Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1883-02-14
Horrible Murder in SIipperyrock.
New Castle News.

New Castle News
Thursday morning Mr.. James Wig
ton, who resided near Hickory Mill. on
Slipperyrock creek, Just over the Butler
county line. left his home and family
to 60 to a neig hboriug farmhouse for
the purpose Of borrowing q horse.
When be returned, few hours later.
he was shocked almost to insensib. liiy
to find that his wife and FIVE children
had all been cruelty murdered during
his absence. Even the youngest. a
babe, bad been braiged with an Hx.
The neighbors were at once aroused.
and the news of the affair spread in
in every direction. Suspicion tell upon
a brutal fellow known as "Injun Sam.
and the self-appointed VigiIantes soon
the demon hiding in the
rocks, not a mile away from the scene
Of the tragedy. He was dragged to
the place where his victims lay in tbeis'
gore, and confessed his crime. In
short time be went to eternity by thE
hempen route All this happened in
lS43, but we just heard it to- day.
Luke Emery, cousin OF Wigton,
wrote a song about the murder in the
year 1874. Ii was never published,
and an old lady who used to sing it to
frighten her babes to sleep, has written
it out from memory, and we publish il
below. Many persons yet residing in
u - nd RnfInw rx~s1I
terrible tragedy. Our present Presi-
dent, Mel unkin, was a law student
when the trial took place in Butler
town:
i had Cousand he lived Close by
the knews heird Caused me to Sigh
ifyou but listen i will relate
mournful story will state
his loving wife and Children dear
was left at home as you shall hear
one morning early in Clear daylight
was murdered all the cruel sight
an indian savage came that way
with full inteat to kill and slay
upon that helpless Mother fell
O how she felt no one can tell
She struggled hard to save her life
from her the monster got a knife
and from his hand the knife she tore
flew in the rom and barred the door
to take her life was his intent
he burst the door and in he went
no longer able to defend
herself and Children from that hend
think hear her heave sigh
and cry for help though none was nigh
pity to my Children show
and then he struck the fiatle blow
the struggle with the Mother DER
not satisfied but looked for more
five Children dear aud one the babe
a sleeping in its Cradle laid
their brains he scattered on the floor
and lett heir bodies in o gore
al innocence they knew no guile
the babe he said looked up and smiled
the father he had went from home
to get horse to plow his corn
expecting quickly to return
his name i'll give il is James Wigson
but the news when first he heard
the story of that DREADFUL deed
his hands he rung his hair he tore
his wife and Children was no more
the news soon flew the neighbors Came
so cruel sight none there had seen
but soon they found who done the deed
and after him they went with speed
few ours past till him they Caught
he gives his name Samuel Mo hawk
they marched him quickly to the ground
where Wigtons family dead was found
TO Butler town he then was sent
twelve Could not find him inoCent
inverdiCt they were all agreed
that he was guilty of the deed
the twenty second day of March was set
that he must meet his dread fate
upon the sCafold the rope he bore
il was in the year eighteen hundred and
forty four
Composed by Luke Emery. Written from
by Ann Thompson.
West New Castle, Jan. 10, 1883.