The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-02-02
MURDERED.
WAS FRED PACHENBEuCH
THURSDAY MORNING.

Found In the Barn of MIR. c. F. west
The Finding of a Bloody Barn Door kol-
Ter Told the Tale. His skull Fractured'-
The Supposed Murderer Captured, Given
a Hearing and Bound Over to common
Pleas Court.
On last Thursday our community
was startled by hearing that murler
had been committed, at the tarm
of Mr.. G. +. Vests, two and one
half miles west tf this place. The
facts as obtained by the Enterprise
man ARE as follows;
About $50 O'Clock Mr., West's hired
man, German, Fred Packenbeuch'
left the house to do the chores at the
barn, not returning as soon as usual
Mrs. West went to the barn to see
what was OBTAINING him, as breakfast
was waiting. Upon reaching the barn
Mrs. West found Mr.. Packenbeuch
sitting at the foot of the stairs.
She spoke to him but received no
renlv. She went to him and discover
ed that his head was covered with
blood He could not speak, but groan-
ed and made motions with his arms as
though warding off blows. Mrs West
Immediately called her daughter and
she summoned the neighbors, to assist
in getting him to the house, where he
did not regain consciousness, ana oleu
in few hours. DR.. Holiday was call
ed and examined the head OF the
injured man and found that there
were eight wounds, five on the fore
head and three on top of the head,
The township trustees were sent for
and as also was the marshal, and they
began to investigate the surroundings.
The theory of murder did not enter
their minds, as it was at first thought
that he had either fallen down stairs
or been kicked by the cows, but this
supposition was soon dispelled, by the
finding of large iron barn door roller,
covered with hair and blood, on girt
on the east side of the barn. They
made a more thorough examination
of the premises, but found nothing
that would lead to clew to the muir
derer. The marshal upon questioning
Mrs. West more closely upon what she
saw when entering the barn, and as to
whether any tramps or strangers had
been seen around the barn recently
she replied:
"When went into the barn l found
the south back door wide open, will
the wind and snow beating in.
did you see any tracks leading from
the barn."
mo. did not think that Fred hat
been murdered, and did not look TO
any. In regard to any one beinI
around, there was young man her
that use to work for us, by the nam
of Joseph Thomas, he came here Wed
nesday, and took dinner with us, ant
inquired about pair of felt boots tha
he had left here when working for III
"Were the boots that Mr.. Packen
beusch wore the same as those lef
by the young mani"
"No, Fred had bought neN
pair, but he did wear out the boot
that Joseph left here"
1t will be remembered that when tn
murdered man was found, that hi
boots and one stocking were missing
Connecting the conversation that wa
had between Mrs. West and the maj
shal, there was some clew to wor
on, and some evidence against tn
young Thomas.
Thursday noon the murdered man
body was brought to town and take
to the undertaking rooms Of A. &.
G. L. Couch, and Cornor r. E. Brama
and Sheriff A. E. Lord notified. Th
Cornor arrived on the evening trai
and the sheriff drove over. The bod
was examined by Mr.. Braman and h
pronounced that the wounds wei
caused. by an instrument in the hand
of an unknown person, and Il case {
murder.
Early Friday morning the mai
-shal accompanied by the Enterpris
man drove out to the home of Mr..
Witbeck, who lives in Penfield, 70
the purpose of interviewing chum (
the young Thomas, and ascertain tt
home of the accused, and any oth(
information that might aid in appr
hending the young man. They four
by this interview that his real nan
was Joeph Fox and not Thomas as !
had given it to several farmers, fl
whom he had worked His hon
was at Cleveland, where he has pa
ents, his father being employed in IL
fewburgh rolling mills as forema
He is twenty years Of age, weig
about l40 lbs, smooth face and lig
hair. He had quick temper, al
was liable to do rash deeds when in
fit of passion. 1t was also found tn
Fox worked on the farm of Frank Fla
agher, who until recently lived
Rochester, and when Mr.. Faragh
moved to Lorain young Fox went wi
hin, and has heen tharp ever since