Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-12-28

Surder Rampant in the City Of Austin,
Texas-A Theory that the Crimes Were
Co1nittea by sooe Iasane Person.


GALVESTON, Tex, Dec. 26.
A special from Austin to the News saws !;
Two terrible crimes were committed in the
city last night. which will undoubtedly result
In three deaths, and there is no telling how
many iynehings. During the past year Aus
tin has been horriaed every few weeks by
some distardly attack on servant women. bo.h
white and colored. Fully a dozen servants
nave been outraged and eight murdered with
10 TINS period. The crimes all bore evidence
OF being perpetrated by the same persons.
Every effort has been made to spprehend the
criminals, skilled detectives being employed.
Many negroes were arrested and put through
rigid examination, but nothing came of the
efforts. Many citizens and some officials
hold to the theory that the crimes were per-
petrated by some insane person who cunning
ly devised how he could shed woman's blood
without apprehension. About midnight last
night w. II. Hancock, residing on Water
street, was awakened by groans. Entering
his wlfe's chamber he found the vacant bed
covered with blood spots. He followed the
tran out OF the front door around the house
and into the back yard, where he found his
wife weltering in pool of blood. She had
been struck twice across the head and face
with blunt axe, and her skull was fractured
Although still alive, physicians say she will
surely die from her wounds. Mrs. Hancock
is 40 years of age and bears an unblemished
character. In the midst of the great excite
ment the citizens were appalled, at learning
OF still greater crime that had been perpe-
trated about the same hour, several squares
distant. At O'Clock, Mrs. Phillips, residing
on Hickery street, was awakened by the cries
OF her grandson. Entering the room of her
son, James Phillips, she found the infant on
the bed covered with blood, and Phillips lying
senseless from terrible blow across the
head. Ella Phillips, the wife, was missing.
The affrighted neighbors followed the bloody
trail, and found her body lying in the back
yard OF the adjoining premises. Death had
resulted from blow on the forehead with
an axe. Across the body Law heavy rails.
Her person had been outraged. There is no
clue in either case. The excitement in the
streets during the day was very great. The
mayor called a meeting of the citizens az the
State House, and nearly 1000 persons respond
ed to the call. committee on public safety
was organized. The feeling at these last
Outrages is intense. A house to house search
for the bloody handed murderers will proba-
bly, be made.
GALVESTON, Tex, Dec. 27.
A special from Austin dated Saturday, says
no clue has yet been unearthed to the mys-
terious tragedies of Christmas Eve. Mrs.
PHILIPPE, one of the victims, was buried today.
Mrs. Hancock is still unconscious and slowly
dying. The community was horrified again
today BY the discovery Of q series of crimes
even more inhuman than the others. The
remains of Claude Fans, little S-year-old
white child was found today in the back yard
on his mothers premises in the village of
Clarksville, two miles west of Austin. The
swine were devouring the body when discov-
cred and had eaten all the flesh from the
bones, but the features were recognizable.
Last August Hugh Fans, the father, myster-
iously died. The coroner's jury declared
he had been poisoned by some person un-
known. About the time of Fans death Chas.
Courtney became a boarder in the family
which consisted of Mrs. Fans and two chill
dren, Dollie, aged IL, and Claude. The un-
natural mother tried to give the children
away, pleading poverty couple of weeks
ago she told the neighbors she had given Dol
lie to a school teacher down river. Monday
night Mrs. Fans visited neQhboring fam
lily and asked the privilege of spending the
night. She said she had also given Claude
away to a family in Lsmpassas and Courtney
being absent she was afraid to sleep in the
house alone. The next morning the woman
departed for Austin, saying she received a
telegram from Illinois asking her to attend
the funeral services of a relative who had
just died and left her legacy. Courtney
Courtney returned today and found the house
deserted. He discovered the body of Claude
which had been buried foot deep and after
wards uprooted by the hogs. There was in
tense excitement when the news of the muir
der reached Austin. Courtney has been ar
rested on suspicion. Search is being made
for Dollie.
The chief police received a telegram last
night stating that Mrs. Fans, whose little
son Claude was found dead in the back yard
of her premises in Clarksville, was arrested
in San Antonio and would he brought here to-
day. The city council and citizens commit
tee on safety both held prolonged sessions
last night with closed doors, considering the
means for unearthing the perpetrators of a
series of crimes that have Mortified the city
and for preventing the summary execution of
criminals when apprehended. 1t is believed
the committee on safety has discovered an
important clue. Several thousand dollars
has been received to aid in ferreting out the
assassins.