New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-12-15
THE TRAGEDY IN FLORIDA
A TERRIBLE SPECTACLE IN THE PACKw00D
HOUSE WHEN THE BODIES WERE FOUND

HOUSE WHEN THE BODIES WERE FOUND
NO CLEw YET.
Jacksonville, Fla, Dec. 14-DetaiIs Of the tragedy
New-Smyrna coming in slowly. Mr.. Pack
wood left home Friday morning for Maitland to be
gone two days. Mrs. l.. ID. Hatch. neIghbor and dear
friend OF Miss Bruce to spend the day and night
with her during Mr.. Packwood's absence l.. ID. Hatch
Is carpenter and orange grower, and has lived near
New-Smyrna for the last fifteen years. Both'he ana
his wife came from Maine. Miss Angelina Hamilton
Bruce was a daughter Of Hamilton Bruce. Of New
York Irwin Jenkins was the first to discover the
crime lie is negro who calls ut the Packwood
house every saturday for work. At O'Clock IN the
forenoon he knocked at the door and got answer
lie Jaw o window smashed In and then called the
neigbors VINO made an investigation and informed the
sheriff and coroner.
No positive clew to the murder has yet been found.
1t was at first thought that the crime was the work
Of tramps. but this opinion was subsequently dispeled
by finding trail leading around the yard to the north
and then through patch that none could travel unless
he familiar with the country. There are rumors
of discarded lover who had sworn vengeance ana
that robbery not the object OF the crime. Inc
murder Of Mrs. Hatch and the two children was possibly
to destroy evidence Of the assault upon and killing OF
| Miss Bruce. Tho revolver and shotgun were the
property of Mr.. Packwood and either Miss Bruce or
Mrs Hatch had undoubtedly used them in selfdefence
The negro jenkins has been arrested but nobody BE-
| lleves that he knows anything OF the crime. Two
hundred armed men. with bloodhounds arc securing the
country. . a..
I One of the first to reach the scene after the
alarm had been given thus tells the story OF the crime
| When reached the house We all crowded around
an appalling G spsSiase On her back BY he window %
wound the inside OF her left eye Her face
her. Her little son, frenIed with fright had probably
fled, as Child would. and had sought refuge In tho
bedcothes Of biounge at the other end Of the room
lie was torn from these shot over the eft eye ana ms
throat cut in % ha saS was ssv
the window Miss Bruce had apparently secured an oil
smith & wess9n pistol which was handy and fired az
murderer needless OF this onslaught continued bis ter
ribe work By this time Miss Erce had gone TO tho
closet and secured a double barreed shot gun. Sho
evelled 1t at the murderer he approached but nm,
fortunately both hammers snapped on shells that had
| and accomplished his devsh purpose probably after
killing her little nephew After this part Of the tragedy
crashing through he teeth striking the wall and falling
on the bed. There must have been another struggle
for the possession Of the gum lie tore i from her
both hands, drove the stock AGAINST her face with
terrible force. The blow struck her between the
bone in her face was broken. Then with keen bread
knife he stabbed her in the neck cutting ont square
on her throat frankie Packw0od beautiful little
| golden haired child Of five years, was found on the
| floors Of both completely covered with
| blood and the mattress on the bed on which Miss
| A New-Smyrna dispatch to " The Tmes-Union, to-
night says The conviction is growing here that the
at e S this o at ea Sy
| familiar with the premises and surrounding country.
The theory Is that the murders were committed Just
| after breakfast saturday morning about $50 or
O'Clock. Mr.. Packwood still refuses TO state whom he
suspects and none Of TIE nelghbors appear to have
had one and nobody SO far as known is missing from
| the neighborhoOd."