'Suuire Boyle. The first witness, Mrs. Allcs
Colvin. who had been doing some work for
wilmot, was sleeping In the room up stairs
during the commission OF the deed. Her
tcstimeny was that the family retired last
night about the usual manner. Wilmot,
his wife. and little boy about eight years
occupying one bed in the family room, and
his two daughters another In tho same
room. In an adjoining room slept the
Mans Aged neither,
and In one room up stairs son. Jas, J.
wilmot, and in other room the witness.
About S o'clock this morning she Vas
attracted by some noise below, and going
down met wilmot coming out OF the room
for her TO see what he had In his hand, but
supposed Il TO be Nh axe. She asked vii.
mot what he Was doing, and he replied
that he had
Killed the Whole Pa aily,
and was going to kill himself. Horror
stricken, the young girl rushed through
the other room and. meeting the younE
bow, caught him and took him out Of the
house with her, and went 10 . colorcd
mans house near by.
Just as she was leaving the family room,
the oldest son. James j., who Is about
twenty years old, attracted by the noise q
the blows, came down stairs in his night
He testiies that as he reached the foot a
the stairs he came in contact with his
father, who had gun In his hand. ~
asked him what he was doing. and hib
father replied that he was going "
kilI Himself,
and would kill him too. Instantly his
father grappled with him and threw him
down, but was unable " hold
him. Tho old man Toso, grabbed
| the gun, and aimed 10 shoot
but his son knocked IL up, nm d the ball
went into the ceiling. The young man
then broke loose and ran for his lie, the
old man following him 10 the steps ana
over the yard fence, and then turned to-
wards the barn The boy continued run
ming until he had aroused some OF the
nearest neighbors, who hastily repaired 70
ter the house until daylight.
Revealed the Dead BODY
dressed only In the shirt and drawers OF
James II. Wilmate, swinging under the
shed OF the barns q,
around his neck, climbed up by the side of
the crib, fastened the other end 10 beam
and ioist under the shed and then jumped
of. The hanging Was carefully done, sna
showed determination 70 avoid failure.
TIE IgsrylbDs Ace
which ushered 30 many souls Into eternity
in few brief moments, was undoubhdiy
| that of an insane man. For some time pass
Wilmot has been brooding over . security
debt Of tlJO which he had to pay for .
Lrother.in-lsw, and this had 10 worked
upon his mind that II IL believed he finally
| went crazy.
Day before yesterday he talked rather
| strangely 20 his family, saying that the
| stock was all going 10 die, and himself and
family would die OF starvation. Two q
pressed a fear OF death from starvation, and
| acting under this halluoinstion II is be-
| Iieycd that he arose from bis bed.
| took the are, and with . single
| stroke TO each OF bis dsughtcu
stvuek Min Deel
| In their bed, they never knowing from
| whence the blow came. His wife, no doubt
was awakened, and getting out OF bed
| doubtless attempted 10 restrain him. but
| a a knocked down and terribly mutilatsd:
| lie then went into the adjoining room, snd
there raising the bloody axe on high. sunk
II deeply into the breast that nurtnred him
in infancy. taking away from hes thst
which she had given him-life.
Yatsi Pail ~ . nsi1gs.
CIxcrSsA1,, January Is.-A Lebanon, Ky.