Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-01-11
AWFUL TRIPLE
- MURDER,
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the murderer used the blunt portion as
in the killing of Mr.. Newton, but the
child's death was accomplished with
the use of the edge of the axe After
he had knocked in the child's skull the
fiend continued his horrible butchery by.
dealing a number of blows with the
edge of the axe upon the child's abdo-
men, Mr.. Newton was dead up stairs,
and his clothing and effects ransacked;
and now the other two inmates Of the
household were out of the way, and the
murderer was free to take up the role
of robber This he proceeded to do by
thoroughly overhauling everything he
suspected might be the hiding-place of
money. Nothing was touched in Mrs.
Newtons room, the man evidently be-
ing aware that no money was kept
there, but in the sitting room where
stood bureau, and in a room opposite,
where a large trunk was kept, all things
were thrown about by the seeker for
money.
The drawers in the bureau we're pulled
out and their contents strewn about the
floor. The partitions OF the trunk were
pulled apart, and all the papers and
odds and ends which congregate in
such receptacle We're strewn all over
the floor. If there was any money in
any of these places, the man took it;
but as far as could be seen, Monday, he
cared for nothing else, and only dis
turbed other things in the hope of their
being the hiding-places of money. The
people in the house slain and the build
ing ransacked the murderer had no
further use for their bodies or the
house. and decided to cover up his hor-
rible work, If possible, by the burning
of the premises.
In this the man made his only failure;
and the attempt at arson, although well
planned and to him apparently well un
der way, did not succeed. To effect the
erasing of his work, Miller placed
fiye-gallon can of oil on large pile of
cut wood in the woodshed, and allowed
the oil to drip into the wood. He then
threw a lighted lamp into the pile and
left the scene of his fiendish work to
be food for flames. If the man had
been less hasty in his departure and
had devoted little attention to this
part of his nefarious work, success
would have attended his efforts in this
direction. AS it was, the toss of the
lamp was faulty and, instead Of it's
alighting among the oil-soaked wood, it
fell outside the circle of oil, and dropped
among pieces not too dry. The result
was that for a time the blaze ate into
the wood but the food for a fire was of
insufficient quality and, after burning
halfway through number of sticks
died out. BY this time, however, Mil
Ter was probably far away from the
house and probably disappointed that
no signs of big conf1agration were Wis
ibIe. Had the effort succeeded, the
house would have been reduced to
ashes, as there was a strong wind blow
ing from the north at the time, and all
most no conveniences for eXtinguishing
fire at hand.
A HORRIBLE SCENE.
BY the indistinct rays of the lantern
the sight presented to the party who
entered the house Sunday night, was
most horrifying. The house, not having
been ventilated and decomposition hav-
ing set in on the bodies, the stencil was
beyond description. The party first dis
covered the bodies of Mrs. Newton and
little Ethel. The bed clothing was
thrown above the heads, hiding from
view the awful work done by the axe
on the heads. About the abdomen Of
the child, however, the axe had been
used with terrifying effect, making the
sight ghastly beyond description. The
head of the bed, picture on the wall
and a dressing case were spattered
with blood, showing with what force
the weapon had been swung. The party
was not left in doubt as to the weapon
used; for, close to the bed in which
these two victims lay, standing agaipst
chair was the axe, covered with
blood. The handle, too was besmirched,
showing that the murdererS hands had
felt the hot life-blood as it spattered
when he dealt his blows.
After the discovery of the female
corpses. the party started to find the
body of Mr.. Newton, which they sup
posed was also lying murdered about
the house. One of the party entered the
hall, and was nearly overcome. All the
party could not stand the effect of the
stencil, and only the strongest pushed
upstairs to Mr.. Newton's room. There
the rays Of the lantern were directed to
the bed, and it was seen how Mr.. New
ton had met his fate. Stretched at full
length on the bed, lying upon its back,
was the body. Bed clothes covered it
from sight, and only the right arm pro-
truded. Under the bed was a pool of
blood. the only sign of bloodshed in the
room The party could remain but a
short time, in this room, and entered
the apartment. leading from it, which
had been occupied by the hired man.
Here the bed clothing indicated that
the bed had been occupied, thus verify
ing the belief that Miller did his work
after he had retired with the rest Of the
household. The party raised a window
In the room to allow of some ventila-
ton.
Nothing in or about the house was
disturbed by the party until the arrival
of the medical examiner. Dr. E. w
Norwood of Spencer has recently been
appointed examiner for the district. but
he had not qualified, and consequently
was ineligible to act officially in the
case Medical Examiner F. H. Baker
of Worcester was summoned, and
reached the house shortly before
o'clock Monday morning. He was the
first one to remove the clothing from
the heads of the bodies and not until
then was the full effect of the axe real
ized. Drs. Baker and Norwood first Wis
ited the chamber off the kitchen. They
found the body of Mrs. Newton on the
outside of the bed, lying face upwards
The lower portion of the body was ex-
posed, but no effect of the axe was Wis
ible about this portion of the body. Or
the back of the right hand was an ugly
wound The head along the left side
and temple was smashed in The body
Of the girl was also on its back, with
the lower portion of the body exposed
Many wounds had been made about the
abdomen with the sharp part of the
axe. The left side of the head, over
the temple and eye, was terribly gasheo
with the sharp part Of tine axe. Moth
ing was disturbed in the rooms, and the
axe was the only instrument in the
room which bore signs of blood.
The two physicians then went to the
room occupied by the body of Mr.. New
ton The body was entirely covered witt
bed clothing, with the exception OF 6he
right arm, and was lying ON its back
1t was dressed in q suit of undercloth
ing, and the feet were creased II
wooden socks. 1t was evident the mar