Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-11-20
A DAUGHTERS ACT
1t Saved the Slayer of Her
Parents from Lynching.
The BRUTAL N1PsH MURDER.
Butcher Keck Ate Dinner With the Aged
Couple Before the Shooting.

The Old Man Was Battered With an Axe
the House, but Found Only Six Dol
lars-His Narrow Escape from Mob vio-
1ence The Excitement Intense.
IRoNToN, Pa, Nov. 90 The brutal
double murder of Jeanette Nipsh, and
her husband, William, at Smoketown,
near here, is the great and only theme
of discussion. William Keck, the muir =
der, is in Jail at Allentown.
The aged couple lived in an old one
story log cabin in an isolated part of
the county. Keck, who had been on
terms, of intimate friendship with the
old folks, went to their house Wednes-
day. He had with him a double bar
relied shotgun and he said he had been
cunning.
| He was asked to remain for dinner,
and did so. So far as is known there
was no trouble between him and the
old folks, and robbery seems to be the
only motive for the crime. The story of
the shooting is told by the husban d,
who, although mortally wounded,
crawled on his hands and feet to tn 9
house of Henry Druckenmiller, who
lives about hundred yards away, and
notified them of the tragedy.
After dinner, he said, keck went to
| the corner of the kitchen where his gun
was standing and took up the weapon.
Nlpsh was sitting at the window look
ing at the chickens. Keck deliberately
fired at him, the charge taking effect in
the old mans back, near the right
shoulder, telling him to the floor. Mrs.
Nipsh went to her husband's assistance,
but was hurled aside by Keck, who then
went out to the wood pile, seized an axe,
and returning struck Nipsh on the back
of the head.
The old man tried to defend himself
by holding up his hands, whereupon
Keck picked up heavy piece of kind
ling wool and struck his victim ter
rife blow across the head, making him
insensibte.
Mrs. Nlpsh had run out to give an
alarm. keck followed and caught her,
dragged her back into the house and
threw her upon the floor. Picking up
his gun, he shot her, the load taking
effect in the back of her head, CRASHING
through the skull and penetrating the
brain.
Surprising that he had effectually dis
posed of his aged victims Keck went
into the bedroom and from the tor
drawer of the bureau took all fhe money
tho aged couple possessed. 1t was
about Sc, mainly in silver. He then
left.
1t was two hours after the murder
when Nipsh reached Druckenmiller's
home. A party went to Nipsh's house
and found Keck there. He had returned
to see the result of his work. He was
put under arrest and under guard was
kept in the house until policemen from
the city should arrive.
In the evening a hundred men entered
the house and took Keck out intending
to hang him to the nearest tree They
were dissuaded, however, by Mrs JOSEPH
Masonheimer, a daughter of his victims
VINO besought them not to wreak theil
vengeance upon the murderer, but tx
let the law punish him.
Nipsh is not expected to live the day
out. Squire Kelcher took his ante NOR
tenn statement lase night and it was
presented to the coroner's jury. Charlie
Lebach testified that shortly after tn
murder Keck bought coal from h i'm ant
in payment gave him silver, which, it i
believed, he stole from Mr. Nipsh
house.
; Keck says he is innocent, but ref use
to give any explanation of his move
ments. He is so years old, has a wife
from whom he is separated, and
} daughter He served six months il
Easton Jail for threatening to kill hi
/ family. He served in the 91st and Att
F regiments during the war.