Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1892-11-19
SLEW THEIR FATHER.
That Is tho Crime with Which Two Young
Men Arc Charged nj Morrison, Ill.

1hht Is tne crime with Which Two Young
NIen Arc Charged nj Morrison. Ill.
MORRISON, H., Nov. 15.-One of the
most atrocious crimes ever committed
In Illinois was perpctratcd IN Lyndon
township, this county, last Thursday
evening. For cold-blooded treachery
and brutality it is doubtful IL it has
an equal in the whole country.
The victim, A. NJ. Swarthout, re-
siding about miles west from the
village of Lyndon, was one of the
most prominent and wealthy farmers
of the township. He owned large
farm of two or three hundred acres of
fine land, and was considered one of
the most well-to-do farmers in the
county.
He drove to this city Thursday after
noon, and after attending to some busi-
ness matters started for home, arriving
there about 8 o'clock. His two sons,
John and Ernest Swarthout, were
engaged at work around the barn
when their father returned, but
no words were exchanged be-
tween them. Mr.. Swarthout unhitched
his horse and put him in the stable.
After he had embarrassed his horse
some one stepped behind him and shot
him through the head. His body
was then placed in a cart and
wheeled about 100 rods to a
straw stack, carried on top, and
then the straw was set on fire. A
daughter of the murdered man was the
first to discover the fire and gave the
alarm, when the two sons rode to the
stack but made no effort to quench the
flames.
Upon their return to the house they
inquired where their father was, but as
he had not entered the house after his
return the daughter and Ernests wife
lad not seen him. They ate
their supper without making any
search for their father, and when
neighbors called and made inquiries
for him they were informed that he
had probably gone to Lyndon. No
search was made for the missing man
until neighbor, Mr.. Sturtevant, had
called for the third time upon the
scene and insisted that II search be
made for Mr.. Swarthout. He could
not be found. Friday morning
the ashes of the straw pile
were examined, when portions
| of the skull and other bones were dis
| covered. In the afternoon coroner's
| inquest was held. The two sons and
| the one sons wife were the only wit
nesses. Nothing could be learned from
| them which would solve the mystery.
The jurys verdict seemed to be un-
satisfactory even to the jurymen them
| selves.
Saturday morning the case was
placed in the hands of States Attorney
Stager, who began u systematic inves-
tigation and soon discovered clews
which led to startling result. The
| place where the murder took place was
found and each clew followed up.
thus finding the path in which
the body was conveyed to the straw
stack. Then, returning from the stack,
the cart wheels were traced to place
in the slough between the barn and
stack, where a portion of the skull,
through which the bullet passed and to
which one ear was attached, was
found. Here also one of the thighs was
found.
| Following up the clews other things
were found which produced the great
est excitement among those who were
making the search. Clothing covered
with blood was found in sheds, and
these belonging to the sons, suspicion
was at once aroused that they
We're the guilty parties. On
their revidence before the coroner's
jury they testified that they had seen
no one around the premises and heard
nothing that would lead them to sus-
pect any providers around. At the
time of Swarthout's death he car.
ried valuable gold watch and quite
sum of money These have
not been found. Saturday evening
the two sons were arrested and taken
before instice of the peace ut Lyndon
for hearing. Demanding an attor
ney to assist them and there being
none there, the preliminary examina
tion was postponed until next Friday
The fact that Mr.. Swarthout intended
to marry again was something tha
was displeasing to the children. as i
might interfere with their interest il
the property and turn Ernest and hi
wife away from the farm. Swarthouts
wife died year ago last October anG
the children thought he should not b,
in such undue haste in choosing an
/ other wife. Mr.. Swarthout was 5
. years old and hale and vigorous, at tn,
! time of his death.
Drew tho Winning Hand :rns Died.
OMAHA, Ncb., Nov. 10. Coed lucl
was too much for Charles i. Ruggles,
| lnl hn 1,,.il, .,t IL