Mexico weekly ledger., 1892-03-24
re Martin ia convicted

the reward would in justice go to
Sheriff Adams, but if he is adiudg-
ed insane, the reward will not be
paid to anyone. OF the amount,
5000 is offered by the State, 500
by Mrs. Martin, step-mother of the
slayer and widow of the Rev. Thorn
as Martin, and $3.50 by Audrain
county.
Since the evening of January 26,
sheriffs, constables, policemen, de-
tectives and fake sleuth-hounds all
over the country have been keeping
their weather eyes open for the de-
sired Jethro and the more desired
reward, but his cunning, or his
blind luck in falling into a work
house as vagrant, kept his where
abouts unknown for nearly two
months. His mind was evidently
not in good working order when he
wrote to his sister and signed his
name to the letter with as much
openness as if he was an innocent
school boy.
THE STORY OF THE CRIME.
Tuesday evening, January 26,
was cold winter day-there was a
little snow on the ground. The
wind whistled around old Thomas
Martins house as night begun to
fall and he drew nearer the cheerful
fire in the open crate and settled
himself anew in his easy chair. He
had reached that point in life when
ones easy chair is an especial care
and when the spectacles are often
removed to be wiped. The aged
preachers good wife had begun
busying herself to remove the re-
mains of the evening meal when a
heavy knock fell on the panel of the
front door. 1t was opened by the
Zone who knocked. 1t was Jethro
| Martin. He was % years Of
age and of slight build
The object of his visit was money.
He was willing to do anything to
get it. He quarrelled with his old
father, who was in his 65th year,
until Mrs. Martin, the old gentle.
mans second wife, and stepmothe,
Of Jethro, left the house and went to
the home of "Uncle Billy Cornett,
a neighbor There she remained
more than half an hour. Then,
thinking Jethro was gone, she re.
turned to her home. Looking
through the window as she ap.
preached, she saw Jethro rummag.
ing the house, overturning furniture
and rifling trunks in his search
evidently for money. She could moi
see her husband and her apprehen.
sions were excited. She hurried back
to Cornett's and told of what she had
seen. Several neighbors were hasti-
ly notified and all went to the house
in body. They entered and found
that Jethro was gone, while on the
floor lay the body of Thomas Mar.
tin, the skull broken by blows
from hatchet and the white hail
all dabbled in blood and brains, and
all the walls were bespattered with
it and great pools were ON the. car.
pet. By the dim light of the lamp
the villagers saw CHASTITY sight
| None of them will ever Danish from
their minds the picture Of that old
mana man of God-thus laid low
by the hand of his own son.. L
there was no manlac's deed there
it was fendish mind that conceiv
ed the plan.
| When the house was overhauled
it was found that Jethro had taker
labout $21O and his fathers golt
watch and chain. He also took tw,
Iof three photographs of himsel
which were in an album. He wor
| his fathers shoes from the vicinit,
as he fed.
! JAMES MARTIN INTERVIEWED.
/ ]. J. Martin, who was at Martins
burg several days before he came t
Mexico to consult an attorney, wa
seen by a LEDGER reporter las
Thursday night and gave sut
stantially the following regardin
= his visit to Jethro at Indianapolis
John James Martin is a cousi
of Jethro Martin, and a nephew {
"Uncle" Thomas Martin, VIII, wa
murdered. He is a young stoc
raiser, living near Washington, Ps
Mr.. Martin is model young man
l neither chews, smokes, drinks nc
plays cards. He hardly knew wins
the Catholic ball meant that nigf
at the Windsor Hotel, where b
stopped. He talked freely of th
: particulars in the Martin episode
81 first heard of the murder of m
|, uncle by letter few days after