The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-09-20
ATROCIOUS MURDERS
Robbers Butcher a Family of Six
Persons in DaviesS County.
benson Wratten, His Mother, Wife and
Three Children Found Hacked AL
most Beyond Recognition.
NO CLEW TO THE ASSASSINS
Probably the Work of Some One
Acquainted with the Family.
Columbus Officials Gather in a Band
of White Caps, Including Women,
Who Whipped Mrs. Schrader.
srecial 10 the Indianapolis Journal.

Special 10 the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON. Ind. Sept 19.-The most
shocking crime yet recorded IL the annals of
Daviess county was committed in Harrison
township. nine miles from this city. abont
3o'clock this morning, at the little log farm
house of benson Wrstten. The house is an
old landmark On the HudsoDvIlle road, two
miles from the village of Glen Dale. The
story is that of brutal butchery by rob-
bers of benson Wratten's family, consisting
of six members, including himself, his
aged mother, his wife and three children.
Not one will ever be able to bear witness
against tho murderers if they should be
caught. ALI were found dead in the house
this morning save one of tho children. q
bright little sIrl of eleven years. who has
not yet succumbed from a terrible and
cruel blow in the middle of the forehead.
inflicted presumably by the poe OF
hatchet. Her skull is crushed, and
she is unconscious and supposed to
be dying. Tonight all that section
OF the country fer miles around is aroused
and armed parties are securing the hills
the unerring lead of bloodhounds. brought
from Seymour early In the day and placed
on the scent. There Will be q terrible reck-
oniDg should the perpetrators of this
atrocious sextuple tragedy be captured.
out at late hour tonight there was no
report of any trace of q clew having been
discovered. beyond q few tracks around
the house and bsrnyard. indicating that
there might have been several assassiDs.
The news of the tragedy reached this
city at Q O'clock this morning when James
Stone. friendly neighbor of the Wrat-
tens. came galloping into Washington with
the details Of the discovery he had made
at the Wrstten homestead. He called
there about o'clock this morning to see
Mr. Wrsttep, who was seriously ill
with typhoid fever. The side door lead.
ing on the broad porch was standing
open and near the window Mr.. Stone found
Mrs. AElizabetn Wratten. the widowed
mother of benson, lying in pool OF blood.
She was horribly mutilated. Her head and
face were hacked and chopped, and her
right hand had been severed from the arm
by cne blow. Two fingers of the left hand
were broken and her chest aud neck
bore other cuts The bureau In
tom. and everything WAS scattered over
the floor.
In the room adjoining was found benson
Wratten. lying on the bed. with q huge
cash In his forehead and one over each ear.
There was q large pool of blood on the floor.
where it had gushed from the wounds in his
head.
In the doorway in the same room lay
Wratten's wife. Mrs. Ada Wratten.
mutilated about the head 60 that
ah
Evidently she had heard the noise In the
old lady's room and found that she was be-
ing murdered. and started for the door to
call help. when she was struck down.
Near the mother lay her three-year-old
babe. 1t had also received fatal blow
from the deadly weapon.
Against the bureau was Stella the nine
year-old daughter. laying on her left side.
with O cash three inches In length on the
back of the head.
Over In the southeast part of the room,
on couch. lay Ethel, eleven years old.
with hole In the forehead. She was still
breathing. but with much difficulty. All
the wounds have been made with
all alike Ethel Is still alive,
but hopes for her recovery are not enter
tanned. On her depends the chief evil
dence In the case
this crime is robbery. as the family had
no enemies. Mrs. Elizabeth Wratten was
thought to keep about 81. 200 or 81, 800 about
the house. She received o good pension
each month. and was never known
TO deposit any money In the bank. lS was
probably some one who knew the Wrat-
tens we'll and was afraid of being discov-
cred. and therefore slaughtered the whole
family. lt is believed that whoever did
the work knew of the helpless condition of
Mr.. Wratten, and selected this time to TO b
the house. knowing that they had none but
women to contend with.
The coroner drove out to the scene OF the
tragedy at once while several men went co
the place has been tbrOnged with farmers
ana town people. who went TO view the
blOod-stalned floor and walls of the house or
join in the searching parties.