The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1885-03-22
a NIGHT ITO ne REMEMBERKn
Aunt ksty I.Nnerty. oR her Olss Birthday
Recalls u Terrible Incident.

SALAMANCA, March 19-The 9lst anniver-
sary OF the birth OF Mrs. Catharine Lafferty.
known throughout Crawford county as Aunt
Katy LIfrerty. was celebrated on Monday at
the residence OF her daughter. Mrs. Jaeger
in Cory. where she makes her home. In 1916
she was married TO Hugh Fitzpatrick. young
farmer. They lived in n log house near whero
Spartansburg now stands. There were no
other houses within two miles In the woods
that surrounded them were bears. wolves. aud
panthers in plenty. On the night OF Fob. TO-
1917. Il strange man called NJ the Fitzpatrick
cabin and asked shelter for the night. He was
rough.loOkinS character, but AS he said he
WAS - nearly frozen that he could go no fur
ther. he received .nermi-sion to stay. They
had hut one bed. The stranger stretched on,
on the iOor in front of the fireplace MIR. and
Mr. tzp ns5 ""d cd 54Sr I'VE R"9g
husband and wife tried to keep awake all
might for fear the stranger meant them harm.
Some t i'm in tho night Mrs. Fitzpatrick
awoke to ind the man slnndi,n,I by the bedside
husband. whose body lay in tho bad rs he had
gone TO sleep. Tho murderer ordered Mrs.
paznatr ,,I, to got up and fetch him all the
man. He then ord cred her to go ont md put
with him. The baby did not wa ko up Mrs.
iiitzpairick went out. and. instead of catching
they were kept and frightened them away.
She then returned to the house and told The
1T ss G H WIS
he was gone Mrs Fitzpatrick hastily wrapped
W her sleeping baby and hurried out Of ,hs
woods to neighbours and giving tho alarm.
She noticed tina, her husbands body had been
from the house She ran Along path esdns
to creek near the house. On her way she saw
ssr ID ss1 in H. pa ba ss va:
new fall Of snow. and she knew that the muir
i II nc er r Il hollow place she discovered
tore she heard tho man running on her track
behind her. When he lost the trail st the brook
he s HnsT ~s Sns s sSS he sa @
him mu,terinE savagelv to himself. Fortunate
y her child was a sound sleeper. and did not
creek. and after while came back again. stop
nng onSs more u, Mrs; Fitzpatriek's hiding
crsted herself somewhere. He stepped up on a
a , tree no. three feet away from the holl3w
esrsSls%i Pit q me hole and hurried away
She travelled two miles in snow two feet deep.
and reached tho neiGhbor's cabin in safety.
mon started to find tho murderer. Two days
later they came upon him in the woods. He
Proved to b. despersts ehnracter named Van
was sentencel in August following to be hang
ed ut Meadvile. While the Sheriff was adjust
Ing the rope around HIS neck Van Holland
showed him of the scafIold and jumped down
upon him. Tho desperate murderer VIVA So
cured with difficulty aud hanged. The sheriff
died from the injuries he received BY the fall
and tho murderer jumping on him.
The widow of tho murdered man afterWard
married Hugh Laifcrty She related the above
ana many other thrilling experiences OF her
gratulate her on Monday. She is no active and
healthy rs the sixty-eight year old daughter
with whom she lives. and who was tho six
weeks-old baby her mother carried on that ter
rible night in February 1877