Los Angeles daily herald., 1885-12-27
NEWS OF THE WORLD.
Several Fiendish Acts at
Austin, Texas.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN SLAIN.
Affairs at the National Capital Dur
ing the Congressional H0li-
days-Coast Notes.

Especial 10 the Herald on Associated Press'l
AusTrs, Texas, December 26.--Two
terrible crimes were committed in this
city after midnight which will undoubt-
edly result in three deaths and there is
no telling how many lynchings. During
the past year Austin has heen horriiied
every few weeks by some dastardly at
tack on women, botn white and colored.
About midnight last night w. ii. Han
cock, well.to-do carpenter. residing at
203 Water street, was awakened by
proans. and on entering his wife's cham
ber adjoining. he fonnd a vacant bed
covered with bloodspots. He followed
the trail ont of the front door, around
the house into the backyard, where he
found his wife weltsring in a pool OF
blood She had been struck twice
across the head and face with blunt ak
and her skull fractured. Although still
alive the physicians say that the lady
will surely die from her wounds. In
the midst Of the great excitement pro-
duced by this outrage the citizens
were appalled, at learning OF
still greater crime perpetrated about
the same time, several squares
distant. At O'Clock Mrs Phillips. re-
sining at DOS Hickory street, was awak-
ened by the cries OF her grandson, and
entering her son, james Phillips room,
she found the infant on the bed covered
with blood and Phillips lying senseless
from terrible blow across the head.
Mrs. Phillips, his wife, was missing.
Frightened neighbors followed the
bloody trail and found her body lying in
the back yard OF the adjoining premi-
ses. Death had resulted from blow on
the forehead with an axe. There is no
clue to the perpetrators OF either crime.
The excitement on the streets during
the day has been very great, and Christ
mas was forgotten. The Mayor called II
meeting Of citizens at the State house.
Nearly 1000 attended, and committee
Of public safety was organized. The
feeling over these last outrages is in
tense and house to house search for
these bloody-handed murderers will
probably be made.
MORE CRIME AT AUSTIN.
No clue has yet been unearthed to the
mysterious tragedies Of Christmas eve.
Mrs. Phillips, one of the victims, was
buried to-day. Mrs. Hancock is slowly
diving. James Phillips is also dying.
His wounds are worse than at first sup
posed.
The community was Mortified again
to-day by the discovery OF series Of
crimes more inhuman than the others.
~ e L..
eight-year- white child. were found
in the back yard OF her mothers prem
ises at Clarkesvlle. about two miles
from Austin. Swine were devouring the
body when it was discovered and had
eaten all OF the flesh from the bones, but
the features were recognizable. Last
August Hugh Eaves, the father. myste-
riously died, and a Coroner's jury de-
clared that he had been poisoned by
some person or persons unknown to
them. About the time of Eaves' death
Charles Courtney became a boarier in
the family, which comprised Mrs. Eaves
and her two children, Dollie and
Claude. The unnatural mother tried
to give the children away, pleading pow.
erty. A couple of weeks ago she told
her neighbors that she had given Dollie
to school teacher down the river. Ga
Monday night Mrs. Eayes visited a
neighboring family and asked the privi-
lege OF spending the night. She said
she had also given Claude away to
family in Lampasas. and that Courtney
being absent she was afraid to sleep in
the house alone. The next morning the
woman departed for Austin, saying that
she had received telegram from Him
ois, asking her to the funeral OF rela-
tive who had just died there leaving her
legacy Courtney returned to-day and
found the house deserted and discovered
the body of Claude which had been
buried foot deep and uprooted by the
swine. Intense excitement prevailed
when the news of the murder reached
Austin. Courtney was arrested on sus-
pcion. A search is being made for
Dollie who, it is certain. has also been
murdered. No one saw her leave the
village. The husbands death is also
attributed to the fendish wife. The
police tonight traced the woman to San
Antonio and are looking for her.