The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1883-09-21
TIE iEssEY?1WH TRAGEDY.
A Prosperous Farmer Murders his
Wife, and then Cuts his own
Throat.

a happy gathering at the house of Conrad
Kreamer at Jerseytown, the occasion be-
ing the marriage of his daughter
Maggie to William NJ. Runyan, young
man Of excellent character and industrious
habits. II was considered good match
on both sides, and when the young couple
settled down to house keeping on a farm
about two miles from Jerseytown, 1t looked
as though q long life Of happiness and pros
pcrity was before them. II there were any
Misunderstanding between them, they
were carefully concealed from the outside
world They had comfortable home, a
good farm well stocked, and everything to
make life pleasant. For these reasons their
terrible fate was all the greater shock to
their friends. On Wednesday afternoon,
Sept. 9th, Mr.. and Mrs. Runyan were In
the village of Jerseytown, and made some
purchases at her fathers store. Friends
who saw them that day, say that both
seemed in excellent spirits II the husband
then had in contemplation the horrible
deed that he was about to commit he did
not betray it by word or action. They
drove home that evening, and here the cur
tain falls. Noliving being can describe what
took place that night, and the account must
be supplied by the imagination. They were
never seen alive again. The house stands in
an isolated place, and as this is busy
time with farmers, nothing was thought Of
their not coming to tn e village. 1t was OBJ
served, however, that the house was closed,
and some Of the stock left in the field over
night a practice not common with Run
yam. On Thursday afternoon of last week
some children passed the house and OBJ
served an offensive odor proceeding there
from. They informed their parents, and
on going to the house ladder was procur-
ed and placed to second-story window,
when the bodies of Runyan and his wife
were found on the bed, in an advanced
stage of decomposition. The stencil was
80 great that it was aim ost impossible to
enter the room. An alarm was given, and
soon large crowd gathered at the scene
of the tragedy. An examination showed
that the throats of both were cut, and the
razor with which the deed was done was
found on the bed. Circumstances point
out clearly that Mrs. Runyan was murder
ed by her husband, and that he then COM
mitted suicide, and that it was done on the
night of Wednesday, the 9th, the day they
were last seen. She had on her night
dress, the sleeves of which were torn out,
and her arm was cut in several places,
showing that she had fought hard for her
life. 1t is supposed that she was asleep
when he cut her throat, and that the strug-
gle took place afterwards. When found
she was partially reclining in bed with her
head bent down on her breast and he was
lying by her side on his face with his left
foot on the floor. He had on his pants and
shirt and his feet were covered with blood.
The bed was soaked with blood, which had
oozed through the bedding and formed a
large pool on the floor. There was blood
on the carpet in other parts of the room,
and it looked as though he had waded
through blood after cutting hiss wife'
throat The bodies were in such state
that nothing could be done with them, and
they were not touched until Saturday morn.
ing when they were rolled in the bed
clothes and placed in their collins, and TAX
en- at once to the burial ground, followed
by an immense concourse Of people
The deed was undoubtedly committed
on Wednesday night, as the goods whic Ii
they had purchased on that day were found
on table down stairs, and a kettle which
they had borrowed on the way home was
found in the wagon, A brother of Mrs.
Runyan took some things to their house
the next day, Thursday, and finding
everything, locked up, left them standing
on the porch, not dreaming of the horrible
condition of things inside. He supposed
they were away from home. These things
were found on the porch where he left
them. Two calves were found in the sta
BILE, one dead from starvation, and the
other nearly so. The other stock was on
in the field.
II there was any suspicion of foul play il
was dispelled by the fact that all the win
dows and doors were fastened on the in
side, and the following note was found
pinned to.Runyan's vest:
"Maggie proposes and act. Give hei
watch TO Annie and mine to Howard,
Good bye"
What prompted the husband to do thu
act will never be known. The terrible
death struggle that took place in that room
when with murderous weapon in hant
the man let out the life blood of the WON
he had promised to love and protect, can
never be portrayed Those who are chari
tably inclined ascribe the deed to insanity.
Whatever it may have been, the sorrow
of the friends of the deceased at their un.
timely and unnatural end, coupled as i
was with circumstances so terrible and re.
voting, can only be soothed by the grea
healer, Time. Words of solace are utterl,
inadequate.