The daily morning journal and courier., 1897-04-17
A HORSES GHASTLY LOAD
RETURNS TO HIS STABLE WITH
 BODIES OF TIVO WOMEN.

l DoDAEo UT LUo WOLuENs They Had Been Killed by a Former Hus- band of One of the women-Their Escort May Die, Also-The Deed Said to Have Been Inspired by Jealousy-suspected Man Arrested.
 Watertown, N. T., April 16-A special to the Standard from Sackett's Harbor says that horrible crime was com- mitted in the vicinity of that village, where the Ninth United States infantry is stationed, about ten miles from this city, some time last night During the afternoon or evening George Allen, a steward at Madison Barracks, hired a horse and carriage at the livery stable i in Sackett's Harbor and took two wo- men out driving.
 One of his companions was a young | lady of Sackett's Harbor Miss Bailey, and the other was a divorced woman, Mrs. Crouch. At 2:30 this morning the horse came back to the livery stable drawing the carriage, which at first the livery man believed empty, but on go- ing up to the carriage he found tho | bodies of the two women in the bottom of 1t. He at once notified the authori- ties.
 About this time Allen came stagger- ing into the barracks in a weakened condition and he, too is expected to die He has made an ante-mortem statement to the effect that Crouch, husband of the divorced woman, as- saulted the whole party murdered the two women and threw him (Allen) into creek. Crouch is under arrest.
 As the day wore on suspicion pointed more and more toward Wilbur Crouch as the murderer, and the veil which obscured the tragedy was being grad- ually removed.
 Allen, the man who was with the two women, came back to the mess hall about 43O, when he tainted, but not before saying:
 Get the women out of the creek"
 He was taken to the hospital by Pri- yates Johnson and Davis He was wet from head to foot and showed signs of having been in the water For some time it was impossible to get any state- ment from him, so low was his condi- tion. Stimulants were given and as soon as he was aroused the following statement was given, but only in an- swer to questions, he saying that it hurt his throat.
 Crouch did it. It was done by the creek. Crouch grasped the reins of the right horse and leaned out of the rig. It was a one-seated top buggy. I was struck by a lash and then shot, I tried to get out my revolver, but before I I could do so was shot again. In getting out my revolver I accidentally shot my self in the throat The women were shot and fell on top of me-"
 Allen was asked how many times he was shot and would hold up his hand with fingers outstretched, meaning that five bullets had pierced his body. Af- ter the shooting occurred Allen says he was driven long distance by Crouch and afterwards fell out. He has now partly recovered, but grave fears are entertained for his recovery still. AL len has been in charge of the officers club. He has been keeping company with Miss Daily, and it is said they were to be married tomorrow.
 Every circumstance bore out Aliens story that the party had been attacked, and the coroner deemed 1t advisable to order Crouchs arrest. Crouch was found at his home near the village. He denied any complicity in the crime.
 Watertown, N. Y., April 16.-A spec- ial to the Standard at 4:3O p. m. says:
 The coroner's jury in the matter of the murder of Mary Crouch and May | Do1 fn of that the two women came to their death by bullet wounds believed to have been administered by Wilber Crouch.
 Crouch has been removed to the county jail in Watertown for safe keeping.
 Watertown, N Y, April 16.-Crouch is confined in a cell in the Jefferson county jail in this city He appears to be cool and collected. Interviews with reporters have been forbidden by his attorney.
 The belief that Allen knows more about the murders than he is willing to admit is growing in the minds of per- sons who are in possession of many of the facts in the case. Some believe that Crouch is innocent, among them being George Mason, chief of police of Sackett's Harbor.
 When Crouch was brought into the county jail at 5:30 o'clock this after noon, he said, laughing: Well, sheriff. they've brought me to you, but guess I wont be with you very long," He ap- pears to be confident that his inno- cence will soon be established. He is kept locked in his cell and Is not al- lowed the freedom of the corridor with the other prisoners.