The times., 1899-08-07

of underbrush a few moments after the
crime was committed by the girls reia-
| tives, who were attracted to the spot by
her cries for help. Irwin Ford was the
murderer in this case. Elsie Kreglo was
fifteen years old, and had been sent by her
| parents after some water from a spring
short distance from her home. She was
on her way to the spring when she was
accosted by Ford. After some words be-
tween the two Ford made an assault upon
the gir. and threatened TO kill her. She
repulsed him and attempted to get away.
He was not to be thwarted however, and,
grasping the girl by the waist. threw her
10 the ground. The girl commenced
screaming for help as socn as her assailant
caught hold of her. and to silence her cries
Ford cut her throat with large jack knife
be had held in his hand throughout his in
terview with the girl.
The body was discovered as related, and
an immediate search was Instituted for
Ford. He was seem running away from
the scene of the crime but it was not until
several days afterward that he was finally
apprehended. He was captured in
Montgomery county, Nd, and brought TO
this city. After a short trial Ford was
I found guilty of murder and was hanged.
The crime attracted great attention and
universal sympathy was extended TO the
family of the dead girl.
On the night of November 26, 1891,
occurred a bloody battle. The fight took
place in the back yard of the home of
Charles ]. Meyers, and resulted in the
death of Policeman James B. Slack. at
/ that time one of the best known members
of the police force Slack lived next door
| to Meyers, and the two men had been
on bad terms for some time. Slack had
| frequently told Meyers he must not make
/ so much noise in his back yard. that he
! disturbed the neighbors. Meyers did not
| heed the warning and when Slack was
relieved from duty at u O'Clock on the
night of the fight between him and his
neighbor he had occasion to again warn
Meyers to make less noise.
The two men had words over the Lack
fence and finally Slack climbed over The
fence with a club in his hand to enforce
I his commands. Meyers met him more than
4 half way and the men had hard struggle.
Finally as Slack seemed to be getting
/ the better of his antagonist, Meyers seized
butcher knife that was lying near by and
stabbed the policeman repeatedly. Slack
was taken to his home, where he died
! shortly after u o'csock the next day, and
Meyers was arrested and tried for the
| crime but was acquitted. This occurred
only few doors from the Smell residence,
and about block from the place where
/ the crime was committed yesterday morn
! ing.
Another crime which was particularly
! horrible in its details and which shocked
/ the community at the time of ifs occurrence
was committed a little over a year ago in
/ Armory Square, when George W. Horton
murdered Mrs Annie Nicholson at about
! 1880 o'clock in the evening of June "A, by
cutting her throat with a pocket knife
Horton is Eow in jail awaiting the tins
4 to come when he shall pay the penalty for
-
known Mrs Nicholson for some time and
they had been very intimate. The pair had
! been in TIE park and were seated on one
of the benches for some time before the
crime was committed. They arose ana
started to leave the park when Horton
suddenly drew a knife from his pocket and
cut the wOman's throat. She fell to the
! ground and tie man calmly reached his fin
: ger. into the gaping wound, and finding
! that his knife had not severed the jugular
I vein, drew the-aFtery out of the wound and
cut il through He left the park inlmedi-
! ately after the murder, but was captured
and taken TO the Sixth precinct station.
! He talked about the murder calmly after
! il occurred and did not seem TO be much
troubled about it. The trial, which was
4 only concluded about two months ago. ex-
tended over q long period. the counsel for
the defence making poor attempt 10 show
| that TIE man was insane.
The Kreglo and Horton murders are the
only ones OF late years which compare with
that of yesterday morning that have been
committed within the District limits. and
the popular fesling against both these mur-
! derers was intense. It was at one time
| feared that when Ford, the murderer of
! Elsie Kreglo, was brought, here he would
surely be lynched. and extraordinary pre-
cautions were taken to prevent such an
occurrence. When he reached the city and
/ was taken TO Police Headquarters to be
measured and photographed large crowd
gathered around the doors OF the building
and threats of violence to the prisoner
were so freely made that il was deemed
/ best to take him out secretly and convey
/ him to the stationhouse, where he was to
/ be ineareerated until after the coroner's
inquest. In el.e other case the coolness
of the murderer seemed to overbalance the
anger of the crowd, and although at the
time of his arrest persons cried Lynch
hint" no one present seemed to care to
I join in the affair and the prisoner was
removed to the jail without difficulty.