The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1894-12-17
LOVERS AWFUL REVENGE
Charles Halling Kills the Father of
His Sweetheart.
SPLIT HIS HEAD WITH AN AXE
Angry at Not Being Allowed TO Court
Alice klos the Lover Waylays Her
Father and Murders Him in
Shocking Way.
By the United Press.

By the United Press.
Dolgeville, N. Y, Dec. 16.-Lewis
Klos, farmer, 55 years old, deaf and
nearly dumb, was murdered by his
daughters lover, Charles Halling, Fri
day night.
Klos resided with his wife and To-
year-old daughter, Alice, on a small
farm in the town Of Oppenheim. He and
his wife, also a deaf mute, occupied
sleeping room on the ground floor and
Alice slept on the second floor. The
nearest neighbor to Klos is w. H.
Youker, prosperous farmer. who has
had in his employ for the last two
months Charles Halling. 26 years of
age. Halling has worked on neighbOr-
ing farms in the towns of Oppenheim
and st. louisville for the last eight or
nine years and has disagreeable dis
position. Several weeks ago he began
paying attentions to Alice Klos.
1t Is alleged that Halling was in the
habit of visiting the girl at night by
placing a ladder against the house and
entering the window. AS the father
and mother were both deaf they heard
nothing of this Neighbors, however,
were on the watch and informed Mr..
Klos of Halling's actions Mr.. Klos
then forbade his daughter meeting
Halling.
Made Him Angry.
Halling was angry when he heard
this and declared that he "would fix
that old sucker" Friday afternoon at
about o'clock he informed w. j.
Youker a son of his employer, that he
intended leaving for Schenectady where
he had secured good position, When
about to leave Halling shook hands
with young Youker, and in parting said:
IF something should happen within
the next few hours don't be too hard
on me-"
Youker watched Halling as he passed
down the road in the direction of St.
townsville, and also observed him as
he jumped over a fence and made a
circuit into the woods back of the
home of Klos. Here Halling remained
for some time, and Youker, in order to
better observe the movements of Hall
ing, went into the second story of the
Youker cheese factory, which stands a
short distance from the Klos residence.
At this time Lewis Klos was engaged
in trimming apple trees on his property,
near the woods in which Halling was
secreting himself. After a time Klos
came to the woodshed with a wheelbar-
row loaded with apple tree limbs, and
then Halling was seen to leave the
woods and make circuit around the
barn and woodshed, arriving at the
latter place about the same time as did
Klos.
Carried Club.
Halling carried in his hand a club.
Young Youker says he heard blow
struck and Halling say Take that!'
Youker was frightened and jumping on
horse he travelled to the residence of
Charles Allen, the nearest neighbor
and told Allen that he believed Halling
was killing old man Klos. Allen OBJ
tanned a revolver and jumping on
Youkers horse started for the Klos
home. Mrs. Klos had been visiting at
Aliens house and arrived home just be-
fore Allen did When Allen arrived
Halling was seen standing at the corner
of the barn with an axe in his hand
Halling dropped the axe and ran across
the fields in the direction of the woods
Youker had come up about this time,
the nelghbors were aroused and all
started in pursuit of the murderer, who
was finally captured by Dewitt b.
Youker and Henry Cristman while he
was hiding behind a stone wall When
Halling surrendered he said:
"Yes, killed him. but he hit me first
Halling was taken to the Johnstown
jail. Klos was first struck on the head
with a club in the woodshed, and then
the murderer, taking an axe that was
near at hand, commenced hitting the
victim on the head with the sharp edge
Klos' head was split open with every
blow of the axe.
After the job was done the murderer
went through the pockets of his victim
and took out pocketbook containing
$l9. This he laid on a chopping block
and then dragged his victim into the
horse barn and left the body in the real
of horse which was then tied in the
stable.
!, 1t was then that Allen and Mrs Klo!
made their appearance, and Halling, II
his hurry to escape, forgot to take th'
J pocketbook with him. Alice Klos at tn,
time the murder was committed was a
the home of her grandmother in Open
: helm Center, where she had been sen
by her parents in order to keep he
| away from Halling.