Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-02-12
CHASED BY TWO MINERS,
Caroline Gardner Falls in a Faint
and Fails to Recover.
THE CRIME FATHER AND son.
James Skidmore is Captured While Hiding
in Coal Mine.
AN AWFUL PICTURE OF DESTITUTION

Caroline j. Gardner, a sweet-faced girl Of
| Is, is dead. She was killed by fright, and
| Thomas and James Skidmore, father and
son, are in the county Jail charged with man.
slaughter. Coroner's Clerk Grant Miller
placed them there last night, Squire A. w.
McMillen, of Mansfield, having held an in
quest and decided they were the direct
cause of her death.
The scene of this bloodless tragedy was q
little lone log cabin near Federal station,
Collier township, on the P, c. & Y. R. r.
1t stands back about $50 yards from the
public road. Toms run is beside the road
and the railroad is just beyond The little
house is near the scene of the LIE
Grande tragedy, which is still fresh
in the public mind. The cabin
is the home of Mrs. Gardner and her four
children. Caroline was the eldest. Their
father was a miner and for two years he has
been an inmate of Dixmont insane asylum.
Chased by Two of the Miners.
The mother has supported the family by
washing and sewing for the miners and
doing odd Jobs for the neighbors. She was
regarded as an honest, good woman. On
Saturday night Margret Allison, James
Allison and Daniel Snyder were
visiting them. About $50 Caroline went
out for a bucket of coal. Suddenly she saw
two men coming up from the rear. She ran
for the house and locked the door. Then
she became hysterical, and before she be-
came calm some one tried the door. The
mother asked who was there, but received
no answer The second time she asked a
voice answered, "Skidmore." A mo-
ment later shadow was seen on the
blind, and when she saw it the girl tainted.
Mrs. Gardner raised the blind and
young Skidmore. She told him to go away
or she would shoot, although there was not
a firearm in the house. Skidmore refused
to 60 and reached for his revolver. At this
they all fled from the window. The men
stayed there for an hour or more and the
visitors stayed all night, because they were
afraid the Skidmores were still after them.
Death Visits the Lonely Cabin.
The girl was so completely frightened
that she rapidly grew worse. She sank
gradually until yesterday morning at 9:15,
when she died. The good mother had ex-
pended all her little savings in trying to
save her daughters life, and when death
came to the young girl yester-
dav scarce knew which to
choose from the half starved children.
There was nothing to eat, and the poor
woman had not a cent The saloonkeeper
of the village was the first to give aid with
a substantial basket of food. Then he
started q subscription, and though the
miners could only give or q l0-cent piece,
he raised Sl9 and turned it over to the sor-
rowing mother.
Coroner Mcdowell was notified, and Grant
Miller at once went out to investigate the
case Squire MeMillen, of Mansfield, went
up with him to hold the inquest Or. A. P.
Blackburn held post mortem examination,
and decided death was due to valvular dis
ease of the heart, caused by fright.
Caught Hiding in Coal Mine.
Mr. Miller at once started after the Skid
mores Thomas the father, who is past so
and a widower, was found at his home in
Toms run. Thomas, the son, is 26 years old,
and has Just been married two months. He
was arrested in coal pit. Neither one made
much resistance, and in fact did not know
the girl was dead.
At the inquest the above was brought out
in testimony. The only other witness was
Miss Mary Dermad, who lives down below
the bridge. She had seen the two men going
ND the road. The old man was asking the
younger, where are you taking me?" "Oh,
/ know where up to the log house." was the
answer.
Both the men afterward admitted they
had been al Gardeners house Saturday night
but did not attempt to offer any excuse
They were then held for mansiaughter and
Grant Miller brought them down to the city
last night.