Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1896-03-30

Akron, Ohio, March 29.-AI d loO0
hour last night a masked man entered
the farm house of Alvin NJ. Stone, near
Tallmadge, a few miles from this city,
and in the brief space of half an hour
committed a horrible butchery. When
he took his departure Stone and his
wife, both aged people, were lying dead
in bed, horribly mutilated, and Ira Still
son. the hired man, and Emma Stone
the oldest of three daughters, were un-
conscious from blows dealt by the MUIR
derer.
The murderer entered the house by
means of a ladder which he raised 10
an upstairs window He first passed
through the room in which Hattie ana
Flora Stone we're sleeping without
awakening them.
Going quietly downstairs to the room
in which Mr.. and Mrs. Stone slept ne
attacked them with a blunt weapon Oh
some sort,
HITTING BOTH UPON THE HEAD.
They were probably rendered uncon-
scious and possibly killed by the blows,
but the fend. not satisfied with that'
proceeded to mutilate their bodles WIN
q knife. He cut off one OF Stone 5 ears
slashed him across the face and stao-
bed him in the back Then he laid MIS-
stones cheek open with the knife.
After satisfying his fiendish desire
downstairs. he proceeded to the room
of Stillson upstairs. The hired man
heard the intruder apparently for ne
Sad arisen, when he was dealt a stun
vning blow on the head Next the muir
derer turned his attention to Emma
Stone. who slept in a room by herself
When he entered her room she scream
ed. That awakened the two girls who
| slept across the hall. Hattie Stone
| arose to 90 to her sisters assistance
but as she entered the latter's room was
FELLED TO THE FLOOR
nv blow on the head but fortunately
was not rendered unconscious. Regain
ing her feet. she ran to her own room
and locked the door Throwing a bed
quilt over her she leaped from the win
dow and ran through the rain and
mud to the nearest neighbor's, quar-
ter of a mile away. After he had struck
Hattie down. the murderer returned 70
Emma's room and struck her on the
| head, leaving her unconscious. Then
he tried the door to the room in which
Hattie had left her younger sister Flora
when she jumped from the window.
/ Finding the door locked, he battered it
| down Finding only Flora in the room,
/ he asked where the other girl was.
| When told 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 the neighbor's house, told her
story and then tainted. After she had
| been put to bed, the neighbOr, calling
| for help. went to the Stone house.
There the evidences Of the hutchery
were discovered The only person in
/ the house who was able to speak was
/ Flora Stone. aged sixteen, and she was
so badly frightened that she could tell
nothing about the murder, except that
the man who committed it wore mask
/ over his face.
THE CRIME IS A MYSTERY.
There is no possible motive for the
murders. so far as can be learned. Ger
tainly the murderer was not bent on
robbery, for in a buerau 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 early
in the morning and with a posse of
men he has been searching all day for
| clues to the murder. Nothing has been
discovered. One man has been found
who says he saw a buggy pass his house
late last night going in the direction
of the Stone house and the same horse
is believed to have been found in the
streets Of Kent, few miles east of
/ Tallmadge, this morning. Ira Stllson,
the hired man, and Emma and Hattie
Stone have not yet recovered conscious
ness and it is feared that Stillson at
least will die. while the chances for the
recovery of the two girls is very small.
a