Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-02-14
HACKED TO PIECES,
AN AuEp COUPLE ruuLLY muKurnru
Two wealthy old People TERRIBLY MU,,latcd
with no clue to the Assassin-uut 10
Places with n sword.


Pieces with sword.
Winnetka, Ill, n little village on tho
Chicago and Northwestern railway sixteen
miles north of Chicago, was the scene OF
dreadful murder on Wednesday. In cot.
tage few blocks from the railway station
lived James l.. Wilson and his wife. MIR.
Wilson was between seventy aud elghty
years of age, and tho brother of tho lato
| John Nj. Wilson, of Chicago, at one time
| Judge of the recorders court. llo was
very venerable man in his personal appear
ance and most estimable citizen lilo
was possessed of u moderate fortune
! lie and his wife lived alone IN the cottage,
not even keeping servant. lhey had no
| children. Mrs. Wilson WAS paralytic aud
| had for some years been confined to her
bed On Wednesdays it was Mr.. Wilson's s
custom to go to Chicago to attend to
business. On those days a young woman
named Miss Dwyer hai been employed 10
60 to the hOuso and attend 10 the wants OF
Mrs. Wilson. Miss Dwyer went TO tho
house as usual at about halt past ten
o'clock ON "Wednesday. She found tho
outside blinds closed and the doors
locked. Knowing how regular the couple
were in their habits Miss Dwyer beoano
alarmed and went to the shop OF a
butcher, Charles Shredder which was al
joining.
With his assistance she effected entrance
to the house through window. In the
library she found Mr.. Wilson lying
motiouless behind the stove. Thinking
no had probably tainted she called the
neighbors. When they opened the blinds
and let in tho light 1t was found that MIR.
Wilson was dead His body was horribly
} mutilated. Deep gashes were seen IN his
head and all over his body. Great clots
of blood were on the wall, carpet and fur.
niture. On the floor near him lay sword
worn in the army by Mr.. Wilson's son. IL
, was usually hanging in the library and
! was evidently the weapon used by the
! murderer. The party Of neighbors were
. led by Miss Dwyer up stairs to tho room
> occupied by Mrs. Wilson. She lay on the
bed in a pool of blood. Her body was al
{ most hacked to pieces. |, was covered
with wounds from head to foot that had
:, evidently been inflicted by the sword.
= An investigation showed that the house
= had been ransacked The contents o
y drawers were stTewn about the floors anC
% everything valuable had evidently beer
a taken. News of the tragedy created
intense excitement in the village, where
= Mr.. and Mrs. Wilson were much respect
;, cd.
- Crowds flocked to the scene, even from
,s the nelghOOrlnE villages OF W llmCtle aul
Glendale. AS spectator expressed il
the roads seemed black with people
u going to aud fro" The village authortie
Is took possession of the house and the bOdc
, and set at work enieayoring to find som
i clue to the assassin. \ telephone messag
= was sent to Chicago summOniug Gotec
~ tives. Nothing WAS seen or heard by tn
l. villagers to throw any light ol the mys
e terry. II was plain that robbery was tn
;, motive, but more than that they did no
- know. Some said the murder must haS
:, been committed by man Mr.. Wilson ha
. spoken of. Mr.. Wilson said the man la
=, ! written to him and was coming to sta
ID with him that night. Nr. Wilson did nc
say who the man was and nobody knew.
Mr.. Wilson was last seen alive TueSda
night ut about seven o'clock. At tina
ir time lie went into the butchers shop an
made purchase. He remarked that
" gentleman was visiting him. No one ha
<, been seen going into Mr.. Wilson's hOus'
Is James 4. Wilson, Chicago lawyer,
Ot a nephew of the deceased. He loft il
ig Winnetlka Immediately on hearing OF u
IL tragedy. 4 friend of young Mr.. Wilsl
"a: said Mr.. Wilson had told him that son
Oh time ago his uncle informed him that
no gang of men had made an attempt To q
,st into his house, but he got shot gun al
he drove them away. Mr.. Wilson said h
uncle was in tho habit Of keeping Consi,
OF erable sums OF m )ney Ia tho house