The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-12-25
sonE STARK COUNTY MURDERS,
Short skotoh OF the Murderora and Brloi
History Of the Crimes Committed.


This lsn not the first triple hanging iu
which Stark county has figured promi
nontly. Many Of our oitlzena viii rcmem
bcr the hanging Of the three boys, Guslavt
a. Orr, George Mann and John Snmmeu
June %, 1890
Gustnyo Adolph Ohr, NJ the time Of hlt
execution was eighteen years OF age and
the crime for which he paid the dcntl
penalty was most atrocioua one,
Tramping east from Chicago In June
1879, hN came across an old gentleman
aud young man, also u tramp, The
younger whose nnmo was George Il Mann
informed OR that they were also tramp
Ing east and Invited him To Join them
rhs Ohr agreed upon aud the three
trAmps nt last arrived at a point near All
auce this county, on the evening OF June
20, 1879.
Durlng the night, Ohr grospcd q coup
ling pin and In the presence aud with The
consent OF Mann dealt the old man q
blow which rendered him lifclcss.
Ohr and Mann wcIo arrested, and on
December 18Th, after a lengthy trial before
Judge Meyer, were found guilty Of mur
der In the first degree, aud sentenced e
be hanged May 7th, 1880. Governor Eos
ter suspended the execution until juno -
1880, when they were hanged togothcrwitl
John Sammett, adlldPcd guilty Of ih,
murder Of Christopher Spuhlor, ..--,-
Owing TO the youth OF the murderer,
and the many Sensational Developments
incident TO the execution, the hanging
created the greatest interest ihoughoui
the country, l...-......-.-.-,--.. -.,.
The history Of tho crime which led 10
the frat execution which ever occurred In
Stark county may also bo apropos.
On November 22nd, 1888, Christian Bach
tel, who resided near North Industry, was
hanged In this city.
Bachtol was addicted 20 drink and whom
In liquor was brutal and quarrelsomo.
He cDme home one evening Ia an intoXi'
Gated condition and finding no supper
prepared he became cnraRed. His wife
was lying on the bed asleep, with her face
turned from him. BY her side lay the
youngest child, wrapped In innocent slum
Der.
The sight did not have q benencent
effect on Bachtol, hungry as he was and
his brain clouded from the effects OF the
liquor he had drank Siozing the hclyo
OF an nx he dealt his sleeping wife n terri'
ilo blow on the head fracturing the skull.
A deep moan escaped from the lips OF the
woman, and fearing that his work had not
been flushed he raised the weapon and
dealt the woman another blow. The wo-
man died instantly.
Bachtel was arrested shortly afterwards
near Wooster, and was found guilty Of
murder In the first degree. People llock-
cd 10 Canton from the adjoining couptry,
the crowd being estimated at from thirty
10 forty thousand, the roofs OF the houses
In and around the yard being literally
pnvara1 with Deoulp.
There have been In all five residents Of
this county who have suffered death
through the medium Of the law. A num-
Der of others have received life sentences,
omong whom are Kline, Bruncr and Rice,
The murderer Of Rueben Cooper OF
this city, who was killed at Massillon
some years ago, was never apprehended.
Conrad Doll, who murdered his wife and
a stepson at North Industry, committed
suicide by hanging himself in the county
Jail two years since, while his trial was In
progress.
The last person hanged in the county
before the new law providing that all
hangings take place in Columbus was
George Mcmillan.