Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-08-03
Wayne County the Scene of a
Most Horrible Butchery.
SEVEN PEOPLE ARE MURDERED
A Man, His Wife and Five Children fiendishly
Assaulted by Drunken Italians,
After the Hatchery the Victims BODIES are
Mutilated and the House Burned. the
Corpses Being Consumed.
Great Excitement.
Seven People Murdered.

CATLETsBURG, Ky. Aug 2-The most
horrible series of murders that has ever
blackened the criminal annals of that sec
ton took place in Wayne county Friday
night. On the night mentioned 4 Mr..
Brumtield. his wife and five children were
murdered in the most horrible manner I'M
aginabie. and their bodies We're consumed
by flames. The only theory advanced for
lie crime as told by Mr.. Payne. tuSt from
the scene of the murder. IS revenge and love
OF gold. On Friday night about midnight
a party of fifty Italians. employed as ID
borers on the Norfolk ana Western, became
drunk and started on Il tour of devastation.
Brumteld'S family resided some distance
from the railroad camp and We're thought
10 have considerable amount of cash IN
their possession. The Italians in a body
made their way 10 Brumfield's residence.
and upon arriving there ddmttlucc WAS de
manded and refused by the inmates.
RAILS AND CLUBS
were secured by the drunken daeOes, and
the doors and windows forced open. BruE-
field, with two haIf-growu sons, made a
brave fight in defense of their homes and
lives. The defenders fought with despe-
ration, using every available article A. 4
weapon. but without effect.aS their enemies
were fifteen to one. After brave fight
the defenders We're brought to the floor
with repeated blows. They were murdered
in most cruel aud cold-bIooded manner
Their thrOatS were cut from ear
to ear, and their bodies repeatedly stabbed
with knives carried by the Italians.
After dispOSing OF the men folks. the in
furiated Italians turned 10 the helpless
women and children. Whether the woman
was outraged or not Is not stated but II Is
supposed she was. Mrs. Brumtield and her
three little children We're the next victims
of the drunken develS.
After completing their devilish work the
murdererS searched the house for yalUa-
bles and then set fire to the house.
CONSUMING THE BODIES.
For the real motive of crime we must look
further than surface indications. The
theory advanced by several persons Is that
BrumfielG was a very prominent and infu-
ential man and wealthy citizen of Nayne
county. Some two or three years ago he
was elected as county commissioner.
About that time the question of building
Il new courthouse. as Wayne court
house was being discussed. BrUmtield OPP
posed the erection of the new building bit
terly. and made many enemies by his course,
The courthouse was built. and it is thought
that Friday nights work was the result,
Italians with liquor until drunk. and then
pointed out the path 10 the residence and
paid money for the commission of the crime.
Citizens of Wayne county are most
thoroughly wrought up over the terrible
murders, and propose hunting down the
fiends and seeing them swing for their
awful crime. Lynching is fully expected
in case any of the murderers are captured.
The scene of crime is thirty-fve miles dis
tant from here, and remote from tele-
graphic communication.