The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1883-03-07
CRIMSON CRIME.
One and Perhaps More Candidates
for the Hangman.
Frank Hunters Brains Blown Out with a
Shotgun and His Body Thrown Into
.aWater Tank at PauPs Station.

Last Sunday the little settlement
| called PauIs Station, on the Cleveland,
LOrain q Wheeling Railroad, FIVE miles
north OF MassillOn, was the scene Of a
horrible tragedy. News to the effect
that q man had been brutally murdered
there was brought into MassillOn by
Jacob 8. COXey, proprietor OF the stone
quarry at that place.
Mr.. COXey swore out warrant for the
arrest Of several parties who were sup
posed to have committed the deed, and
two officers accompanied him to the
quarry. The dead man, Frank Hunter,
was found to be lying in large water
tank standing on supports, the top of the
tank being twenty-five feet from the
ground. Adjoining the tank Is the sand
house, q space of about three feet being
between them, and the top floor of the
sand house is on a level with the top Of
the tank. The tank is fourteen feet
deep, eighteen feet in diameter, and con-
tanned about ten feet Of water covered
with ice At the side where the dead
man had fallen in the ice had been
broken but was frozen over again with
thin ice. There are two ways of getting
to the top Of this tank-by climbing q
ladder leaning against the outside from
the ground, and by two flights Of steps
inside the sand house, which end on the
upper floor.
The unanimous opinion Of the quarry
men and their families, who were con-
gregated about the place was that the
man had been murdered at house near
by. occupied by the accused parties, and
the body carried to the top and thrown
in the tank. The coat Of the dead man
WAS found lying on piece Of roof be-
tween the tank and the sand house. His
hat was on the Ice in the tank, and
blood and brains in profusiOn were dis
covered on the side of the sand house,
on the roof of the sand house, on the roof
between that and the tank, inside the
tank, on the ice, and later a piece Of
brain was found on the ground at the
foot Of the tank.
The officers arrested Mrs. Hunter, wife
OF the dead man, Samuel Crooks, Mrs.
Hunters father and his wife Mrs Hunt
er's mother and George Brunner, a young
man about twenty-five years of age, who
had been until recently employed as en-
gtneer at the quarry. 1t Is public talk
at the quarry that Brunner has been
criminally intimate with Mrs. Hunter
and her daughter, and the dead man who
worked at night, that when he went
home on Sunday morning he found
Brunner In bed with his stepdaughter.
1t is asserted that the girl is in an inter-
esting condition, and it Is fact that Mr..
and Mrs. HuuSer threatened to have
Brunner arrested for bastardy, but offer
ed to withhold the complaint the would
pay them $50.
Last Wednesday night Hunter and
Brunner had q row. The latter had
Hunter arrested for assault, and the
hearing was to have taken place on
Monday. Since the fight Mrs. Hunter
has been living with Crooks. Her father
in-law has taken away all the eatables
and part Of the furniture, and Drummer
has been living in that household. This
was the situation OF affairs which caused
the arrest OF the parties named.
The body was allowed to remain in
the tank until the Coroner arrived and
the water was then drawn of. II was
found that death had been caused by
the discharge OF heavy load of shot in
the mans head, and the weapon, q
bOred-out rife, which belonged to Brun-
ner, was found beside him in the bot
tom of the tank. The gun was unmis-
takably held close to Hunters head, as
powder marks were discovered in the
wound, and so effective was the work
done that the entire top of the head was
blown of and all the brains cleaned
out Of the skull. A careful inspection of
the surroundings established beyond a
doubt that the deed was committed at
the top of the tank.
LATER.
Coroner Leininger was seen this morn
ing at his Office, and upon inquiry, said
he had not finished examining all the
witnesses yet; that he had taken the
dispositions Of fifteen yesterday, and was
going over again this morning to con-
clude taking the testimony. He remark
ed that the evidence was strongly in ia
vor of murder theory, and in all prob
| ability he would turn the accused over
to the proper authorities. He said they
found cTowbar in the tank, which had
been used below the previous Friday,
and had no business up there at all, and
other suspicious circumstances point
out that 1t was not case of felo de Sc,
but cold -blOOded and dastardly murder.