The Portland daily press., 1888-03-15
Especial to the Press.l

a
FAIRFIELD, March 4.-Additional par
ticulars have been received here concerning
the terrible tragedy at Benton and the de-
tails are shocking in the extreme, especially
the inhuman treatment Mrs. Warren re-
ceived at the hands of her cruel husband as
revealed by the post mortem examination.
The immediate cause of death was blow on
the head over the right ear, struck with
some instrument. There, beneath the skull,
was found a large clot of blood in the brain,
occasioned by the bursting of blood vessel.
Warren said she had fit on Sunday and the
physicians testified that the injury to the
head might first create nervous excitement
causing the pool woman to enter into conynl-
tions, later on, relapsing into stupor and
death ensuing 1t is supposed that Warren
struck her the fatal blow on Sunday night.
But there were bruises on other portions Of
her body sufficient to have caused death. On
her throat were indications thet she had been
violently choaked. On the left side beneath
the ear were finger marks, while under the
right Jaw piece of skin had been torn off
as if by the thumb. There were also thumb
prints. The backs of both arms were mass
of bruises while on the back were welts as
large as ones fingers as if made by whip
lash or stick with which she was being
beaten On the outside of one leg, running
from the knee to the hip, was long red and
black mark which had evidently been made
week or more. To complete this ghastly
picture of inhumanity, from the knees to
her feet there was a mass Of bruises as II
made by kicks. The vital organs were
found in fairly healthy condition. That
Warren had been in the habit OF Drutaliy
beating his wife there can now be no doubt
and her life must have been one OF constant
The story of the shooting on Tuesday
evening was as follows: DR.. Thayer, i'm
mediateiy after the autopsy, was called be-
fore the coroner's jury and testified that the
blow ON the head caused death and Warren
was at once arrested. His two little girls
were both in the room and he SAID ne wanted
to bid them good bye before leaving, seeing
them alone. He was told that an officer
must accompany him to which he assented
and the party proceeded to climb the stairs
to chamber above. The Oldest girl was
ahead, Warren came next with his manacled
hands in front of him and the little three
year old dot was third, the officer being IN
the rear, assisting her and carrying llghted
kerosene lamp. The officer, who was Deputy
Shriff Reed, Of Benton, had just reached the
last stair at the top, when quick as naSn,
the desperate Warren whirled about ana the
CLEAN Of a pistol barrel was seen pressed
against the back of the smaller girls head.
simultaneously there was flash and re-
port, and the frightened officer tumbled
to the foot of the stairs. his light be-
ing extinguished and the chimney falling oil.
1--we shots followed the first one in quick
succession, and the officers present rushed
to the head of the stairs to find Warren In
in the agonies of death from bullet
through the heart, and the oldest girl in
similar condition, with a bullet wound IN
her right temple. The little one was crying
pitteously and bullet hole was discovered
in the back of her head. The bodies were
taken down stairs. Warren Just gasplng MS
last as he was taken into the kitchen.
Today the little girl is alive but her death
is certain as the bullet lodged in her brain. y.
There are several accounts as to where the
pistol came from. Coroner Carver says this
morning that he thinks Warren took the re-
volver from recess in the stairway as he
was going to the chamber, while others say
his brother gave it to him and he had 1t ND
den in his sleeve The Warrens came from
the town of Rome and members OF the faml-
ly have been in difficulty heretofore. one
of them used knife in fight once; another
poisoned his neighbor's grass, While a third
who was arrested by Somerset county ofn-
Ger. ESCAPED from him several times, and
finally broke Jail. Darius Warren was of
nervous temperament, very rapid IN his
movements, which accounts for his ability to
kill himself and two children in from 10 to
20 seconds. .,
The scene of the murder is only about two
miles below where young Chase shot MS
brother about year ago.