The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-01-23
a TRIPLE TRAGEDY.
kills fIIs wife and No,her-lr-
taw.nnd then Commits snicide-ihs Bodies
- Uomen Carefully Laid Ont.

oo,., ~ the New York Herald from
o,1.Gnid Snrings. n. Y. dated the 10Th,
-. onr Quiet village was horrifcd and
sG.cted NV The discovery Of uirlc tragedy
ohont < O'Clock this afternoon, when iiaF-
Gov Iav,on. his wife, and mother-in-iaw
,,'crc ail found dead. The former was
sound hanging by the neck in the cellar OF
70 ho,,ec. and the two women lying on the
az oboye. a bloody pool about the head
OF each. -. .,.,o, 4,
law TO Layton, called at his house TO see
bcr ,ootbcr and sister. She has been In The
hobi Of giving her mother 81 week TO
as.isf in her support. She left her contri'
hutton IS usual with her, and left the
bou.c. seeing nothing out Of the ordinary
r,utinp. This was about s j. NJ, and 1t
nrovcd 10 be the last time either OF the
three people were seen alive. Your CORE
snondcnt Guest. ned Mrs. Humphrey, who
sscs there were positively no indications OF
me frichtiul murder that must have soon
followed her departure.
U,mphrcy states that Layton has seemed
irritaied at his wifc's visits 10 her mother,
and that her sister remarked TO her once
thaf che had better stay away rs much as
no..ible, as Harvey was ugly after She had
icon there But this was not taken very
seriously. About six weeks AGO Layton.
his wife. and mothcr-in-law moved 10 john
Iayton's. an adopted son, whose wife was
m recently; but they moved back into the
village about ten days ago.
TIE CHASTITY DISCOVERY.
This afternoon about o'clock W. :.
pnlnkhurst, q son-in-law Of Layton. who
lives on the latter's farm about n mile from
thc village, drove to the house with quar-
fer OF beef for the family. He noticed the
blinds closed and shades drawn, and con-
cludcd the family were not at home. On
irving the door he found 1t fast, but no.
tccd a pool Of blood on the threshold.
Seeing Mrs. Humphrey in her doorway he
called 10 her, aud pushed on the door,
which fell open, showing that the hinges
had been broken Ot-G mystery IN the case
which is vet unrayelled.
ON entering the siitinE-room he was par
alyzcd by the sight OF the blood-coycred
floor on which the two women were lying.
LAYTON was nowhere 70 be seen. Drunk
hurst Immediately hurried around the
ncighborhoOd alarming every one by bis
tale, and the citizens FASTENED to the
sccnc-yOur correspondent among the rest.
The Old lady lay nearest the door. Mrs.
Iayton's temple was crushed, and her
neck was discOlorcd, showing the marks OF
having been chOked. She was in hcrnight-
clothos, but her mother, whose head was
also battered in. was dressed. Her rell-
tiyes say she has not undrcsSed at night
for years, Icing feeble and obliged to get
up often during the night. Both women
were regularly laid out as ii 10y an under
takcr, their hands crossed on their breasts,
limbs Strengthened out, and feet tied to-
gethtr. Mrs. Layton's feet were wound
with skirt-band, which was neatly
buckled.
TIE eCICIDE-MCRDEIER FOUND.
While the corpsCs were being examined
with a lamp, 1t being now dusk, word came
TINT Layton was hanging dead in the cellar.
Proceeding thiiher, the body was found
fully dressed, with boots on. hanging by q
piece OF ciolhcs-liuc doubled over q stick
nailed 10 the iOisis. His feet were both
planted on the ground, knees bent out
ward. rs If he lad tied the knot while on
tiptOes, and then dropped, as it were, into
the rope. A lamp which stood on The stair
near him bad burned out. lis watch was still
running aud marked a quarter TO six.
There was lTuise on his left temple, made
probably 10y his wife in her struggle for
life. The weapon VITA which the murders
were committed could nowhere be found.
washbAsin and cloth were on chat near
The bodies, the faces Of which had been
washed.
Coroner Parshall, Of CoOperstown, was
notified by telegraph, aud has now--l0 L.
Must aTri ed and commissioned an un-
dCrta6er to take charge of the bodies, Oh
which an inquest VIII be held tomorrow.
Layton Was quite well OF and owned a
farm near this village, besides the house
and lot. In, first wife died three years
ago. and about last December he married
Melissa Young the murdered woman, who,
however, ia0 Ior years lived in his family.
Relatives say he las shown marked symp-
tons OF insanity Tor six weeks or two
months past, but no particular attention
was paid 70 them. lis WIFE told a friend
aicw days ago that she was awakened q
short tine ago by Layton clutcbing her
throat. When She asked what be was
doing be made iocular reply, and she
thought lac had been dreaming. Layton
was very active for his years, Away Jolly,
but now and then Is said TO have fits OF bad
temper.