The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-04-15
SLAIN BY THE HIRED MAN.
Husband. Wife and Daughter MUIR
dered-RevoftfnG Crime 1T
Oakland. r. 1.

PASOOAG r l.. April IA horrible
tragedy was enacted early this morning
at the home OF Edward Reynolds. on the
Elisha Matthewson place. near Sweet Hill,
in the town Of Oakland
Mrs REYNOLDS her husband and an
adopted daughter. servilla. were brutality
murdered and the house then set on Ore,
presumably 20 cover the crime Martin
Mowsry. the hired man employed by the
Reynolds@s who ia undoubtedly a raving
maniac was found hiding In barn near
Oakland and at once placed under arrest.
The neighbors were aroused by the fire.
On reaching the house II was found Sc
curely fastened. with the doors bolted and
windows locked They forced an entrance
and in so doing found evidence OF murder
ana arson. Mrs. Reynolds body. mutilat-
ed and hlood-stained. was taken from her
bed by those who were the first TO enter
the house. The flames from the part OF
the house which was burning spread so
quickly that a search for the other mem
bers OF the family who were supposed 10
be there could not be made. Hours after
ward. when the ruins OF the house had
sufficiently cooled, the charred remains
Of Mr.. Reynolds and the young girl were
found
In the meantime the local and state po-
lice had been searching for Mowery, the
hired man, and he was found IN the barn
who first arrived found that the house
had been saturated with coal oil thor
oughly so that the flames spread rapidly
and they had only time to take Mrs. Rey-
nolds' body out before that section of the
house was in blaze. From what could
be Judged from the appearance OF her
body brutal murder had been committed
The head had been crushed in. and the
upper part OF the body was horribly mu-
tilsted. The bed she occupied was covered
with blood An attempt was made 10 To-
cate Reynolds body, but IL did not ap-
pear TO be in the room.
Mowery slept In another part of the
house and the villagers hurried 10 his
room TO alarm him. The room was empty.
and from the hasty examination that
could be made II was discovered that the
bed had not been disturbed. The bed
clothing, as well as the floor leading TO
the door had been covered with kerosene.
An empty oil can was found in the room.
Mowery's trunk and box belonging TO
him were open and his clothing was
strewn about the floor.
From the position of the bodies II would
appear that Reynolds was called to his
daughters room by some unusual sound.
and that when he reached the side Of the
bed he1recsived his death blow. Miss Rey-
nolds was probably killed then. The muir
derer IL is supposed. then went 10 Mrs.
keFnolIs room. ana AFTER StaDninS neT
twice in the face. battered her head In.
When Mowery left the house he went to
the woods. where he shot himself in the
head. The bullet only stunned him, how
ever. and he did not repeat the attempt.
The revolver. with two chambers empty,
was found in his possession.
This afternoon Medical Examiner VIII
cox held an autopsy on the three victims
OF the tragedy. The doctors made a care
full examination OF the body OF Mrs. Rey-
nolds and found a deep wound made in the
head by the butt OF a musket while there
were no less than seven hayonet wounds
on the body. Tho musket and bayonet
were both found in the ruins OF the fire
and are known 10 be the property of Now
cry. Immediately after the autopsy had
been completed. Judge Spear OF the dis
trict court signed a warrant for the ar
rest OF Mowery, and he was at once
brought into court for arratgn-
ment He pleaded not guilty and was
committed 70 jail without bail 10 await the
preliminary trial on April q. The only
thing like a confession made by Mowery
tonight was when Dr. Wilcox told him he
proposed 10 etherize him and then alb
stTact the bullet which Is now In his head.
Mowery said:
II won't be etherized You think IL you
get me that way ] viii tell my whole
story"