Middletown transcript., 1891-02-26
u,,.,Ep FoR ONE CIGARETTE,
an OLD WOMAN BRUTALLY MURDER
: : Ed By A YOUNG BURLINGTON
TOUGH.

= BURLINGTUN, ~. = IL
,ha refosal of q cigarette to John
Royce. Mrs. Samuel Charles beca me
,he victim Of q brutal murder this
evening Mrs. Charles is the wife OF
an aged and infrm war veteran 1 aha
in order to patch out the slender
income Of her husbands pension she
kent a little shop on Earl street
where newspapers, candies, cigars
and tobacco were sold. u
Her husband was visiting at WIN
allow N. j., for the benefit OF MS
feeble health. John Boyce is q
rather wild young man, not quite
twenty-one years Of age. He had
been drinking heavily to-day ana
was wickedly drunk. While in T.. that
condition he staggered into the little
store and demanded cigarette. AS
Mrs Charles did not sell tobacco on
Sundays, but had the store only open
for the sale of Sunday newspapers,
she mildly and in a motherly way
said she could not accede to his re-
quest, as she did not believe it right
to sell goods on Sabbath day, but did
not consider selling newspapers was
wrong because they were necessary.
This soft answer instead of turning
away wrath. according to the
proyerb, seemed only to fnn it into
hotter flame. He demanded in q
loud tone of voice that she should
stop talking such damned nonsense
and attend to business"
She again refused this time in. a
more decided manner. Then he
poured forth upon the old woman a
string of oaths and foul imprecations
that caused her to put her hands up
to her ears. She then ordered him
to leave the store.
HIS BRUTAL ATTACK.
With the fury Of wild beast
Boyce sprang upon the aged and
feeble woman, and clutching her by
the throat with one hand, flung his
other fist with all the brutal force he
could command full into her face.
Vainly she pleaded for mercy as the
blood spurted forth from her nose and
mouth showering her assailant with
the crimson fluid. Blow after blow
was rained down by the maddened
youth upon the old woman's features.
Neither pleas nor groans nor prayers
to God to save her availsd anything,
the merciless hammering continued.
When she fell upon the floor, limp
and senseless, from corner Of the
counter, where she had been propped
up while he battered her, her eyes
closed. But her upturned face with
all its hideous Disagreement Of
features, now unrecognizable as she
lay PROSTATE below her frenzied as
sailant, elected from him not one
pang or emotion Of pity. It simply
infuriated and inspired him to more
devilish work.
He regarded her a moment with a
look of bitterest hatred, lifted foot
and planted its heel full upon the
dying woman's face. Only faint
groans responded. Then he let loose
all the demoniac fury Of an incarnate
fend. He kicked her inanimate
body with both boots as if she we're
simply bundle of old rags. He
stopped only when he was tired out
and it was palpable the woman was
dead.
The prolonged noise of the struggle
finally aroused the neighbors. Mrs.
Ellen Hart ran in and pulled Boyce
away from his victim, as life left her
body. Mrs Hart and other neigh
bors attempted to resusticate the
unfortunate woman, and Boyce fed.
He was afterward found at his home
lounging coolly in a comfortable
chair, with his shoes off, as though
nothing has occurred to disturb him.
He was at once taken into custody
and lodged in the city Jail. He has
as yet exhibited no concern over his
terrible crime and his probable fate.
Philadelphia Inquirer.