Evening star., 1883-09-29

Stabbed 20 Death By Am Unknown Man
I'm Her Fathers House.

Newsfrom Benton county, Ind. confirms theru-
NOR Of the brutal murder Of Ada Atkinson, Is
years old, the daughter of Cephas Atkinson,
well-known and wealthy cattle-dealer. He and
his wife left home early In the morning for the
railroad station, several miles distant. The
daughters, Ada and Lucy, were left at home
alone. After dinner Lucy left for q visit to
friends some distance away, the younger sister
thus being the sole occupant of the house.
About o'clock in the afternoon Lucy returned.
Going up to the sleeping rooms she found her
sister lying on the floor covered with blood. An
alarm was at once given, and the neighbOrs
made hasty examination, which showed that
the girl had been literally hacked to pieces,
there being 25 separate cuts. The murderer had
first severed the juguar vein, and after that had
gone deliberately to work to mutilate his
victim on the face, hands, and neck. Great
gashes across the stomach exposed the intes-
tines. while everything near was spattered with
blood. Most Of the mutilatIOn was done after
the girl was helpless, and possibly dead, and the
fiend who committed the outrage tore off the
girls clothing that the knife might sink the
deeper. When first discovered the dead girl
was lying with her face to the floor, her le.d
resting partially upon one arm, while the other
was stretched forward as though she had at
tempted to clutch the carpet The bed had not
been occupied, and medical examination
showed that no attempt was made to violate the
girls person. The motive for the murder is be-
yOnd comprehension, and there is no clue as yet
to the fiend who committed the outrage. Not
thing was taken from the house. and money
in the burean was not disturbed. The aged
mother and father, with the sister who so mar
rOwly escaped, are almost insane over the ter
rible tragedy; and the community is wrought up
to such an extent that speedy justice will be
meted out to the brute should he be caught.
PROBABLE CLUES.
The most important information received
since the murder has just come to light. Two
brothers named Jefferson, residing near the At
kinsOn place. started to Oxford with a load of
wood. In passing the Atkinson residence
which stands back about twenty yards from the
main road, they saw no one in the yard. After
going short distance one of the boys, on look
Ing back. saw man leaving the gate of the
yard. He was mounted on gray horse He
started toward them at gallOp, but upon near
ing them checked his horse. drew his hat over
his eyes and rode past. There was blood on his
right hand, and on the side of his face. He
was apparently about twenty years of age. They
| did not know him. After passing the wagon he
started offagain at breakneck speed, taking a
| road leading westward evidently to avoid go
ing near Oxford. 1t was about 2:3O o'clock
when he passed them. The mysterious man was
also seen by Jerome Wattles, q farmer, who was
going west on the road mentioned but was not
close enough to recognize him.
A farm labOrer in the employ of Mr.. Atkin-
son, and the only person who was near the house
IN the afternoon. is shown up in very bad light.
Two days before the murder, Lucy, sister of the
murdered girl, made known her intention of
going to Oxford that evening. In going to her
room an hour afterward and. upon entering the
door, she discovered mans foot prOtruding
from under the bed. She asked twice. "Who
Ia there?" but received no reply. She called
her father, but he had left the house in the
meantime Soon after the farm hand came out
of the room, exclamng, Don't get frightened
1t is only me-, When asked what he was doing
under the bed he said, 81 dropped some money,
and was looking for it,"
A good deal of suspicion Is directed toward
this man. On Friday night last the murdered
girl, in company with young man named Glass
cock, attended dance. The day after the mur-
der handkerchief belonging to him was found
in the yard at AtkinsOn's house. It was tied
In knot. When questioned regarding it Glass
cock said that the murdered girls brother had
taken it from him during scuf11e they had at
school, Young Atkinson does not remember
keeping the handkerchief, and denies having
thrown 1t in the yard
The house of Mr.. Atkinson is about half
mile from any neighbor. An old man at work
In neighborng field heard no sounds of a strug-
gle. The fact that no outrage was committed
is accounted for by some on the theory that the
girl rapidly bled to death and the villain fled
Others think the nature of the wounds and their
number, and the places selected for their inflic-
tiOn, indicate that it was the work of mad
man, who delighted in inflicting as many wounds
as possible upon the body The physicians
think the murderer could not have left the
house without getting much blood on his cloth
ing. Some have hopes that this may point him
out.