The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-07-30
KILLED WITH A SPADE.
AFamIly Jar Terminates In tho Murder Of
Joseph Moore at Canal Fulton.
Joseph Messenger, q Well Respected Youpa
Man and Brother-in-Law OF the
Victim, tho Murderer.

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by telephone from Canal Fulton II was
learned that Joseph Moore, a coal miner.
living about two miles northwest OF
Canal Fulton, had In an angry alterca.
tion been struck upon the head by q
garden spade In the hands OF his brother
in.law, Joseph Messenger, and felled 10
the ground insenslble, dying about an
hour thereafter without regaining con-
scl0ueness.
Upon receipt of the news Coroner
Leininger, with an escort OF three,
among whom was q DEMOCRAT reporter,
started In bugglea for Fulton. Upon
arrival there at $3.50 o'clock this morn
Ing the party was met by DR.. Dlasinger,
who had been called TO aee the dead man
Immediately after the murder, ana
were taken by that gentleman TO the
ecene OF the tragedy, which Ia about two
miles northwest OF Fulton. Arriving NJ
the destination party OF men, who live
In the nelghborhoOd, were found pacing
up and down the road and keeping
the house, wherein lay the dead body,
under strict surveillance until the ar
rival Of the Coroner.
HISTORY or THE CRIME.
Two miles from Fulton, on the road
TO Lawrence, Ia q little group Of Gotta.
gee, occupied principally by miners,
with one or two small farmers 40 excep.
tlOns 10 the rule. Here lived Isaac Mes.
senger and family In O comfortable
house, on q twenty acre tract of land.
Adjoining the Messenger homestead 10
the home OF Joseph Moore, who married
one Of the Messenger girls In 1878. their
union being blessed by three children.
These children now are q girl OF twelve,
q boy OF SIX and o girl baby. Both Mes.
senger and Moore are OF English birth,
and Moore has only been In America
since 1850. He was o coal miner by
trade, and followed Il for o livelihood
for q number OF years after his mar
rlage. Within the past few years Moore
took 10 drinking heavily, and with Il
came the conoomltant evils, idleneBs and
abuse OF wife and children. About nine
m0nths ago MrA Moore could stand II
no longer, aud left her husband and re-
turned 70 the homo OF her parents,
taking the children with her. Ryer
since then Moore has kept house by
himself, and has In various ways heaped
insult upon the head Of his wifo and her
relatives.
THE MURpKR.
For some months past Moore hAs done
absolutely nothing, although he is q
good miner, and could have had work.
Instead be loafed about his house, drink.
Ing beer and abusing his wife and her
relatives. Monday noon Moore tapped q
fresh four gallon keg OF beer In his Gel
lar and posted himself upon the cellar
door with q tin bucket and glass; and 70.
Oiled the bucket 40 often As he succefd ded
In draining II OF It's oontents. Mr.. Mes
senger, his father.in Law, who Ia man
about sixty years old, was working about
his premises during the afternoon, and
when Moore got drunk enough he began
TO shower abuse upon him. The old
gentleman was provoked At the uncalled
Tor attack but repressed his anger. At
$50 o'O.Gck Mr. Messengers two sons,
Joe and Ilaac, oame home from the Fox
Lake coal mine. where both are EN-
ployed, the former holding the
position of check weighman. They
are young men OF about twenty.eight
and thirty years respectively, and com.
mand the respect and confidence OF all
their neigh60rs and acquaintances.
When they reached homo they began 10
assist their father In making some Te-
pairs on their fence along the road. BY
this time
MOORE WAS QUITE DRUNK,
aud no walked down tho road 10 where
the Messenger boys were nj work and
began 10 make vile and insulting 70.
marks about his wife, their sister, and
his mother.in law, their mother. He
was frequently warned TO keep quiet,
but this only had the effect Of increas-
Ing the yiloneee Of his speech. Making
some particularly Offensive remark the
two brothers followed Moore 10 the
house and what transpired there no one
but the two Messenger boys can tell.
Joe Messenger said that unable 10 con.
troll himself longer he struck Moore over
tho head with the garden spade, which
he had been using and was carry
Ing In his hand. The brothers then
left the house and some time
after Joe became alarmed nj seeing
no sign OF life about the house and asked
young neighbor man, Frank Barnhill,
10 70 In and sec how Moore was getting
along. Barnhill refused 10 10 alone
and O few minutes later no and hia
brother.in law, George Thorne, entered
the house and found Moore lying with
his head resting between q bench and q
chair, hie right check leaning upon the
chair, his body extended on the floor,
his left hand clasping an empty beer
glass, while q largo pool OF blood covered
the chair and door In tho vicinity Of the
head. Moore was yet alive and they
lifted him up and placed him on the
bench. Ieaac Messenger then started
for Fulton and brought DR., Disslnger
but before the latter arrived Moore was
dead.
THE MURDERER DISAPPEARS.
Shortly after Joe Messenger learned
that Moore was dead no disappeared
whether he left for other parts or 10 In
hiding 10 not known. His family are
almost crazy over the fatal result OF the
quarrel and tho sympathy OF tho public
generally 10 with Messenger. no having
always borne IN excellent reputation
and boon quito q fayorito. In q few
weeks he was TO have been married 10 Q
very estimable young lady.
The dead man has two brothers living
In this country, Henry Moore. who runt
saloon NJ North Lawrence, and John
Moore, who works In coal mlne nj
Bridgeport, Stark county. They wer,
notified today Of his death, and will
probably take charge OF tho remains
Meanwhile Marshal Mclaughlin, OF Full
ton, has sworn out an affidavit befor,
Mayor McCadden for tho arreet OF Jo,
Messenger, for the murder OF Moore. ant
no effort Will DO spared 10 secure him
CORONER LEININaKR
viewed the remaine this morning m,
with the assistance OF Drs. DissInge
and Campbell made q post mortem OK
animation. Tho ekull was not cruphe,
and death was probably caused by th
sudden aud violent concuselon Of th