Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-10-10
THE NEBRASKA MURDER.
Nance County Develops Wholesale Case
Tho Bodies Of Five Victims Found.


Nance County Develops = Wholesale Case
The Bodies Of Five Victims Found.
Fullerton special to Omaha Bee,
4th: The murder reported at Fullerton
in yesterdays Bee develops to be a
crime of awful magnitude, and by means
of which Harry Percival. wife and child,
and Hugh Mayer meet their fate. The
crime was committed Monday night,
but not discovered until Wednesday
night. The news was brought to Full
lerton by Tom Miller. ranchman, on
Thursday morning. The Bee correspon-
set ont at once for the scene of the mur-
der, thirteen miles distant, followed by
800 residents of Fullerton.
most horrible one. In the front bed.
room OF the house lay Mrs. Percival in
bed with her year.old child, and with
her arm thrown over the little one as
though endeavoring to shield it, while
the CHASTITY wounds in the heads OF both,
showed the means by which the
foul deed was accomplished. In the
kitchen the body of Mr.. Percival had
been laid also, with bullet in the head.
The scene of the fourth murder was
one-half mile distant from here. On the
second floor Hugh Mayer, while in bed,
received the contents of shot gun in
the brain, after which the murderer cut
open the pillow aud pulled it over the
head. The facts as far as could be learn
ed are as follows: The late Harry Per
cival had with him young English boy
named Baird, who was learning the
farming business. One. half mile distant,
Hugh Mayer and a man named Furnival
were running farm. On Monday Har.
~ Pereival came to Fullerton, obtained
a load Of lumber on time, saying "he
would pay for 1t in week." and depart.
ed for home at 6p. m. Mrs. Percival
bad eaten her supper, left the table set
for Harry when he should arrive late,
and retired with her child. Her murder
was evidently the first one of the series,
an axe being used to open the door.
Harry Percival arrived about 10 o. M,
went into the kitchen snd left some
groceries, supposlng his wife asleep, went
out to put up his horses and while TAX.
ing hay to the barn was shot down. His
body lay until Wednesday night and
was badly mangled by hogs. Hugh
Mayer is supposed to have been the last
on the list and to have been murdered to
cover tracks.
Furnival and Baird are both missing
and are supposed to be murdered or the
murderers. The coroner's verdict has
not been reached. A large reward VIII
be offered for the murderers.
THE FINDING OF BATRD's BODY.
Fullerton, Neb., Oct. Sit was sup.
posed up to 4p. m. yesterday that Baird
was the assassin and that Furnival would
be found murdered. At 5p. m. yester.
day those searching for the bodies of the
two men missing (Baird and Furnival)
discovered body in the creek near the
murder, and reported it as the body OF
Furnival. Coroner E. q. Smith and
jury left Fullerton this moning at 6 a. m.
An inquisltion was held over the remains,
commencing at 9 q. m. The body was
somewhat decomposed, but to the alb.
ject astonishment of all was con-
clusively identified as that of
Baird, and the coroner's Jury re.
turned verdict accordingly. The post
mortem showed he had been shot behind
the right ear at the base of the skull
with charge of buckshot and bird shot
mixed, fracturing the base OF the skull,
cutting the caratoid artery and lodging
in the lower jaw. A gun belonging to
Furnival contained two shells loaded
with the same kind of shot with which
Baird and Mayer we're shot. The excite.
ment is intense through the county, and
q thorough search has been progressing
the entire day for the body OF Furnival,
whose friends are confident that he is
not guilty of the crime, and that he has
met the same fate as the others. The
theories OF the horrible tragedy to,
day have been many, and the sentiment
of the people seems to be against Furni
val as the assassin, and will continue
unless his body is found. He is man
about Eve feet eight inches high; sharp.
featured; sandy hair, with fair com.
plexion, somewhat freckled, and will
weigh about 140 pounds. Testimony
was given to-day before the coroner's
Jury that he had gold.flling between
the incisor and canine tooth in theuppel
jaw, and an anchor tattooed on one O
his arms. The body of Baird was badl,
mutilated and eaten by coyotes, but hi.
features were comparatively perfect, &c
that no doubt has been left as to hi
identity. There has been no trace of th,
6end up to the present time, but citizen
are confident that he will be captured
Nance county has offered $1,000 reward
for the capture and conviction of the
perpetrators of the deed. A telegram i
received from Gov. Dawes to the effec,
that proclamation will be issued a
once offering the reward authorized b.
law.
LATER DEVELOPMENTS.
Fullerton, Feb, Oct. THE startling
revolution of all the theories of the terri
BILE quintuple tragedy in COTTONWOOD
precinct caused by the last discovered
facts, creating radical change of sus
picion from Baird to Furnival, cause
the most intense excitement in the com
munity here and was at first greete'
with profound reluctance, as Furniva
was thought to be peaceful and inoi
fensive man. Active search for his bod
was prosecuted, in the hope that it's dis
covery would remove the suspicion O
guilt. The failure of this, combined wit
other eliminating circumstances, con
clusively establishes his guilt.
| The coroner's jury has been takin
evidence all day. Every inch of the lo
cality is minutely surveyed to discove
any trace of the methods employed b
the assassin at his work. This, as yet,
) frultless. The results alone attest th
tragic facts.
i Furnival can scarcely be said to have
had great reputation as marks
man. 1t was only known that b
handled . rifle and pistol with fair pre-
cision. But the wounds of all his vic
: Tins indicate that he was more tha
an ordinary shot. He expended ii