West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1884-03-21
A MOTHERS CRIME.
Startling Solution Of a Murder Mystery
OF Seventeen Years Standing.
The Shocking ConTrS,ioa uaie Vpon Her
DCath-bcd oTths Nothcrar
ChrIstInc H,tL

DAYTON, g., March III On Friday night.
January IL, 1867, Christine Kott, young
lady OF eighteen years and comeIy appcar.
ance, was murdered i'm her own home i'm
this city. Her body was found lying ON tho
Kitchen floor, with her feet hanging In the
hatchway 60 tho cellar. Her head had been
crushed 10y blunt instrument aud powder
marks were ON her face. nv hcr
slide lay her brothers pistol. This
brother discovered the body and gave the
alarm. Nomotivo could be assigned for self.
destruction, and no satisfactory trnceg ~
the criminal could be discuv .rrI In the
cellar was an axe covered vi'h snow.
mere WERE also tracks 90 aud from the
mouse, through the back yard and vacant
Io'S IN the neighborhood. The mother of
tne murdered girl was absent ut the time
tne body was found, and ON being informed
% thc murder made a great demonstration
Vi grief Dayton was startled uy the
crime, and hundreds OF people visited the
hnuSo, thcn on a lonely common, near
wayne street. The brother, whose pistol
was found near the glrl was nrrost.l
but discharged. Buck Hughes, then n
noted e haraCtCr about town vas g'qn st,..
pected, aud held for examination. but no
suulclent evidence could h. uraduced
against him. Tom Goet1, lover of tine
glrl, also had his turn as suspected mur.
dcrer' Neighbors and relatives had sus.
"
scnce could I've produced, aud IA moiiye
was lacking. At various timcs she had
acted strangely; was known ia bc NnkehiI.
ana inclined TO Toe startled at every noise.
ne house where the crime was
committed was given to "A
son, and tho mother removed. For "A time
she went West, stopping at 81. Paul and
ether western cities, hut, as tho son now
say ;, seemed To have no peace. Last win
Ter, IN freak of apparent arrangements she
struck wildly at her son, saving that thers
mad been blood oH ncr hands once. and
might as well be again. She had told one or
TWO thaJ before her death she wa, Eoiny to
tell something TO her son, aud tunt sno
wanted no one else to hear. Sine th. Ist 81
January she has been ailiug but would
summon no physician, She was Cill ,ctad
win Boltre aud subject TO choking SHELLS.
lhiee weeks ago su0 took to her bed with
illumination OF the bowels, and Stubboruly
refused doctor. Growing worse and an
Pfshehdlng death she called her SON to her
SIDE, ordered every ono else ont OF the
room, handed him the decd for ncr prop.
eTty, ana then told the startled and az.
OhlEed young man tho story of the Inur.
der. On the morning Of the fatal
dhy Inc mother was washing, and told the
uhuRhtcr, who went away with "A youur,
I"uy friend, that she should not stay long.
as there was bread in the oven mud she ,v,.
wanted 10 get dinner. The daughter did
not return, however, untn 4 o'cl0,,k when
she was called TO account FOR her absence
ana the mother, who was woman OF
violent and uncomfortable temper, be-
came enraged at the girl, ana struck
her with an axe-handle. As she approach
ed, the frightened girl fled townrd the
cellarway and was about 20 .cond when
struck. The blow was fatal, aud Mortified
At what she had done, tho murdercss be.
thought to conceal the crime, by hunting
up inc sons pistol and placing 1t beside
the body, and then To give some evidence
OF ltS use by placing the girPs finger i'm tho
Powderhask and burning pow der near her