Omaha daily bee., 1889-06-18
WELTERINC IN THEIR BLOOD.
Two Young Girls Brutally And
Mysteriously Murdered.
THE SCENE OF THE TRAGEDY.
Gaping Throats And Almost Severed
Heads = Suspicion Directed to-
Hardened Brother-In-Law
Tho Coroner's Jury.
Hnrrible Double Murder.

GRESHAM, Neb., June 17.-[Special Tcle-
gram to THE BEE. This community is wild
with excitement over horrible double muir
der which was committed last evening. The
victims are two daughters, aged respectively
eight and sixteen years, of John Leavitt O
farmer living in Seward county, three and
half miles southeast Of this place. Last night
at about II 80 o'clock the inhabitants of
Gresham were aroused by awful cries and
shrieks of murder, coming from the lips of
the parents of the girls who had driven into
town at full speed. The old lady and gentle
men had left the girls at home yesterday and
came to town to make visit and remained
here until after o'clock in.the evening, when
they drove home.
Upon entering the house the oldest girl
was found lying in the middle Of the floor in
pool of blood with her throat cut in horrible
manner. Nothing was seen by them of the
younger girl, but they at once turned their
teams toward town TO give the alarm.
Parties at once went to the scene. In
their search about the premises the younger
girl was found lying in tho front yard with
her throat also cut from ear to ear
The scene of the crime was visited by a
BEE representative to-day. 1t was q sick
ening and terrible sight. One form, that of
the little eight-year-old daughter, Caroline,
was the first one seen. She lay about twenty
feet from the house, where she had been
overtaken by her murderer. She fell for
ward as though violently thrown to the
ground Her face was turned partly up
ward revealing the CHASTITY cut at her throat.
In the house, just inside the door, lay Bes-
sizes lifeless form. She, unlike her younger
sister, lay upon her back with her face
turned to one side. So terrific were the cuts,
two OF which were made, that the head was
nearly severed from the body. A large pool
of blood still lay on the floor, the pine boards
being unable to absorb so much.
The table on which the girls had been
writing stood just as they had used it, On
the floor lay the lamp, broken in pieces, and
the bottle of ink still corked. The letters
were on the table. In an ordinary time one
might have smiled at the rough writing and
simple phraseology of these last efforts of
the untutored minds and unframed hands,
but now they had deeper meaning and the
helplessness and innocence of the victims
were the more clearly brought to mind. They
were written to their school teacher and were
as follows:
''GREsHAM, June 16. 1sS9.--Dear Friend
Teachers am well and every time we take
h"other he fights us. He can not walk yet,
= !, is so lame in his ankle on his left foot
None of our turkeys got drowned on Satur-
day. Write letter to Bessle's fellow. Good
bye. From Your, CAROLINE"
The other was:
''Dear Teacher, 1 want you to come on
Thursday, the 10th. BE sure and to come.
From your respectful Bessie Leavitt."
One object, which at first did not attract
the eye, was a stout cottonwood club under
the form in the house. 1t had apparently
not been used. Mr.. Leavitt was found in
the kitchen, but readily entered into conver-
sation. He said ~ went to Gresham, yes
terday morning, and returned home about 9
o'clock. | stayed around the house from
that time until evening. Everything was
quiet, and as usual l don't remember of
seeing anybody at all near the house, be-
sides the family. In the evening, made up
the team. The little girls wanted mother to
go along, and take the baby because it had
been sick, and II and mother both
needed the fresh air and so, about o'clock.
we started, leaving the little ones-them
that's dead now-to take care of the house.
We visited in Gresham and bought q sack of
flour and started home little after 9
o'clock. When we got here, about 10, the
always did, TO bring out the lantern, but
they didn't answer. Wife sald she guessed
they had gone to bed and went in herself to
get the lantern. She lighted a,match and
ming out crying Poor Bessics murdered.'
ran into the house, lighted lamp and saw
Bessie as you see her on the floor. l called
for my Carrie, but she didn't answer;
around, but couldn't find her
any place. Iwent back to the wagon and
didn't know what to do. Mother told me to
drive back to town, SO we did screaming
murder all the way. Some people came back
with us and they found Caroline out where
she is now. That is all know about it, and
that is too much"
When asked if he had any suspicion to who
the perpetrator of the deed could be, he said
mo, but mother has"
Mrs. Leavitt is rapi1 speaker. She said
''Yes, i suspect old Steinblock. He lives
Just south-of us. We have had trouble with
him. and he has threatened to kill mo- Last
Monday l caught him throwing brush OF
our corn and told him to stop, and he said
'You - old black -, pll send you to HI
you have been stealing my land The
trouble we had was over the division between
our farms.
Coroner Slip, OF Milford, arrived about
O'clock and Immediately commenced an ex'
animation. MIR. Leavitt was first put on tho
stand and swore to the facts already given
He was very clear in his testimony. The
coroner succeeded in bringing out fact
which he had heretofore been reticent about
mentioning, for fear it might cast unwar
ranted suspicion on an innocent party.
He has a son-in-law named Frank Bode
J well who was married to his Oldest daughter
short time going from there to Lincoln
where he left his in the poorhouse, goini
himself to Maina his old home. MIR. Leavit
brought his daughter home, but she soon fol
lowed her husband to Maine, but did no
stay long. Bodewell followed her west bu
IL soon appeared he was wanted for murde
committed In Springvale. Me. Leavlt
turned him over TO the authorities ana hat
never heard from him since, only Of hi
threats to be revenged on Leavitt This wa
three or four years ago.
From q neighbours testimony, II becam
evident that Bodwell may be the perpetrato
OF the fiendlsh act About B O'Clock, las
evening, man answering his description NJ
piled at a house, three miles west of Lea
Wits, and asked for food which was gvei
him. He had very suspicious air, an
seemed bent on DO good. He was watche
until out of sight 1t is the opinion Of man
that this was the man. He has not been see
since.
The only other evidence of any importanc
given before the jury was that OF two littl
boys relating 10 the time the murder wa
committed. They were returning home abou
9o'clock, ana heard tue little girl scream an
also u mans voice. and sound as OF blow.
They were quarter Of q mile away SO coul
not distinguish what was said, and merel
supposed the girls were being whipped b