Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1883-11-26
Laconia, N. H., the Scene OF
One of the Most Brutal Muir
ders Ever Committed.
Three Persons Killed and the
House Set on Fire.
The Murderer Captured and
Safely Housed in Jail.
TAcoxtA n r. Nov

| LACociA, ~. ASOv. -os
Shortly after O'Clock this morning, the
inhabitants of this place were awakened by
the ringing of bells and the cry of fire. Upon
Investigation it was found there was not only
A fire. but that most brutal and fiendish muir
der had been committed. and as a result three
persons met death and another, devoted
wife and mother, lay at the point of death.
James Rudy, with a wife and child, of
Irish descent. resided about half mile from
the postOfice in the northeast part of the vii
lage. Rudy was a respectable man about
A years of age, and employed for long
time in the Laconia Car Works. His wife is
about Sc years old, and their only child one
and one-half years. They had lived in the
village many years.
Thos Sam0n, an acquaintance, aged SO, a
cook by trade, had been employed at the
Flume House, White Mountains, during the
summer, and previous to this at the Pemig-
wasset House, Plymouth. He is a married
man but has not lived with his wife at times,
who now resides in Plymouth. He is an
Englishman. He has of late INDUCED in
strong drink frequently. He was seen roam
ing about the streets with a woman. Satur-
day morning he was noticed by neighbor
taking down a clothes line in the yard of the
house where he occupied the upper tenement,
John Ford and wife occupying the lower
part 1t was noticed that his hands trem-
bled in the work, and attracted considerable
| attention.
| 1t appears that he left his home with a
trunk at IL o'clock Saturday forenoon,
wheeling it toward Lake Village on wheel
barrow down Lake street and up Winter
street, a distance of nearly mile. Finally,
he stopped at Ruddy's house, leaving the
| trunk in trout, where it remained two hours,
| and was afterward taken to room he had
previously engaged for the purpose of board
| ing for short time. The trunk was carried
| into the house with considerable effort by
Samon. Rudy returned home at the usual
time. Everything was quiet till an early
hour this morning, yet lights were frequently
seen by neighbOrs during the night.
Shortly after o'clock this morning S.
Andrews, who resided near, alarmed by the
screams of woman, aroused his son, O.
l.. Andrews, quickly dressed and hurried in
the direction of the screaming woman and
found her lying on the ground. under the
front window, through which she had made
desperate leap Mrs. Rudy was bleeding
profusely. Upon being asked what was the
trouble said: "Pick me up. am cut to
pieces" He assisted her to the residence of
Charles Filgate, directly opposite, and she
was soon unconscious. He then telephoned
| for Chief Officer Judkins and a physician,
and waiting a short time for their arrival.
they went to the back door and burst it in.
| As they did so the flames burst out, showing
that the house was on fire. An alarm was
sounded, but the fire was extinguished be-
fore the department arrived. Gaining en-
trance the officers found living upon the
kitchen floor the bodies of Rudy and the
child, both cut in a horrible manner and
covered with bed which had been saturated
|
dsfigured by the flames nearly past recog-
milton. Near by in the bed room was the
trunk above mentioned, and also the body of
a woman recognized to be that of Mrs. Ford.
who was identified by her husband who soon
arrived. He remarked that it was his trunk
and wheelbarrow, but requested that it re.
manned quiet. Bed clothes had been placed
| on the body and saturated with OIL The
can was found nearly empty, and an attempt
had been made to burn it. An examina ton
revealed that one leg had been chopped of
and the limbs bound to the body with a
clothes line. The particulars were CLEANED
from Mrs. Ruddy, who said that the crime
was committed by Samon with Ratchet,
which has been found in the river. They
Immediately commenced work on the case,
and men were sent in every direction to cap
ture Samon.
| StTUueT H. "A. AMBROSE OF Merluetn, ar
rived and held an inquest about noon, until
which time nothing was removed from the
house. An immense throng of people from
Laconia and adjoining towns visited the
scene during the day. Mrs. Ruddy's life be-
ing uncertain her deposition was taken, which
subsequently was as follows: All went to
bed about O'Clock. At III o'clock Samon
came into the front room, went to the win
dow, pulled the curtain one side and
looked out. He said he was nervous and
could not sleep. She got up and made him
a cup Of tea and went back to bed. At 4
o'clock SamOn came into the front room
again. looked out the window and went back
into the kitchen. My husband and got IN.
He went into the kitchen also. soon heard
a fall, and going out found my husband hang.
ing over chair with his arms down. Samon
started for me and struck at me with a
Ratchet. striking me on the head. / grabbed
his arm, but he struck me and threw me on
the floor. He then went into the front room
and killed the baby. The baby was CRYING
quite loud. While he was there | tried to
unlock the door, but he was back and struck
me on the head again, knocking me down.
laid perfectly quiet. He then went back into
the front room. got the baby and had come
back pouring feathers and straw over US and
going out. l got up and went to the front
window, tried to get it up but could not.
then broke pane of glass and jumped
through. He was very nervous, walking in
the kitchen nearly all night. l did not know
but the trunk was all right
The coroner's inquest was that the persons
came to their death by the hands of Thomas
Samon. Where she jumped through the
front window and outside were spattered
with hood. Suspicion being against Ford,
husband ofthe murdered woman. that he
might be implicated in the affair. he was ar
rested early this morning and still remains
in custody. He shows evidence of guilt. He
called at q neighbor's - house last
evening, and leaving the family
bible. remarking that his wife had
gone away with another man, and wished
that they should keep the bible till called for.
and if his wife should come and attempt to
sell the household goods to Immediately let
him know.
Mrs. Ruddv's injuries consisted of . cut
nearly sevsring the left wrist, cutting of the
finger and ugly wounds upon the face neck and
back. At Ford's and Samon's there va.
no evidence of the murder of Mrs. Ford, vet
it is thought that her death was accidental at
the hands of Samon. and that wishing to con-
ceal the body he took it down stairs in 4
trunk and thence to Ruddy's and thinking,
perhaps, that he could carry it from the
! hon. A,,ps r,1h l.