Butler citizen. [volume] (Butler, Pa.) 1877-1922, 1892-06-03
The Sweeney Murder.

The shooting ofAndy Sweeney Of Clear
field twp. by Henry Hartman of Worling-
ton, just oyer the hne in Armstrong Co.
turns out to be much more serious affair
than at first reported. Hartman IS a shoe
maker and lived with his mother near
worlington. lie also makes and sells cid
er; and is known as man Of hasty tenn
per.
A gentleman from that neighborhood
related the following circumstances of ithe
affair to newspaper correspondent last
Saturday as follows:
ANDY Sweeney, young man OF -
years. went to Hartman house last Mon
day and was drinking cider, and probably
succumbed TO its influence. Just what oc-
cured no one knows except Hartman
aged mother. who was the only other per
son about the premises Sweeney was
missing from Monday until Wednesday,
when neighbor named Mccartney went
in search of him, after having heard that
Hartman had made information against
Sweeney for breaking into his house. This
aroased suspicion Hartman, in answer
to inquiries, said he did not know where
Sweeney was but blood stains were visi-
BILE about the doorway of his house aud AN
investigation was begun.
When an officer and posse visited Hart
mans house and wanted To look for Sween-
ey. Hartman became enraged and whipped
out his navy revolver. getting between
them aud the doorway that led Ia the mp
stairs. He then told them he would Kill
the first man that tried to 60 upsrairs.
By little maneuvering he was seized, his
weapon taken from him and held while
search was made. On going to the cellar
the party found young Sweeney lying on
the floor wallowing in his own blood, and
vet alive On examination five bullet
wounds were found on his body. One bull
let had gone through his arm, one through
his breast, another penetrated his right
cheek and lodged in his neck, the fourth
went through the middle of his body,
coming out near the spine, and the NTH
went in the forehead, penetrated the skull
and lodged in the base of the brian. 1et
after these terrible wounds Sweeney lived
till Monday. Hartman was at once arrest
ed and taken to the Kittanning jail. On
his way to Jail he told the officer that
Sweeney would not die, as he could eat
very heartily.
Fortunately Hartman was taken To jail
before the community was aware of the
foul deed or he ne-ar would have seen
Jail. He would have been lynched right
there and then an effort may be made yet
to swing him, as the whole community is
thoroughly aroused.
Hartman bears a bad reputation omong
his neighbors and many ugly stories are
told of him.f Not long ago young man
went to him to get his shoe patched. Hart
man performed the work and named his
price; the customer said that was too
much. "Let's see the SHOE" said Hart
man. The man handed him the shoe.
Hartman grabbed knife. and cut the
whole top out Of the shoe, then handed it
10 the man Whipping out his old navy
revolver he said: "Now go or Twill blow
your brains out" The man got out in
stantly.
Hartman is married, but he and his
wife lived together only about five or SIX
months. Hartman was going to Kill her
for her extravaganza in using three pounds
of sugar in that time. Hartman said his
mother could make pound of sugar last
a year, and she had already used three
pounds and he would not stand that.
Another instance, when his wife was
preparing for the hands to help thresh the
grain Hartman told her to bake five pies.
She baked six. and he drove her off with
his revolver, and she never went back to
him fearing she would be killed.
Hartman was q witness in a law suit
once between Barney Carr and another
man about horse Hartman was Cars
witness and Carr won the suit After that
Carr and Hartman quarrelled and Hartman
told several men that he had sworn lie
for Carr to win the suit.
Hartman says the reason he shot Sween-
ey was that Sweeney assaulted his mother.
but thisiis not believed by any one. Every
one believes Hartman has trumped up
these charges against Sweeney in order to
make defense in court.
Young Sweeney was a we'll todo young
man, civil in his actions, and the neigh
bors do not belieyei he was guilty OF any
thing wrong.