The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-11-02
TRUTH REV EALED IN DREAM
"A STORY OF ACTUAL LIEE.


Tho Innocent Wife Has tho Real
Murderer Shown to Her by Her
Slain Husband in q Vision OF tho
Night.
The Thornton murder, which oc.
curred at the Mckinley mines, in Vir.
ginia has developed into one Of the
strangest sensations OF tho times and
the profound mystery which develop.
el the bloody decd has been revealed
by dream.
The innocent wife OF the murdered
man, who was incarcereted in Jail,
charged with tho crime. seemed to
have had some strange visitation dur
Ing her sleep In her prison cell, and
the unknown murderer was revealed
to her In dream, In which her dead
husband told her that her cousin,
George Ray, was his murderer.
John Thornton, who was 80 myste-
July 30th, was popular mining man
who had many friends at Prosperity,
where he resided, and also at Webb
City, his former homo. He was thirty
four years of age when killed. About
eight years ago he married girl, and
for several months they lived happily
together. She was insanely Jealous,
and he seemed to often dell ght in tria.
Ing with her jealous feelings and to
amase himself by exciting her suspi-
cions, especially when she ohanced to
provoke or irritate him.
On one occasion he had aroused her
jealous fury to such an extent that she
got pistol and attempted to kill him,
on the streets Of Webb City, but the
bullet missed It's mark. Two years
later she again tried to kill him, but
he seized the pistol and in the scuft,e
for 1t Mrs. Thornton was shot in the
!, stomach, but soon recovered.
After that they lived more peaceably
i, together, and seemed happy and
devoted to each other, except for oc.
casional little family tilts, when she
would become infuriated with anger,
, almost always the result Of jealousy.
Once In her life she vowed that she
would never be happy until she had
drunk John ThorntOn's hearts blood,
but when her anger passed away she
but suspicious wife.
On Saturday night, July Goth, John
Thornton went to his usual work ss
night engineer and watohmen at the
Bulldog mine, one of tho Mckinley
group, just west Of Prosperity. Il wss
lh'a custom &" rem,atr there eIl night
when the mil .-.u.ng n,ent
shift.
About midnight he received q visit
from friend, Il. D. Hawkins the
night watchman OF the Good Enough
mine, close by. During their CONVEX
SETON Hew kins noticed a new ring on
Ihornton'e finger and opoke OF it ad.
miringly.. Thornton esid l.: "Yes, I
paid % for it on tho installment plan
at Is cents q week." Saying this. he
took of the ring and handed it to
HAWKING who examined It and then re-
turned 1t to Thornton. The two mon
chatted pleasantly together until after
O'Clock, when Hawkins took his dc.
parture. He Was the last person, OK.
cept the assassin, who ever saw John
Thornton alive.
Next morning about 8 O'clock J. r.
Corhett, an employee of the Victor
mine, was passing, and glancing into
the engine room saw Thornton lying
down, apparently asleep. He called
to him, but receiving no response
shook him, and then discovered that
tho man was doad, with his throat cut
from ear to ear and On immense gap.
Ing wound and mass OF clotted blood
presenting q ghastly speotaole. Thorn
: ton had been lying face downward in o
pool of blood and o mass of cinders
from the boiler, and his face was
own life's blood.
Cornett soon spread the alarm and
tho coroner appeared. When tho MUIR
dered mans face WAS washed o bullet
hole was found In the right temple.
The coroner's jury returned verdict
: to tho effoct that John Thornton had
come to his death 1T tho hands Of some
person or persons to the jury unknown.
1t was mystery. to which no Glow
could bo found until Hawkins, the man
, who had last seen Thornton alive, 40.
, Thornton and his Chat about the ring,
It was then noticed that the ring was
gone, and robbery Was supposed to
: have boon the motive of tho murder.
, While tho myettded miners and VIII
, lsgers discussed the strange killing
, and advanced variOus theories as to It's
cause and as to the assasein, O curious
coincidence happened ct the Thornton
, home.
The wife OF tho murd ered man
} handed her mother o gold ring and
! told her to put In on Johns finger
, that she wanted him buried with tho
ring on the finger whore he had worn
1t. These who hoard OF this incident
end had heard HAWKING tell OF seeing
this Same ring on Thornton'a finger the
, night before coupled tho two Incidents
together and thought they had found
; q bolution of the mystery and had dis.
covered the assassin.
Mrs. Thornton was asked whore she
got tho ring.
, 81 shook 1t out OF John'o clothes,"
she answered, unconscious OF the part
: She ring was to play In loading to her
accusation OF the murder.
D There was talk On every side. The
, wife OF the dead man was believed to
> be the assassin or On accomplice.
Her several attempts to kill her hus.