Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-10-08
Murder and
Suicide !
Terrible Tragedy Near
HOlgate.
Nathan B. Spellman Commits
Murder and then Suicides.
A Beautiful Young Girl the Victim OF
the Brute.
Her Skull Crushed With Flat
Iron and She Died a Few
@ Days Afterward.

One of the most horrible and ap-
palling crimes that Henry county
has ever witnessed, and the worst
since the murder of the Williams
family over ten years ago, occurred
near Holgate last Wednesday morn
ing. A being insane from drunken
bebauch and craZed from imaginary
wrongs committed crime that will
be forever remembered in the annals
of crimes of the county, beating the
brains out of a young and innocent
girl and then placing himself beyond
the reach of Justice by taking his
own life.
Some four years ago there came to
the home of Mrs. j. P. Kicker, q
widow living two miles southwest Of
Holgate, a tramp who applied for
work. Mrs. Kicker had just lost her
husband and being unable to run
her small farm of 40 acres alone de-
termined to take the fellow in and
give him trial. He had had some
experience in farming but was a
charcoal burner by trade. An agree
ment was entered into between the
widow and the tramp, who gave the
name of Nathan E. Spellman, where
by he was to do the farm work and
chores and receive in return a small
share of the returns and all the wood
he needed to make charcoal during
his spare moments. Everything went
we'll and Mrs. Kicker had no cause to
regret her bargain beyond the fact
that Spellman drank considerable.
H, all hi
siderate and seemed to appreciate
the home that had been given him.
Things went along in this way until
last Wednesday. Spellman had a
quantity of charcoal on hand and
Tuesday went to Defiance where he
disposed of it and with the proceeds
began to get on his usual drunk. He
returned home in the evening intoxi-
Gated and covered with mud. On en-
tering the house he was reproached
by Mrs. Kicker for coming in the
house with such muddy feet and by
Anna, her 16 year daughter, for get
ting intoxicated. To these re-
proaches he answered by saving he
was sorry and that he would do bet
ter in the future if they would not
turn him out. Everything was as
usual the next morning-the fatal
one. Spellman had recovered from
his drunk and ate his breakfast in
| gloomy silence, starting to do his
chores as soon as the meal was fin
ished. After the remains of the
breakfast had been cleared away and
the dishes washed the mother started
her little son to school and went her
self to watch some stock that was
grazing along the road, leaving Anna
to do the weeks ironing. What hap
pened during the next two hours will
never be known beyond what can be
guessed from the sight that greeted
Mrs. Kicker on her return. @s%28S1
The house is q small one, u story
and a half in height, and contains
down stairs kitchen, sitting room
and bed room. The widow had
been gone about two hours returning
at 10 o'clock. On opening the door she
saw her daughter on the floor her
face one unrecognizable mass of
blood, pieces of bonesand hair the
room in disorder and the walls and
floor covered with blood. She turn
ed and fed, not entering the house.
Running to a neighbors she obtained
company and returned to the house.
This consumed some time and upon
! going in the house the girl was found
in the same position while in the bed
room to one side, on the bed lying on
his stomach, his feet ON the pillows
and his head hanging over the side
was Spellman. A razor was grasped
tightly in his right hand and blood
was still dropping in the pool on the
floor from a cash in his throat. The
walls and floor of the house present
ed terrible sight. An awful strug-
Egle had taken place, the girl fighting
for life.
Word was Immediately sent to Hol-
gate for medical help and Drs. Den
mis- and Overhulse responded. They
found the girl still breathing but
ISpellman had severed the jugular
vein and was dead.
| From the evidences that was seen
and from few rational sentences
from Anna Kicker before she died
the story of the crime can be told as
| follows:
After leaving the breakfast table
Spellman did the chores and return
ed totthe house finding Anna alone
and getting ready to iron some cloth
ing. Hisshoes were covered with mud
andhe was again reproached by the
girl for bringing in so much dirt. A
quarrel ensued and Spellman, still
crazed from his drinking and en-
ragged beyond all control, seized the
girl by the neck and began choking
her. She made desperate resist
ance and coming near the stove in
their struggles Spellman grabbed one
of the hot sad irons and struck her
behind the ear cutting cash in her
head and telling her to the. floor in
sensible. Getting over his victim he
smashed the hot iron down twice on
her forehead with all his force, break
| ing the frontal bone into fragments
and forcing the brains from her
skull. .Spellnan had lost all control
/ of himself, angered by her resistance
and from the burns inflicted on his
hands by the hot'iron. Not satisfied
yethe seized her again by the throat
and choked her until large black and
blue marks were left on her neck.
He now left his young victim and lay
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