The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-15
THE MURDER OF MRS. HENDERSON,.
Two Stories of the Troy Murder. Told by the
Father and One of His Sons.

Two Stories of the Troy Murder. Told by the
Father and One of His Sons.
Louisville Commercial, Yesterday.
Stillwel Hendershot and his son Thomas
brought to the State prison at Jacksonville Sun
day night, from Rockport by Sheriff Payne of
Spencer county, and Detective Hale, made the fol-
lowing statement to reporter in reference to
the killing of Mrs Henderson, at Troy:
my wife and had two sons Last summer
these two sons farmed ON a small farm L owned
| in Saline county, Illinois, of which Harrisburg
is the county-seat. They got their corn laid BY
in July, returning home the 10Th of July, Will
lam Thomas, the youngest son, remaining up to
the date of the murder. My oldest son, Marion,
remained but ten days and then returned to Hi
nois. 1 received letter from him on the 10th
day of September, iuquiring the least 1 would
take for the Illinois farm, saying a man from
Shawneetown wanted to buy it. had nv wife
answer that would sell for $500, and give him
all over that sum he could get for it. October
3 a neighbor brought from the postofice another
letter from Marion. He spoke affectionately
of us all in the letter and again wanted to know
about the sale of the farm. l had scarcely read
this letter when Marion entered the home The
letter was about three days coming to me, and
must have been written on the LIST. He said he
wanted to talk privately with mother and me.
He told us that he had young lady friend, Miss
Gwin, in Graudview, who had $625 that had
been left her by the death of her father some
years ago. and she had just arrived at the age
emitting her to receive the money, and he could
get the money TO guy the 1atm with, and that he
wanted me and mother to accompany him to
Grandvew. l had no clothes fit to wear but
told him his mother would accompany him, to
which she agreed, and l was to meet them and
the girl at Tell City, at Gregorys livery stable.
l got there at noon and waited in vain. In
walking out street | met Marion, and
asked him why they had not met me as
agreed. He said that the girl hadn't decent
clothes, and that she and his mother were to
wash and iron some clothes for the girl and
they would be there in buggy about 5 o'clock
in the evening. They did not come, and Marion
and myself hitched up the horses and started
home, arriving there late in the night We put
up the horses and went into the house, after
awakening my son Thomas. Marion seemed
very cold, and built fire, and then opened a
vase and took out some clothing and re-
vover, placing the revolver on the window-sill
He then asked Thomas to step outside the house
with him, as he wished to say something to him
privately. But Thomas refused to do so, say
ing, talk here After a while he went to bed
'"rhe officers came out early the next morn
ing and told me that a woman had been muir
dered and that it was probably my wife, and
wanted me to come with them and see If could
identify her. l told my son Thomas he had bet
ter come along and he assented. He had staid
at home when Marion, his mother and me left.
Before started out Marion said he would go
too and began changing his clothing But
when my son Thomas and myself came back
from the stable with the horses, he had changed
his mind and said he would not CO. as he was
feeling too badly. We then went and identified
my wife, and we're put under arrest. Marion
was arrested shortly after at the house, the
officers saying he made good deal of resistance
Neither myself nor Thomas had anything TO do
with the murder"
Detective Hale, of Rockport, said that at the
preliminary hearing Marion confessed the crime
without duplicating the father and brother; but
before being hung by the mob he said that his
father shot his mother and that he cut her head
off. and they together threw her body into the
cistern. and Thomas was at home and had moth
ing to do with it,
The family bears a good reputation in the com
munity in which they live, and are said to be
sober and industrious, this being their first
trouble. They were taken to Rockport Jail Sat
urday night
1t 10 believed by very many that the whole