The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1897-10-14

A trightful tragedy occurred in South
Cherry street resort Sunday morning at
about 5 80 o'clock Mrs. Mollie DePeys-
ter WAS burned to death. Her husband,
william DePeyster, is inoarcerated IN
the county Jail on suspicion of being the
perpetrator Of deed 60 revolving that
hell itself must have been the inspiring
agent.
In the city prison is conhued another
person supposed to know something OF
the crime. This is Pearl La Rosa also
known BY the names of Pearl Smith and
Maggie Greathouse.
Charred and mutilated beyond descrip-
ton, the body of Mrs. DePeyster lies at
the morgua of Shilling & Sons under
taking rooms. Before the body became
the present unacceptable mass it was
identified by the surroundings and cir
cumstances under which 1t was found
The crime occurred OF the DePeyster
home 422 south Cherry street. So far
as known there was no eye witness to
the horror but a broken lamp and scat
tered Gil t II narrowing tale. The po-
lice are working with might and main to
clear up the uncertainty Of the situation
In this they ire aided to great extent
by the condition of the kitchen at the De
Pyster home, and the results Of the
POST MORTEM.
At o'clock Sunday afternoon, Drs.
A. b. Walker and 7. H. Landor held
post mortem examination of the remains
of the dead woman at Shillings' morgue.
DIR. Walker stated the following facts TO
a News Democrat reporter. I'VE found
the body to be badly burned on the front
an d left sides. The back and right side
do not show, so,much, the awful effects Of
the fire The position of the body was
drawn and rigid, and we found it nec0s-
sary to cut the joints to straighten the
arms. On tire left side Of the back of
the head we found cot in the scalp.
The wound indicates that the woman
mad been struck by some object and IL
is NV opinion that 1t was msde by th6
lamp, which probebly struck her on the
head, the oil pouring all over her. The
left side of the brain showed c9nngsstion
and extensive burns were found on the
tongue and extending down into the
larynx and trEchea into the lungs. These
were evidently caused by the woman
iubalins the fire and death was due TO
suffoUation and shock. The heart normal;
the liver showed considerable hardening.
The brain was large with small
amount Of gray matter, condition usu-
ally found in persons of low order OF
mentality. The contractions OF death
were horrible and her suffering, though
of short duration, must have been terri
ble.''
FIRST DEGREE MURDER.
Prosecutor Pomersne and Coroner Nc
Ouate visited the scene Sunday afternoon
and interviewed all who were in any
way connected with the crime. After
cleaning all that could be learned the two
Officials visited the police statlon,and in
teryiewed Maggie Gresthouse and the
officers who responded to the call yester-
day morning. The prosecutor vas con-
yinced that foul deed had been com
mitted, and this morning he filed an
affidavit before Acting Mayor Robertson
charging william DePeyster with muir
der in the first degree. The affidavit was
- naDaygtaor
will be arraigned later.
A NEIGHBoR'S STORY.
Mrs. Barbara Feuz resides at 4s4
South Cherry street, In the south half of
the story and half building occupied
by the DePeysters. Her story is as fol-
lows: 81 had been kept awake through
out the night by the noise and turmoil
In the next rooms. At about $50 o'clock
started out the rear door when was
surprised to see flames in the DePeyster
kitchen. ran up stairs aud pounded
on the wall to awaken persons whom
knew were occupying an upstairs room
in the DePeyster house. yelled to them
that the house was on fire, but they either
did not hear me or mad previously left
the room. 1 then went down stairs,
and hearing screams and groans 1 went
out the rear door. / saw bright fire
along the fence which separates our
property from the place tenanted by Pat
Quiglsy. Thinking that the grass and
fence were burning, 1 hurried into the
house, procured bucket Of water and
dashed 1t on the flames. Then in the
feeble light / saw the outlines Of wo-
man and knew it was the body of Mrs.
DePeyster."
Mrs. Beuz then hurried back into her
home, where she awoke Elizabeth Rolli,
who also occupies that portion Of the
house the two women being the proprie-
tors of laundry. She next ran to the
saloon and residence Of Fritz Schnei Ter,
at the southwest corner Of Tenth and
Saxton streets and told them what she
had seen.
Walter Portman, who boards with the
sohneiders, went to the Barnett house
and summoned the police. Officers Willis
aud Romsy Immediately went to the
locality. When they arrived they found