The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1884-04-23
"JENNIE'S MURDEREDy'
AN OHIO STORY SAID TO BE TRUE.
The Strange Exclamation which Startled q
Farmer and His Good Wife-A stran-
gers Mysterious Conduct
Explained.
cincinnati Enouirer.l

/
towns Of Ohio, and on the evening OF Janu-
ary II, 187-, were about to sit down to sup
per when one Of the neighbors dashed into
the room, and. all out of breath, could only
gasp the words, "Jennie's murderedp and
then fell on the floor in dead faint.
This very strange action astonished the
couple, and they gazed at each other in
silent horror, unable to comprehend what
1t all meant. Jennie was their adopted
daughter, and had been found by Mr.. Ed
wards twenty years before OH his door
step in the arms of her mother, on bitter
cold night, who almost Immediately after
being brought into the house, had died
without speaking a word, and the baby,
who was about eighteen months old, was
given the name of Jennie, from that being
the name on gold ring which the mother
had on.
As Edwards and his wife were childless
couple, they adopted the little stranger,
after making fruitless efforts to discover
its history, and the waif had grown up
with them, caring for them, and repaying
their kindness to her by more than flial
devotion, and at the time of which we
write had grown into handsome young
woman, and was one of the bellies Of the
town.
The neighbor who had so unceremonious.
ly disturbed the couple came to after few
moments, and told how the girl Jennie had
just been found in the woods back Of the
house, with her head all beaten in, and as
she was telling the story, footsteps Of
number Of men were heard, and then they
appeared, bringing their CHASTITY burden
| In.
A doctor accompanied them, and upon
examination he found the girl had been
outraged as well as beaten, and was upon
the point Of declaring that she was past all
hope, when he detected faint pulse beat,
and, throwing off his coat, began with q
will to try and save her life. 1t was hard
work, and he finally pronounced her not
dead, but in a very precarious condition
her life hung on a thread.
A diligent search around where the crime
had been committed failed to discover any
thing TO throw light upon 1t, and, like some
Of the recent murders, its mystery ap.
peared unfathomable.
The girl, through careful nursing, finally
became well enough to talk, but could give
no further explanation than TO say that she
had suddenly felt hand on her throat
from behind, and then had tainted, and
knew no more until she came back to life
in her own room.
About two weeks after the assault Farm
er Edwards was in the woods where the
girl had been seized, and, looking up, saw
ut some distance away a strange man.
Quietly creeping nearer he saw that the
man was searching very carefully for some
thing. Slipping behind a tree, he saw the
man begin TO dig around large tree, and,
after working a while, take up a box, re-
place something init and return the box to
its place, cover 1t up and disappear among
the trees. 1t was the work Of moment Tor
Edwards to reach the spot and get out the
box, and, opening it, saw only a bank. book,
which was old and well worn, but showing
heavy deposit and an envelope addressed
TO Jennie Edwards. He replaced the box,
and was very much puzzled at this strange
proceeding, especially as the girls name
was mixed up In it, and he determined TO
watch, and, when he saw this man again,
10 hold him and demand au account from
him relative to the mystery of the box.
For this purpose he told one Of the detec-
tives about the box, and they arranged tc
watch together.
This they did for week, but without sue
cess, and, as the strange man did not show
himself again, they gave up watching.
~. o L "A Ia.
in which an offer was made for his farm,
and requesting him to callht certain place
II he would sell.
The assault on Jennie decided him TO sell
II possible, and he called at the address
given, and was very much astonished on
entering the room to see the man there
whom he bad seen in the woods digging out
the box. He repressed his feelings, and,
from questions asked by the man, saw that
while the would.be purchaser wanted to buy
the place, he also wanted more anxiously
TO know all he could about Jennie.
After long conversation about the price
for the property, etc., Edwards left, agree
ing TO call again In few days.
On his next visit, as he neared the door,
he heard voices disputing in angry tones,
and paused TO listen. The persons were
quarreling about money, and from words
they came to blows. Suddenly there was
a scufiie, fierce struggle, then a pistol
shot, Immediately after which a man
dashed out Of the room and ran quickly
away.
1t was all over ina moment, and through
the open door Edwards looked In and saw
the man upon whom he was to call lying
upon the floor with the blood pouring from
a wound in his side. Not wishing TO be
mixed up with the matter he turned and
went away, giving up all hope, under the
circumstances, Of the party buying his
place.
Two days later Edwards received letter
asking him 10 call at certain hospital,
which was named. He went, and showing
the letter, was taken by an attendant TO
the bedside Of one of the patients, who
proved TO be the man who had been 80
mysteriously shot, and whom Edwards had
seen digging for the box.
The sick man recognizing Edwards, told
him TO be seated, and as the doctors had
pronounced his case hopeless, that he was
mortally wounded, he had sent for Ed
wards to make confession which was OF
interest TO him. This is the substance of
his confession: