Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1883-12-06
4 HORkIBf.E CRIME.

HNg1SRIE5ELE Jk6A11Es
A New Hampshire Family Murdered ande
Chopped to Pieces and Their DwelIingE
Fired to Hide the Crfme-The Butcher
Arrested-PrOspec OF a Lynching In thes-
Granite State.
TACOMA, N. H. Nov. %
This morning residents were startled by1
the story of a terrible tragedy, which oc--
Cured at four O'Clock. S. S. Andrews, g.
neighbor of James Ruddy, aged forty years..
EMPLOYED in the Laconia Car Works, was
alarmed by a woman's screams. He aroused
his son and hurried to Ruddy's house,
whence the screams proceeded. They found
Mrs. Ruddy, aged thirty-six years, lying
on the ground beneath the front window
through which she had 1eaped. She was
bleeding profusely and said she had beens-
cut all to pieces. She was properly cared
for. Assistance was obtained and the door
of Ruddy's house forced open. Flames
burst forth and an alarm of fire was
sounded. The flames were quickly extin--
guished and the bodies of Ruddy and an
only child ons and one-half years old were
found lying on the kitchen floor, both cut
in a terrible manner and covered with the
contents of a feather bed which had been
saturated with kerosene and set on fire.
The bodies were so disfgured by the flames
bedroom was found in a trunk the lifeless
body of Mrs. Ford, which was identi-
fed by her husband. One Of the limbs had
been chopped of and the detached member
and remaining leg bound to the woman's=
body with a clothes-line. The bed clothes
had been saturated with oil and piled on
the body and an attempt made set them
on fire, which failed.
Mrs. Ruddy, being questioned, said the
crime was committed by Thomas Samon, an
EngllShman, and an acquaintance or the
family, a cook by trade, about thirty-six-
years OF age, with Ratchet. Mrs. Rud--
dy's statement before the Coronerss Jury
follows: We went to bed about
nine O'Clock. At eleven Samon came into
the front room and looked out the window,
saying he was nervous and could not Sleep
1 got up and made him a cup of tea and
went back to bed At one O'Clock SamonI-
came into the front room and acted queer
ly. He went back into the kitchen and my
husband and L got up and he also went in
to the kitchen. I soon heard a fall, and co.
ing out found my husband hanging over a.
chair with his arms down. Samon started
for me and struck me with the hatchet on
the head. grabbed his arm, but he them
struck me and threw me to the floor. He
went into the front room and killed the
baby, who was crying. While he was.
there l tried to unlock the kitchen door, but
he returned and again struck me on the
head, knocking me down. laid perfectly
quiet. He went back into the front room
and got the baby and then came back andA
poured feathers and straw over us and went =
out. l got up and tried to open the front
window but could not. then broke pane
of glass and jumped through. He was very
nervous in the kitchen nearly all night
The Ratchet with which the crime was
probably committed was found in the
river.
1t is stated that Samon took Mrs. Ford's.
body to Ruddy's house Saturday morning
in a trunk, where it remained until the
tragedy occurred. The Coroner's inquest /.
rendered verdict that the persons came to-
their death at the hands of Thomas Samon.-
The latter was arrested this afternoon near
Plymouth. He did not resist arrest, and
has been taken in charge by Plymouth off,
GERS. Suspicion being aroused against
Ford, husband of the murdered womans,
that he might be implicated in the affsir,-
he was arrested this forenoon and remains
in custody. Several suspicious circnm--
stances tend to show his guilt.
At Ford's and Samon's there was no evil
thought her death accidental at
Samon's hands, and that, wishing to con-
ceal the body, he took it to Ruddy's, think
ing, perhaps, he could carry it from the
house during the night; that Ruddy refused,
to assist him, when the struggle ensued.
The supposition is that Mrs. Ford died q
either from strangulation or drugging, as
she frequently INDUCED in strong drink.
SamOn will be brought to LacOnia on
Monday for trial. Great excitement pre-
walls, and fears are entertained that Wig
lance committee will be organized and the
prisoner lynched upon his arrival at the =
depot. A later report from Plymouth states
that SamOn denies all knowledge of the af-~
fair, and his arrest is perfect surprise
Samon has never been regarded as vicious, -
even when intoxicated. At late hour to-
night Mrs. RuddY's condition was no worse