The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1884-03-27
A TENNESSEE TRAGEDY.
A Family Of Five Persons Butcherod
While Sleeping in Their
Beds.
Tho Murderers Promptly Strung Up
and Their llO,lies Riddlcd
with Bullets.
lapringfcld Tenn Telegram. |

lsprInutcld Tenn Tcosraml
Perhaps tho worst erimc ever committed
has Just been rcrnctrated IN this titnterisonl
near tho Kentucky line, lived John Ma tn,
his wife, and three children. two of them
grown young women, tho other II boy of IL.
Martin was In his seventeen year, and had
lived IN the ncivhharhood nearly his entire
litc. lie hua ckra out Il moderate living on
his little farm, quietly doing Ills work nn,l
having the respect nf every one. Yesterday
he returned from Nashville, whore he went
To procure the finat settlement Il his rcrriun
claims, having | ccn wounded IN the late war.
It Ii presumed that this trip was Learned
OF by certain rough characters living near,
who, bent upon robbery, planned nnd
executed this most horrible crime, Martin 4
log house was situated n quarter OF milo
from tho Springfield read, about ten miles
northwest from Adams station. A heavy
growth or ccdnrs nnd nndcrhrush hides thu
house from the view OF the travellers on tho
main road. 1hs isolation prev scntcd the ,rag~
edy from being discovered until this after
noon. A pcddcr who came tn tho house gave
the first alarm, and the whole neighhorhood
wns aroused. Tho door was broken us IL
struck violently with mn ny. This door
led into the main bedroom, whore Mar
tin and his wife slept. The scene upon
Martin was dead upon tho iioor, his grny
hair matted and soaked IN pool OF blood.
Tho head wis snlit open In two places hy
blows from nm AK. The forehead was crushed.
and tho glHring eyer were forced from their
sockets. Upon every side were evidences III
the friehtful struggle that must have taken
place. Tho wallis and tho fioor were hespat.
tered with blood. Mrs, Martin must have
been killed As she started from the bed Her
arms were broken and her face horribly
manHled by tho blows Of the ax. There was
ono stream or ghastls blood.
Tho most ptinhic sight was tho little hoy.
who occupied u trundle.hed In the room.
Evidently he had been taken by one OF the
murderCrs during the struggle with
the others and choked to death.
In the next room, where the girls lay, the
sight would have melted 4 heart Of stone.
Everything indicated Il most desperate strug.
gle for lite Evidently tho mnricrers added
verse crime 10 their mis,lccds. The dis.
ordered clothing OF the poor girls told palmer
than words OF the ontragcs that had Gccn
rcrpetratcd upon them. After the brutal
assase ms had satisfied their lnst they crushed
the skulls Of the TWO girls with the aS, which
was found upon the floor, red with blood. II
was sad experience. and every eye that
witnessed the sud spectacle was tull Of tears.
The house had teen ransackcd from one end
to the other, aud tnh'es and chains were over,
turned. The entire nciehhorhooa was Allied
life.
4 confusion of footprints was found lead,
ing AWAY from the house Into tho nelehhor
Ing woods. Search parties were formed, and
the country for miles around was scouted Tor
trace OF tho mardercrs. 4 farm hand
named George French was arrested by one o,
tho County Cons,ahles upon suspicion. 4
crowd gathered and soon swellcd into a mai'
of frenxicd men. Ills ntradi,tury replies
convinced them that hc was guilty, A rorr
was brought and MA cd about his neck,
and the mob swung him up 10 the
nearest tree. lie was lei down hair inscnsi
hlc, AMI IN coming IN confessed that he and
Jim aaa nuc tar,ee twa nesroes, workmen
upon the farm OF Squire Davis, had Planned
the murder. lie gave siekcn NJ details Of tho
assassination, aud confessed that all three oi
then had outraged the Girls, lhoN found ST.
.ua i'll munry, and divided II b,tMccn them
le hsti hardly finished his story when he was
scrked M and strane'ea II acath, TMcnts
shots w,rs iirci into his body. The mah IN sas
a break for Davis farm. where the two nc
sroes were iouad. ANhoush both OF then
protested their limo seaee, the mah hansed
them IL the saac tree ana shot ,hcm while
they ssranglel.