Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-01-04
STARTLING TRAGEDY
Enacted in a Country School
House.

upon Their Studying Grammar
he u.s. : Bis Dagger with Fright
fuI EGect-Onc of the SCHOLARS stab
bed 10 the Heart And Falls Dead at
the school House DO0r-The Other
pies From the Effects OF his Wounds
Twenty-fOur Hours Later-"fhe
RIoodiest Picture in the Book OF
Time
A startling and bloody tragedy was
enacted in country school-house IN
Ohio last week. A school teacher
murdered two of his pupils in self-de-
fence and the public verdict 10 date
apparently justifes him in the
act. The sentiment OF the
country at large Is tina olg
boys" in country school districts
should be dealt with eummarily. IN
fully one-half of the country schools,
an unruly, defiant disposition IS
opening up among larger students who
feel themselves as big as the teacher
and who ache for opportunity to snow
that. if necessary they need not be
compelled to obey the regulations laid
down bv the teacher as implicitly az
the smaller children. This spirit OF
characterization soon extends tosmaller
pupils and the result is a mutluy IN
school that either breaks it up or rend-
ers the efforts of the teacher To impart
knowledge practically futile. The
time has come when this disposition
should be quelled, and if 1t
can not be done in any
other way, the lubbers will have
to be handled as the two rowdles were
in the case about to be related.
County school boards should hire
plucky teachers and give them to under
stand that they will be suppoted Ia any
measure they choose to adopt to
secure obedience on their part OF
scholars. Then if there are "big boys
who ache to "put the teacher OUT or
show their muscle in any other way
they should be given TO understand
that they must either remain away
from school or obey every regulation
TO the letter or take bitter dose Of
medicine. The time for the "big boys
running schools has passed, The
terrible case in Ohio should be q warn
ing to them.
The little hamlet upon which this
blot has fallen is in the extreme south
westerly corner of Guernsey county,
and within stones throw almost Of
the Noble county line. The cOmmu-
nifty consists of well-to do tradesmen,
who draw their sustenance from as
rich q farming country Immediately
surrounding them as can be found IN
the broad state of Ohio. II is much
better favored than the balance Of the
county, which Is rather broken and
wild. But here all is richness and
thrift, some of the land owners pos
eessing thousands of acres il one
broad expanse, and living upon the
fat Of the land. Nestled in this beauti-
full and productive stretch Of country,
at the western terminus Of the Cnm-
berland and Senecayille railroad, q
little Clerk water" only twelve miles
in length, lays the beautiful little town
of Cumberland. Schools aud churches
are plenty for the wants of the people;
civilization and culture have progressed
equally as well as at contiguous points;
but, nevertheless, an awful crime has
been committed teacher kills two Of
his pupils in the Mortified presence Of
little children ana halfgrown lads and
lassies.
THE ACTORS
In the terrible life drama belonged TO
the best families in the settlement; all
were under twenty-five years of age,
and neither could be considered bad
boys. The teacher, whose whole tut
ure life ia thus clGudcd, is named VIII
liam G, Frazier, and he is but twenty
one years Of age He comes from eX-
Cellent stock, and was born and raised
near Concord, in that county. His
mother was Miss Saukey, and was
the sister of James SAnkey, promi-
nent merchant Of theueighboung town
Of Cambridge, Ohio. The boys father
was killed in 1858. in one Of the battles
before Nashville, under Gen. Thomas.
His widowed mother still resides ut
Concord with another child. She owns
81 farm, however, which she rents out,
adjoining the town of Concord Young
Frazier, who was member OF the
sophomore class Of Muskngum college,
has always born an excellent reputa.
ton, and was never kuOwn to nave a
personal difficulty with any one. He
would be remarked anywhere, as his
face indicates more than average char
acter and ability. He Is rt mEdIum
size, will weigh probably 40 pounds
Is quite muscular, but with no super.
iluous flesh. His hair is black and IN.
chned TO curl; his eyes, which are
large and dark hazel, have n look OF
soitness. and his complexion ia ruddy
He is % nephew OF judge W. II. Frazier
now occupying the Common Plea,
Bench i'm Cambridge, and resemble,
the Judge IN many characteristics.
THE BOYS.
The victims OF Frazier's deadly knife
Tor, more properly speaking, dagger
were John Hays and Charles Luce
The former was the son of wealthy
farmer named Hugh Hays, who reside,
about two miles from the town OF
Cumberland. John was past eighteen
years of age, tan, brawnv and siuewy
and weighed probably 100 pounds. liz
was mot what j. usually termed q bao
boy, but he had enough of the devil in
MINI to be full of fun, but al the same
time rather prldug himself On hi