The Dawson journal., 1883-02-01
A HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.
A Young MaN Murders His Wife
80 Banks County, and Makes
EiiS EScaDe

Ill oIliS ely ana submitted TO OOVei
nor Stephens, yesterday, details
horrible crime that was perpetrate
hear Homer, in Ranks county, Oh
last saturday night. Joe Patterson
a son OF Mr.. John Patterson of tia
town, is young man of about q
years of age, and described as rongl
and uneouth in manners, with a dasl
of untutored aggressiveness in hi
character.
About 8 months ago Miss Narciss'
Bell, beautiful and cultured youn.
lady, then residing with her motheI
at Smyrna, went on a visit to a frie.,
in Banks county, who lived in til,
neigbborhood of the Patterson fami
ly near the tow1 of Homer. I'm
medlately upon her advent into tina
section she was besieged by the
attentive youths of the place, fore.
most among whom was young Pat,
terson. In a few weeks she and
Patterson were married, notwil. stand.
ing the protests of the young lady Is
family, who greatly disapproved OF
the union, although the father OF
Patterson is man of good standing
and connections in the county in
which he lives.
For the past seven months the
young couple have appeared to lie
getting along as merriy rs Il marri,
age bell; aud up to last Saturday
night 10 one entertained the sli. htest
suspicion that any disagreement ex-
listed between them. On that night
they paid visit to her new father,
Where they proposed to remain till
the morning OF the next day. The
evening passed pleasantly enough,
and at about ten or eleven O'Clock,
after bidding one another a happy
goodnight, the pair retired to their
room. The family had gone to bed,
and Mr.. John Patterson was also on
the point Of seeking the somno.ent
couch when he was startled by Il
piercing scream that suddenly broE
the deathly stiffness Of the night
followed in quick succession by an
other and sound as of struggl.
issuing from the room occupied bv
Joe and his wife. He rushed TO the
door, but found it locke on the in
SIDE He returned to his room TO
procure light aud an instrument
with which TO prize open the door
dolng back to his sons room he
found that the door had b en- opened
during his short absence, which
obvlated the necessity of using the
crowbar. which he had brought alonp
to effect an entrance to the apart
ment. Upon entering the room he
was Mortified to behold the PROSTATE
form OF the young wife lying motion
less and apparently lifeless upon the
floor. Her face was upturned and
spnnkled with blood from two deep
gashes IN her throat blood issued in
streams and formed little pools at
either side of her reclining head =.
her hands and arms were also bleel-
ing, and from her right side, in which
was a CHASTITY wound, great
clots of blood exuded in the intervals
Of her spasmodic breathing.
Taking in the terrible situation at
a glance, Mr.. Patterson looked round
the room, expecting to be confronted
by his son, but he was not ther
While his father had gone for the
light, ne had made his escape, leaving
his victim too dead to tell the tale o.
his brutal!assault. Thefalnily bound
mp the unfortunate ladys wounds as
best they could, and sent to the town
Immediately for a physician. When
Dr. Lockhart arrived he found that
the CHASTITY cuts across the throai
had severed the front portion of tn,
trachea, leaving the muscles on eacl,
side OF the neck horribly mangled,
aud all the important blood vessels
exposed. Several other wounds ha !
been inflicted in various parts of the
chest, face and arms, but the most
serious, and probably fatal thrust
was the one piercing the lung on the
right side. This renders her recove-
~ in the minds of the physicians,
almost hopeless.
Advices received here from Dr.
Lockhart, by her brother who resides
In this city, state that she is still
living, but report no Improvement in
her condition. Her uncle, Mai
Madison Bell, formerly Comptroller
OF the State, now agent of the Wes,.
ern and Atlantic railroad at Smyrna.
left last night for Homer Ia tond h.,