Cottonwood report. [volume] (Cottonwood, Idaho) 1893-1901, 1896-04-03

Akron. Ohio. March 29.--At a late
hour last night masked man entered
the farmhouse of Alvin M. Stone. near
Talmadge, and in prier space Of half
an hour committed horrible butchery.
When he took his departure. Stone
and his wife, both aged people, We're
lying dead in bed horribly mutilated,
and Ira Stilson, the hired man, and
Emma Stone, the eldest of three daugh-
ters were unconscious from blows dealt
by the murderer.
The murderer entered the house by
means of a ladder. which he raised to
an upstairs window. He first passed
through the room In which Flora and
Hattie Stone were sleeping without
awakening them. Going quietly down
stairs to the room in which MIR. and
Mrs. Stone slept, he attacked them
with blunt weapon of some sort, hit
ting both up6n the head. They were
probably rendered unconscious and pos
sibiy kille}E by the blows, but the
fend, NOT Satisfied with that, proceeded
to mutiiate their bodies with a knife.
He cut Off one of Stones ears, slash
ed 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 Stilson, upstairs. The hired man
y heard the intruder, apparently, for he
had arisen, when he was dealt stun
ming blow on the head. Then the muir
61erer turned his attention to Emma
Stone. who slept in a room by herself
hen 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 as she entered the lat
y ferss room she was felled to the floor
4 by 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 about her she leaped from the
Window and ran through the rain and
mud to the nearest neighbors, quar-
ter of a mile away.
After he had struck Hattie down the
murderer returned to Emma's room
and struck her on the head, leaving hel
u unconscious. Then he tried the door
Ito the room In which Hattie had left
her younger sister Flora when she
Jumped from the window. Finding tht
door locked he battered 1t down. Find
It
where the other girl was. When told
she had gone for help he hastily lef
the house and made his escape.
Hattie, with the blood streaming
from the wound on her head, managed
10 reach the neighbours house, told hei
+, story, and then tainted After she hae
been put to bed the neighbor, calling
for help, went to the Stone house. Their
the evidences of the butchery were dis
covered. The only person in the house
who was able to speak was Flora Stone
aged 16. and she was badly frightened
For this reason all she could tell wa:
that the man who committed 1t wore {
mask over his face.
The crime Is mystery. There is n!
possible motive for the murders so fai
as can be learned. Certainly the muir
derer was not bent on robbery, for il
a bureau drawer in Mrs. stones room
were two gold watches and som'
money, and nothing had been taken.
The sheriff of Summit county wal
called to the scene of murder early II
the morning and posse has beer
searching all day for clues One maj
was found who says he saw bugg,
pass his house late last night in TIN
direction of the Stone house, and tn
same horse is believed to have beer
found in the streets of Kent, few
miles east of Talmadge, this morning.
Ira Stilson and Emma and Haiti
Stone have not yet recovered conscious
ness, and 1t is feared Stilson will die
while the chances for the recovery o
the two girls Is very small.