The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1888-10-10
A STARTLING OCCURRENCE.
WERE THREE PEOPLE muRogREoi
A Knightstowu Tragedy That IL Creating
Much observation-disclosures at Lafayette
and KOkomo Other Interesting
Indiana News, Etc.

UNCONSCIOUS, Oct Especial. IA hor-
Sible affair, one which has the appearance of q
double murder, suicide and case OF arson,
all In one, occurred here early this morning.
A little after midnight FIRE was seen issuing
from a house on s. Madison-st. wherein
resides Mrs. Sarah Hoggins, aged eighty-two
years, the widowed mother of n. I. Wade.
prominent boot and shoe merchant and tan
ner of this city. There lives with her q Mrs.
Martha Gates a soldiers widow and a pen
sioner, who is about fifty years old. Several
gentlemen discovered and rushed TO the fire.
Arriving at the house, they burst open the
door and found Mr. Wade laying on the floor
In a state of insensibility. He was carried out
Of the burning building, and after gasping
few times expired. Going into the house
again they found Mrs. Hoggins lying on bed
IN q state OF nudity, and dead Pursuing their
search further in the burning building Mrs.
Gates was discovered on q burning bed III
small room adjoining the kitchen. Her arms
and limbs were ail burned from her body and
consumed ia the flames and there remained
of her body nothing bat a charred and unreo-
o1nizable trunk-a horrible spectacle to look
upon. The house then burned to ashes,
and now comes tie startling intelligence
that seems to warrant the superstition OF foul
play. Mrs. Gates was q pensioner. and as n.
T. Wade has been acting as her guardian, she
intrusted to him her business affairs. In 1870
she drew a pension of =, 1914, or which he
took possession, aud she has drawn from the
same source sums which up to the present
amount to between s. 1000 and 5000, ell OF
which he has used. There seems to have been
en- agreement between Mr.. Wade and Mrs
Gates. who was a very illlterate person, that
Mr.. Wade TO support her, deducting
the cost OF her living. OF recent Gate, she has
made complaint OF bad treatment and a lack OF
food and clothing, and finally the g. A. L. post
was appealed to at this place. They inyesti-
gated, and found a terrible state OF affairs
They found that she was being Systematically
defrauded and found it necessary to have
guardian appointed, which was done. The U.
s. government also took hand in the matter,
sending, in succession, three special pension
examiners to investigate the case. Some dirty
work was reported unearthed, duplicating
local pension agent To-day was set
for the settlement that never came.
1t now occurs that Mrs. Gates
has told parties within the last few days that
her life has been threatened on account
OF her having appealed to the q. A. K
for protection and assistance. In the autopsy
that was held on the three bodies the following
facts were developed to-day: Mrs. Gates had
her throat cut and had received stab in the
heart before she vas burned showing clear
case OF murder. Mrs. Higgins evidently died
of suffocation, while Wades stomach showed
traces OF paris green poisoning. When Mr..
Wade was examined, after being taken from
the burning building, a shoemakers sharp
knife, covered with fresh blood, was found in
his pocket also q small bottle containing
some green powder supposed to be paris green.
The coroner viii render his report tomorrow.
The ladies of the W. X. c. have Mrs. Gates re-
mains in charge and viii inter them time
tomorrow. Mr.. Wade leaves q wife and
one daughter, who Is one OF our most esteemed
young ladies. The people here are In terrible
state OF excitement over the affair.