Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-11-13

A San Joaquia Preachers Crime-Two
Murders and Suicide.
STOCKTON, November 12th.-One of the
most horrible tragedies that has figured in
the criminal annals of the State was en-
acted at q farmhouse near Lockeford, q
small town about seventeen miles from
Stockton, early this morning. By it three
people lose their lives, two by the hand of
another, and one by his own act.
o. a. Ross, an itinerant Congregational
minister, murdered his wife and little son
while they were sleeping and then blew out
his own brains.
Early this morning Constable Dial of
Lockeford telephoned to Coroner Beede
brief fact of the killing and the Coroner at
once departed for the locality. A Call re.
porter arrived at Lockeford about noon and
went Immediately to the house where the
Tragedy occurred. The murderer and his
two victims had not yet been disturbed,
but were in the same position as when ii ST
discovered.
The scene was so CHASTITY as to almost
battle description of its horror.
In bed in one corner of a small room
lay the three bodies in pool of blood.
The woman lay on her back with one
hand slightly outstretched, while the man
lay in half recumbeot attitude, his head
resting against the head of the bed, while
between them lay the boy.
Not even the faintest sign of a struggle
could be noticed, proving conclusIvely how
swift: death must have been in each case.
The bed clothes were snugly tucked about
the forms of the man and woman and
scarcely disarranged.
The little boy Law on his side, his face
resting on his arm and turned toward his
father. In the hand OF the unnatural
father was clutched the agent of murder, q
self cooking bulldog revolver.
The pistol contained five chambers, four
of which were empty. An examination
showed that the boy had been shot twice,
the first wound being in the right cheek
and the other shot had been fred into his
left temple, the ball passing through the
head and coming out near the right ear.
The woman was shot in the left temple
over the eye, the bullet lodging some place
In the head. The murderer had placed the
weapon to his right temple, the ball coming
out near the left ear.
By degrees rs the people gathered around
the reporter was enabled to gather some of
the particulars relating to the horrible af-
fair.
o. A. Ross and Clara Hammond were
married at Lockeford, eighteen years ago,
against the wishes of the girls parents.
Ross was then about 40 years of age and
his wife mere girl. Ross was pastor of
the Congregational Church when he first
became acquainted with his future wife.
she attending his church. He began pay
ing her attentions in spite of the opposition
of her parents, and the upshot was their
marriage.
His salary as pastor was not q munifi-
cent one, and he was too shiftless to work,
so himself and family led rather poor
life. Finally his wife, who was finely edu-
Gated, began teaching school TO support
herself and children and also her worth
less husband.
Instead of growing better Ross grew
worse. Preaching was not very hard work,
but he soon tired of it, and finally quit it.
When he married he was an Odd Fellow
in good standing, and member of a local
lodge, but be was soon suspended, failing
TO pay his dues, and was never reinstated.
His wife soon came not only to loathe
him, but to fear him, and tried to separate
peacesbly from him, but she never took
any steps toward obtaining q divorce, but
tried to avoid him as much as possible, at
times taking up her abode with relatives
Her husband used to visit her there, but
his company became so distasteful 10 his
wife, who stood in great fear of him. that
he was finally ordered to discontinue his
visits; but he continued to see his wife,
and would endeavor TO induce her to live
with him again, but she always refused
In the course of her duty as a school
teacher. Mrs. Ross went to Humboldt
county and her worthless husband followed
her there, and they lived together He
finally adopted the profession of book
agent and went into business peddlIng BIZ
bles, visiting his wife at intervals.
Mrs. Ross returned to Lockeford short
time ago and secured a school about two
miles from the town and went to teaching
boarding with the family of Frank Foster
a farmer, near the school-house
About two weeks ago Ross came to
Lockeford and went 10 see his wife and had
g long talk with her the purport of which
was that she would live with him again,
but she still refused, and he went away.
Last Sunday be again came back, spending
the day in Lockeford and talking with
many of his old acquaintance. Monday
afternoon ne went to his wife's school and
accompanied her home to Fosters. He
spent the evening there in conversation
with his wife, and in the presence of Eos
ter's family was polite and friendly. At
night he went to bed, himself, wife and
little boy occupying the same couch.
The folks in the house heard Ross and
his wife talking after they went TO bed, but
he did not appear angry. They were still
talking when the others went 10 sleep.
About five O'clock this morning Foster
was awakened by a succession of pistol
shots in the room occupied by Ross. Foster
rushed 10 the door OF the room, and not
knowing lust exactly what was the matter,
he had his own pistol cooked. As he
pushed the door open fearful sight met
his eyes. The moonlight streaming in the
window cast g sickening CLEAN over three
persons whose pillowed heads showed gap
ing wounds from which the blood was
squirting.
Al were dead save the woman, whose
feeble groans were the only evidence OF life,
but in a second these were hushed and
Foster founn himself alone with three
corpses.
The smoke was yet curling from the
weapon which the murderer held
tightly in his right hand. By this time
the whole household was alarmed, and
leaving the others to watch, Foster fastened
to report to the officers.
The room in which the tragedy was COM
mitted is located in the southwestern part
of the house, the windows at the south and
west. The southern wiDdow-curtain was
drawn. but the western window curtain
was mp.
Apparently the moon furnished all the
nght requreu oy the HAurueAer iol LIS p"4
pose. Some time during the night about
II o'clock, perhaps, Foster had heard Ross
get up and go outside, presumably after a
drink of water. At that time, probably,
be had got the weapon from his pocket and
placed il where he could get it when he
should have decided that the time had
come for him to commit the deed, for
e.-za.-....a.s......... =
STRENGTH Of BAKING POWDERS