The Middlebury register and Addison County journal. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1883-1885, 1884-04-18
A HIRED MANS CRIME.
Shocking Murder Of an Aged Couple
in Illinois.
The OLD Fe5pIe Hlckcd to Death With
an Ak.

Following are details of terrible tragedy
enacted few days since in an Illinois farm
house; At about 10 o'clock on Wednesday
night double murder was committed near
the village of Bandin, six miles northeast of
Charleston, Ill. The victims were Ne
hemiah Fleetwood and wife, aged sixty-cight
and seventy years. The Fleetwoods lived in
a two-story house They slept downstairs, and
the hired man, James. Winkleback, occupied
the room directly above them, while across
the hall, upstairs, slept the grown daughter,
Emma. The family retired early on Wednes-
day night. At about 10 o'clock Emma was
partly aroused, and heard Winklcback, she
thought, talking with the old folks below. She
dropped Off TO sleep again. and some time
nfterward she heard another noise below,
but was not wide awake enough to know
whether it was the sound of a revolver or
blows with hammer. Again she went to
sleep, but was soon awakened by the smell of
smoke She saw that the house was on fire,
and called across the hall to wake Wrinkle
back. He pretended to Just wake up, and
told her that she could not get down that way
(the stairs leading from Winlcbacks room
to the room below occupied by the old folks
but she burst through the room and
down the stairs to the old folks bedroom
cried out to Winkleback to run for help to
the neightors. He brought no help until he
had been sent the second time.
After putting out the fire the daughter
found the dead bodies of her father and
mother lying in the charred rem Tins of the
bedstead Their clothes We're Turned fro III
their bodies Stove wood had been
brought in and placed on the bed to
feed the fire. NeighborS arrived and
found that Fleetwood had been murdered be
fore the fire was kindled. The old mans head
had been crushed and was completely severed
from the body. His wife had been shot, the
ball passing in at the corner of her eye. Her
throat was also cut from ear to ear.
Circumstan eS point to Ninkleba k as the
murderer. although he denies all knowledge
of the crime. " hen it was suggested TO
search the well for the missing axe he pro-
tt stad that he had left the axe in the woods
The well was pumped dry, and in the bottom
was found W inklcbacks own axe covered
with blood and gray hairs. Stains of blood
were also found on his trousers. The
next morning he appeared dressed in
a clean shirt and refused to account
for thu one Ii had discarded. Winkleba k
was arres ed. and the sheriff started with him
for the Jail at Charleston, rs a crowd of 800
! or. Ons who had collected at the enc.
thre ttencl to lynch him. a revolver viii II
Winklcb1ck aclln wlclgcd as his, was found
with two of the chambers empty 1t is
believed that he shot MIS- Fleet
wood with it before cutting her thr at.
The object of the murder is unknown. The
Old folks mad no money. 1t seems that W in
kl,blck was in love with Emma, and had in
vain sought for her parents consent to their
marriage but this would hardly give him
cause 20 take their lives.
The coroncr's inquest resulted in a verdict
holding Wiukleback responsible for the crime.
The Jail at Charleston was guarded by about
a score of the friends of the sheriff, and all