The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-30
EnShrOudS an Awful Trag-
edy in Ohio.
An Aged Couple Killed by
Masked Men.
Several Others Badly Injured by an
Unknown Fiend.

AKRON, o., March 80.-At q late hour
Saturday night masked man entered
the farmhouse of Alvin NJ. Stone, near
Tallmadge, and in the brief space OF half
an hour committed horrible butchery.
When he took his departure, Stone and his
wife, both aged people, were lying dead In
bed horribly mutilated, and Ira Stillson,
the hired man, and Emma Stone, the eld-
est Of three daughters, were uncon scious
from blows dealt by the murderer.
The murderer entered the house by
means of ladder, which he raised TO an
upstairs window. He first passed through
the room In which Hattie and Flora Stone
were sleeping, without awakening them.
Going quietly down stairs 70 the room in
which Mr.. and Mrs. Stone slept, he at
tackled them with blunt weapon Of some
sort, hitting both upon the head.
They were probably rendered uncoD-
sclous and possibly killed by tho blow,
but the fiend, not satisfied with this, pro-
ceeded to mutilate their bodies with a
knife He cut off one Of Stones ears,
'slashed him across the face and stabbed
him In the back. Then he laid Mrs.
Stones cheek open with the knife.
After satisfying his fiendish desires
downstairs, he proceeded TO the room OF
Stillson upstairs. The hired man heard
the intruder. apparently, for he had arisen.
He was dealt u stunning blow on the head.
Next, the murderer turned his attention
To Emma Stone, who slept In a room by
herself When he entered her room she
screamed That awakened the two other
girls, who slept across the hall.
Hattie Stone arose to go to her sisters
assistance, but MS she entered the latter's
room, she was fellod. too, by n blow on the
head, but fortunately was not rendered
unconscious. Rcgaining her feet she ran
To her own room and locked the door.
Throwing bedquilt about her, she leaped
from the window and ran through tho
rain and mud TO the nearest neighbors,
quarter of a mile away.
Murderer Made His Escape.
After no hal struck Hattie down, the
murderer returned to Emmas room and
struck her ON the head, leaving her un-
conscious. Then he tried the door TO the
room in which Hattie had left her younger
sister Flora when she jumped from tho
window. Finding the door locked, he
battered it down. Finding only Flora in
the room, he asked where the other girl
was. When told that she had gone for
help, he hastily left the house and made
his escape
Hattie, with the blood streaming from
the wound in her head, managed TO reach
neighbor's house, told her story and
then tainted. After she had been put TO
bed, the nelghbor, calling for help, went
to the Stone residence. There the evil
dences OF the butchcry were discovered.
The only person in the house who was
able TO speak was Flora Stone, aged I6,
and she was so badly frightened that she
could tell nothing about the murderer
except that the man who committed tho
murders wore a mask over his face.
The crime is myst1y. There is no
possible motive for the murder, so far as
can be learned. Certainly the murderer
was not bent on robbery, for In lower
bureau drawer in Mr.. Stones room were
two gold watches and some money, and
nothing had been taken, apparently.
The sheriff of Summit county was called
to the scene OF the murder yesterday, and
with posse Of men he has been searching
for clews to the murderer. Nothing has
been discovered. One man has been found
who says he saw n buggy pass his house
late Saturday night, going in the direc-
tion of the Stone house, and the same
horse Is believed TO have been found yes.
erday in the streets of Kent, few miles
east os 1,allmadgc
Ira Stillson, the hired man. and Emma
and Hattie Stone have not yet recovered
consciousness, and 1t is feared that Still.
son, at least, will die while the chances
for the recovery Of the two girls are very
small.