St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-01-19
HORRIBLE BUTCHERY.
The Story of the Murder of VIM.
Druse by His Wife in all it's
Sickening Horror.
He Was Shot, Chopped to Pieces, Burned and
His Ashes Scattered to the Four
Winds.
Especial Telegram to the elobe.l

Especial Telegram to the Globe.1
RrcHFIELD SPRINGS, N. Y, Jan. 49,
There is great excitement here over the
murder of VIM. Druse. He had been miss
ing for four weeks. Inquiries were made
aud Mrs. Druse said she supposed her hus
band was in New York, where she has a
brother. During the past week ugly rumors
were circulated. The neighbors told of see
ing black smoke pouring from the chimney,
and smelling a terrible smell, as if meat
were burning, on the day that Druse disap-
peared. The excitement grew and the
neighbors told Mrs. Druse of the
stories that were afoat about
her husbands disappearance. Mrs.
Druse resented the imputations. and threat
ened to prosecute any one who circulated
ISLANDERS about her. The matter died away
somewhat. but suddenly grew again to great
er proportions. 1t was said Mr.. Druse had
been murdered, his body boiled in I've, and
the bones buried. The neighbors called
again and noticed new paint on the floor
and woodwork of the room. The search for
the remains was renewed with increased
~yigor. The family consisted of VIM. Druse,
his wife Roxy, daughter Mary aged
eighteen, a boy George aged ten, and
Frank Gates, nephew of Mrs.
Druse, aged fourteen. The house
was an old one, ten rods back from the
road. with large barns on two sides.
Chas. Pelt, neighbor, lives 700 rods west,
and J. Ecker 100 rods northeast. They are
both substantial farmers and good citizens.
Pelt and the Ecker family believed that
there had been foul play. Mr.. Pet had
noted the black smoke and the fearful stencil
on Decefn5er Is. Mrs. Ecker and Pelt
questioned the boy Gates, and he finally adj
mitted the crime. The district attorney was
sent for, and as soon as he arrived he ques-
toned the boy, who then told of the burning
of the body, and went with him and found
what was left of the remains, which was
simply small heap of ashes and
a few charred bones. The coroner
arrived and impaneled a jury of farmers.
After few of the residents had testified
Frank Gates was put on the stand, and told
under oath an astonishing tale, that is given
here almost in his own words:
81 live in Warren. l have lived for the
past five or six weeks with my aunt, Mrs.
VIM. Durse. did chores for my board and
went to school. My uncle was killed the
Thursday before Christmas. l helped to kill
him and dispose of his remains. Last sum
mer she wanted to hire me to shoot Uncle
William. She said she would give me good
many dollars for doing it. 1 told her
| would not do it. There was moth
ing more said then, but this winter
my aunt and Uncle Bill had good many
words. On the Thursday before Christmas,
in the morning, Uncle Bill asked me to get
up and build the fire. / did so. Aunt Roxy
and Mary, her daughter, got up. Uncle Bill
went and did the chores. / asked him if
should help him. He said he would rather
do them himself. When he came in to his
breakfast he sat down to the table. l had
nearly finished mine. My aunt told me to
hurry up. / asked her what she wanted
She then told me and George to 20 out of
doors, but not to go far from the house.
heard noise three or four times. Then she
called us. She had revolver. She
handed 1t to me and told me to shoot
Uncle Bill or she would shoot me. She put
revolver up to my nose when she said this.
/ then fired at Uncle William. He was sit
ting in chair, or on the floor, was so ex-
cited / can't say which. Then she took the
revolver and fred at him until the revolver
was empty. Then she took the axe and
pounded him on the head. He said: %,
Roxy, don't She then chopped his head off,
and sent me and George up stairs after
straw tick, which was filed. She dragged
him on to the tick and told me should help
get him into the parlor. She called
for me TO come in. told her couldn't.
and then she sent me and George down
In the brush lot after sharp axe.
When we came back with II she took it into
the other room and shut the door. She told
me and George to go up stairs, and then
called US down again and sent US to the hog
pen after shingles. She built up a fire in
both stoves and then had me watch at the
north window aud Mary at the south window.
Then she took block aud board into the
parlor and chopped him up and then put the
pieces In the fire. She told me 10 crowd the
kitchen stove with shingles. Next CAV all |
saw OF him was large bone. Mary had
that and put 1t in the other stove.
1t had flesh on each end. Next
morning she took up the ashes
from the stoves, put some in a bag and some
In tin box. She told me TO hitch up the
horses as she was going to my fathers.
When we got into Mr.. Wallis swamp we
went two rods into the swamp. i took the
ashes and threw them on the ground. We
then went TO fathers aud was taken sick
and had to stay at home few days. When
] went back Mrs. Druse told me 10 get the
new axe and saw the handle off. Mary took
the handle which bad sawed into pieces
and put il in the stove. Then we hitched up
again, and my aunt and / drove
to Richfeld springs. When we were
on our way back she threw the
axe into pond as we passed over the bridge.
When we got along little farther she told
me TO take the revolver and also the knife
and throw both into the pond. She said
must do IL or would be sorry. She told me
she got the revolver last fall. She said no
one should know where II came from. /
know the revolver. The one found in the
pond Is the one that Mrs. Druse and / used
to kill Uncle Bill. know It by
the stamp on the handle and cylin-
der. IT was loaded when l threw it
into the pond. Mrs. Druse and Mary
we're in the room when uncle Bill was shot.
We and George we're outside. When came
back into the room after the shot was fred
saw blood on uncle Bits neck and on the
fonr aatr hofr I Tfc haa
was leaning over on his houlders.
Mary had rope around bis neck and was
holding It. When fred at uncle Bill he
made no noise"
Mrs. Druse and Gates are now under ar