Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-09-29
A FIEND's WORK.
Mysterious Murder of the Daughter of
Wealthy Indiana Cattle Dealer
The Body of the Victim Literally
Hacked to Pieces by the Assassin


Inc Body of the Victim Literally
hacked to Pieces by the Assassin.
The MORNING NEWS dispatches. Sem
temoer 10Th, gave brief account of a
horrible murder in Benton county. In
diana, about % miles west of Tafa1etta
special in the Chicago Tribune gives fur
ther particulars as follows: The victim
was Miss Ada Atkinson, the fifteen-vear-
old daughter of Cephas Atkinson. a we'll
known and Wealty cattle dealer of Ben
ton county. Mr.. Atkinson and his wife
left home in the early morning and drove
TO the railway station, some miles
distant. When they left, Miss Lucy
and Miss Ada were the only oc-
cupantS OF the homestead, the latter
being the younger of the two sisters.
After dinner Miss Lucy Atkinson con-
cluded to make visit to the town of Ok
ford, few miles distant, and left her sis
ter alone. This seems to he the last time
the girl was seen alive, save bv her muir
derer. About in the evening Miss AtkIn-
son returned from the town. and. going
through the lower part of the house, was
unable to find her sister Ada. She next
went up to their bedroom, where she found
her sister lying on the floor covered
with blood. She gave an alarm, which
summoned an old man who was at work
near at hand, and to him she related what
she had seen. A passing neighbor was
hailed, and an examination showed the
girl to have been dead some time. the
limbs being rigid. Word was sent to the
father, and he came home on horseback
from the station, riding like mad. Phy-
sicians were summoned, and posses of
men sent in every direction in the hope
that the scOundrel or scoundrels might be
captured.
HACKED TO PIECES
DR.. Mcconnell and DIR. Wells made an
examination of the girls person, the sup
position being that trampS had outraged
and then murdered her. They found that
her person had not been violated, but the
body was literally hacked to pieces, there
being twenty-five separate and distinct
cuts. The murderer had evidently first
severed the jugular vein, and after that
had gone deliberately to work to see how
much he could mutilate the body. There
were cuts on the head, face and neck:
also on the back and lOins. Great gashes
across the stomach exposed the intestines,
while everything near was Spattered with
blood. The 1iend must have been the Evil
One himself, for most of the mutilation was
committed after the girl was helpless. as
the wounds were not through her dress
and underclothing, which had been drawn
up that the knife might sink deeper into
the flesh.
When first discovered the dead girl was
lying on the floor of her bedroom, her face
to the floor, and her head resting partially
upon one arm, while the other was
stretched forward, as though attempting
to grasp the carpet. The bed had not
been occupied, or, if it had, it had been
neatly made up again, save on one side
there were marks as if some one had been
sitting on the edge.
A MYSTERY.
The murderer and the motive are
wrapped in the most profound mystery.
The motive could not have been robbery,
for not an article is known to have been
disturbed. There was money in the bu-
reau drawers, but they were not molested
The motive may have been rape, but il
was not perpetrated, though, of course,
the villain might have been frightened
away. There were little or no evidences
of a struggle i'll the room, but this NAV
have been because Of the speedy death of
Miss Ada after the wounds in the neck.
Her clothing was not torn, as though the
villain had first thought to perpetrate an
outrage. There could not have been cries
for help, as farm hand was
working near the house, and saws
he heard no noise or cries of any
kind. The girl was about 10, and had
no differences with any one, though she
had gentlemen admirers. No traces of the
murderer can be found in the house or
out, and altogether the utmost mystery
prevails. Between the sisters there was
the strongest bond of love and affection,
and the elder one is almost crazed over
the death of her sister, which she thinks
would not have happened had she re-
mained at home with her. The family had
no enemies that would take this method
of revenge, and altogether there is veil
of mystery about the horrible deed that
thus far has not been torn aside. The
aged father and mother were terribly
and the mothers life is despaired
of The officers of Benton and Tippe-
canoe counties are searching every cleW
and trail, but their efforts thus far have
been unsuccessful. Great excitement
occurred, and judge Lynch would have
court if the culprit were captured.
later dispatch says: 1.-The excite
ment over the murder of Miss Ada Atkin-
son has increase considerably to-day.
The fact that the young lady, who was
handsome, rich, and popular, was terri
bly, mutilated by her murderer, her body
being stabbed again and again, evidently
after life was extinct, adds to the intense
feeling in the community. AS no property
was taken from the house, the deed could
not have been committed for the purpose
of robbery, and physicians have asserted
that the girl was not violated. The
general theory of the crime has been that
the murderer was inspired by revengetul
feelings. She had been left alone in the
house, and her body was found late in the
afternoon. There are few clues as to
who did the deed.
Mrs. Hugh, neighbOr of the Atkinsons.
was examined by the Coroner. 1t was
alleged that she had made threats against |
Miss Atkinson. She proved by her child |
rem that she had remained at home the
entire day, sick with chills. Her house
was searched twice to-day, but nothing
was discovered to excite suspicion.
young man named Adsit, who had
blood upon his sleeve and shirt front,
when asked how the blood came there.
said he did not know. He was taken be-
Tore the Coroner. He then said the blood
upon his shirt front was caused by being
struck Ill the mouth during fight while
in Oxford on Saturday night. He said he
was pressing hay on the forenoon of the
murder. The people believe him inno-
cent.
The most important information re-
ceived since the murder has just come to
light. Two brothers named jefferson. re-
siding near the Atkinson place, started
TO oxford with load of wood. In pass
ing the Atkinson residnce, which stands
back about twenty yards from the main
road. they saw no one in the yard, After
going a short distance one of the bows. on
looking back, saw man leaving the
gate of the yard. He was mounted on a
gray horse, lie started towards them at
\ gallop, but upon nearing them
checked his horse, drew his hat over his
eyes, and rode past. There was blood on
lis right hand and on the side of his face.
lie was apparently about 20 years of age.
They did not know him. After passing
lhe wagon he started off again at break |
neck speed, taking a road leading west
ward, evidently to avoid going near
oxford. 1t was about 2:30 O'Clock when
ne passed them.
The mysterious man was also seen by
Jerome Wattles, q farmer, who was going
west on the road mentioned, but was not
close enough TO recognize him.
He Didn't Want the jug Stretched.
Christian at Work.
a day or two since a Norwich man car
led jug to cash grocery to have it
llled with New Orleans molasses. He
vas the head Of a big family, and mad a |
on me h I.