Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1883-12-06
4 HoRKIBrECKIME.-

HuRRIBEE-C KlME.
A New Hampshire Family Murdered anu
Chopued to Pieces and Their DWen'n6:
Fired TO Hide the Crime-The Butcner;
Arrested-Prospect OF q LynchinE In tho
] Granite state.
LACoNIA, N. H, Nov. %.
This morning residents were startled oy!
tho story of a terrible tragedy, which oc-
Cured at four O'Clock. 8. 3. Andrews
neighbor Of James Ruddy, aged forty years.
employed ii, the Laconia Car orKs, was
alarmed by woman's screams. be arouseo
his son and hurried to Ruddy's mouse,
whence the screams proceeded. Iney .ouno
Mrs. Ruddy, aged thirty-six years, Iyins
on the ground beneath the frons ruow,
through which she had .leaped. She was
cnt an to pieces. She was properly cared
for <Assistar,ce was obtained Ind the door
of Ruddy's house forced; open. Flames
hurst forth and an alarm Of fire was
sounded. The flames were quickly extin-
guished and the bodies of Ruddy and an
only child one and one-half years old were
found living ON the kitchen floor, both cut
in terrible manner and covered with the
contents Of feather bed which had been
saturated with kerosene and set on nre'
The bodies were so disfgured by the flames
as to be nearly past recognition. N 5ne
bedroom was found in a trunk the liieless
BODY of Mrs. Ford, which was F1denti-
fed by her husband. One o. the limbs had
been chopped of and che detached member
aud remaining leg bound to the ,voman's
BODY with a clothes-line.s The bed clothes
had been saturated with oil and piled on
the body and an attempt made to seq them
on fire, which failed. ..atrsf q
Mrs. Ruddy, being questioned, said the
crime was committed by Thomas Samon, an
Enclishman, and an acquaintance, or the
family, a cook by trace, aeou' M SI,.s Rnd.
dy,s statement before the Coroner's Jury
was as follows: We went to bed about
nine O'Clock. At eleven Samon came into
the front room and looked out the window,
saving he was nervous and could not sleep.
/ got up and made him cup or tea and
went back to bed. At one O'Clock Samon
came into the front room and acted queer
ly. He went back into the kitchen and my
husband and got up and he alsoswent In
to the kitchen. I soon heard q fall and go
ing out found my husband hanging over g
chair with his arms down. Samon started
for me and struck me with the hatchet on
the head. grabbed his arm, but he then
struck me and threw me to the floor. he
went into the front room and killed the
baby, who was crying, While he was
there tried to unlock the Kitchen door, put
head. Knocking ME down. II laid perfectly
quiet. He went back into the front room
and got the baby and then came back and
poured feathers and straw over us and went
out. got up and tried to open the front
window but could not. then broke pane
of glass and jumped through. Hewas very
nervous in the kitchen nearly all night.
The hatchet with which the crime was
| probably committed was found in the
| river. s*Ff .s@t.%..' =.
It is statedsthat Samon took Mrs. Ford's
body to Ruddy's house Saturday morning
| In a trunk, where it remained until the
| tragedy occurred. The Coroner's inquest
| rendered verdict that the persons, came to
| their death at the hands of Thomas Samon.
| The latter was arrested this afternoon near
| Plymouth. He did not resist arrest, and
has been taken in charge by Piymou.h en- ..
Ford, husband of the murdered woman,
| that he might be implicated in the affaar,
| he was arrested this forenoon and remains
in custody; Several suspicious lou >, circ"m-
| Affords and Samon's there was no evi.
dence of Mrs. Ford's murder, and it is
| thought her death was accidental at
ceal the body, he took it to Ruddy 8, think.
| ing, perhaps, he could carry it from the
house during the night; that Ruddy refused
| to assist him, when the struggle ensued.
| The Supposltlon Is bnat MRS. roru oleu
either from strangulation or drugging, as
she frequently INDUCED in strong drink.
Samon will be brought to lLatonla on
Monday for trial. Great excitement pre-.
walls, and fears are entertained that a Wig
lance committee will be organized and the
prisoner lynched upon his arrival at the
| depot. A later report from Plymouth states
that Samon denies all knowledge OF the at
fair, and his arrest is a perfect surprise.
| Samon has never been regarded asivicaous
even when Intoxicated. At late hour to
| night Mrs. Ruddy's condition was no worse