Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1883-05-24
MAKINSON'S CRIME.
From the Cambridge Qn.) Chronicle, Extr
Nav 11th,

From the Cambridge Ill.) Chronicle, Extra,
May 11th.
The crime for which Sylvester K.
Makinson was B.. executed to-day was
committed on the 10Th of August last.
Makinson came from the same neigh
borhood in Ohio that Mr. and Mrs. Cop
land came from. Working for Mr.. Cop
land was a man by the name of Thos.M.
Bell, who had also oeme from the same
vicinity, Jefferson county, Ohio. Bell
was a cousin of Makinson's, had loaned
him money at various times, and at the
time of the murder Bell held Makinson's
note for $50. Being thus acquainted
with the family, Makinson made free to
60 and come as suited his own cenve-
nienes or whim, and was the only per-
son, it is said, who knew of Bell having
money in his trunk.
On the morning Of the day on which
the crime was committed, Mr.. COPELAND
and his hired man Bell, went to Mr Hop
pook's, taking his little ive-year old boy
with them, to assist Mr.. Cook in shelling
corn for Mr.. Heppock. During the
morning Makinson came there, and af-
ter remaining short time went to Kema-
nee. He learned by going to Hoppock's
that Mrs. COPELAND was alone. On his
return from Kewanee, he went TO the
COPELAND residence, and, as he expected,
found Mrs. COPELAND alone. The way
Makinscn himself told the story, before
he invented the charge against Cole, was
that when he went to the house he had
no thought of killing Mrs. COPELAND, the
thought coming to him after. he got
there. He went for the money. While
sitting in the kitchen, Mrs. COPELAND
asked him TO bring some wood for her;
lie went out and got the wood and bro't
1t i'll, holding in hand the board be used
as club TO kill her with When she
stopped dswl TO take some wood from
the beX, he struck her with the board
breaking it IL two. She ran through the
rooms to get away from him, but he
overlook her in the bedroom and then
struck the blow upon her head which
cru he'd her skull Then. she burst
through the screen door, he following
and passing her. Sire turned toward
the house, when he fired the first shot,
which missed her. She fell to the ground,
after which he fired the other two shots,
one going through her shoulder and the
other penetrating the body. -
After committing the murder and
robbery, Nakinson left the house and
went to the residence of Joshua Cole.
where he got dinner, changed his clothes
and STATED for Kewapee. He told at
Coles that he had gone to Copland's for
dinner, but had found no one at home.
When Mr. COPELAND heard that Maxim
SON had come from his house and re-
ported no one at home, he concluded
that he would 60 and see what had be-
come of his wife. As he approached
the house he noticed that everything
seemed to be quiet there, but that fact
did not arouse any suspicion in bis
mind. as the house stands back from the
road about forty rods, and hence it was
generally quiet when the men were away
at work. SO it was without any warn :
ing or preparation that he came upon a
sight that almest frozs the blood in his
veins; for in the yard, about three feet
from the door, with her head toward the
house, lay the loved one he had, a few
hours before, left happy, joyous and full
OF life, but now a mutilated, ghastly
corpse. Imagination may picture the
scene, and hear the sounds; but not
without putting yourself in that unhap-