The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1883-12-06
A HORRIBLE CRIME.


| L New Hampshire Family Murdered and
Chopped to Pieces and Their Dwelling
Fired to Hide the Crime-The Butcher
Arrested-PrOspect of a Lynehing in the
Granite State.
LACoNIA n. H., Nov. ..
This morning residents were startled by
;he story of terrible tragedy, which oc-
cured at four O'Clock. S. S. Andrews,
neighbor of James Ruddy, aged forty years,
employed in the Laconia Car-W orks, was
alarmed by a woman's screams. He aroused
his son and hurried to Ruddy's house,
whence the screams proceeded. They found
Mrs. Ruddy, aged thirty-six years, lying
On the ground beneath the front window,
through which she had leaped. She was
bleeding profusely and said she had been
cut all to pieces. She was properly cared
for. Assistance was obtained and the door
of Ruddy's house forced open. Flames
burst forth and an alarm of fire was
sounded. The flames were quickly extln-
guished and the bodies of Ruddy and an
only child one and one-half years old were
found lying on the kitchen floor, both cut
in a terrible manner and covered with the
contents of a feather bed which had been
saturated with kerosene and set on fire.
The bodies were so disfigured by the flames
as to be nearly past recognition. In the
bedroom was found in a trunk the lifeless
body of Mrs. Ford, which was ldentl-
fed by her husband. One o. the limbs had
been chopped off and the detached member
and remaining leg bound TO the woman's
body with clothes-line. The bed clothes
had been saturated with oil and piled on
the body and an attempt made to set them
on fire, which failed.
Mrs. Ruddy, being questioned, said the
crime was committed by Thomas Samon, an
EngliShman, and an acquaintance of the
family, a cook by trade, about thlrtv-siN
years of age, with hatchet. Mrs. Rud-
dy's statement before the CorOner's Jury
was as follows: We went to bed about
nine O'Clock. At eleven Samon came into
saying he was nervous and could not sleep.
| got up and made him a cup of tea and
went back to bed. At one o'clock SamOn
came into the front room and acted queer
ly. He went hack into the kitchen and my
husband and | got up and he also went in
to the kitchen. | soon heard fall, and go-
ing out found my husband hanging over a
chair with his arms down. SamOn started
for me and struck me with the hatchet on
the head. l 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 L tried to unlock the kitchen door, but
he returned and again struck me on the
head, knocking me down. L 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. l got up and tried TO open the front
window but could not. l then broke pane
Of glass and jumped through. He was very
nervous in the kitchen nearly all night.
The hatchet with which the crime was
probably committed was found in the
river.
1t is stated that Samon took Mrs. Ford's
body to Ruddy's house Saturday morning
in trunk. where it remained until the
tragedy occurred. The COrOner's inquest
rendered a 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 Plymouth Off
GERS. Suspicion being aroused against
Ford, husband of the murdered woman,
that he might be implicated in the affair,
he was arrested this forenoon and remains
i'll custody. Several suspicious circum-
stances tend to show his guilt.
At Ford'S and SamOn's there was no evil
dence of Mrs. FOrd's murder, and it is
thought her death was accidental at
SamOn's hands, and that, wishing to con.
ceal the body, he took it to Ruddy's, think.
ing, perhaps, he could carry it from the
house during the night; that Ruddy refused
to assist him, when the struggle ensued.
The suppoSition is that Mrs. Ford died
either from strangulatiOn or drugging, as
she frequently INDUCED in strong drink.
SamOn will be brought to LacOnia on
Monday for trial. Great excitement pre-. ,
walls, and fears are entertained that Il Wig. 4
ilance committee will be organized and the (
rnT lIrnnba1 his of he
depot. a later report from Plymouth states I
that SamOn denies all knowledge of the af. .
fair, and his arrest is perfect surprise. /
SamOn has never been regarded as vicious,
even when intoxicated. At late hour to. /
uight Mrs. Ruddy'S condition was no worse /