The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-26
CRcMATED IN HIS OWN HOME.
CHRISTIAN sWORE 1T SHOULD NOT
GO TO THE MoRTGAGEE.

Met Death in the Flames After
NainIy Trying to Kill the Man Who
Held the Mortgage on It-TOwn of
Newto1vn, o., the Scene of the
Tragedy.
From the Cincinnati Enquirer.
The pretty little village of Newtown was
the scene yesterday of a tragedy which
en- the cunning and premedltation of its
conception and the successful execution
Of is grewsome &c ais has seldom, if
ever. been surpassed. Even the horrors
that attended the awful work Of the In
,,lisitors in The Middle Ages cannot COM
pete with the sanguinary work of an aged
man. who brought his long life to a close
by a horrible method. Jacob Christman,
bent under the weight of 80 years. first
tried TO Stay man who held a mortgage
on his property, ard fai ing in this, be-
cause his arm was not as steady and his
eve not as clear as in days gone by, set
his old home on fire and persisted in the
flames. rather than see it pass into the
hands of a man he regarded in the fight
OF a relentless prosecutor. The element
Of pathos entered largely into the death
OF this old man Embittered by the
tauns and ridicule of many unthinking
ones, his once slalwart frame racked with
constant pains. palsied and intirm, with
the picture Of strangers occupying the cid
house which he had built from the pro-
cetds Of honSst toll constantly before him,
knowing that he was hated for his eccen-
tricfies and brusqueness, he chose 10 de
after attempting to XIII the man whom
he blamed for being the author OF his
u0uF .es.
Started "a Brewery.
Many years ago when young man
Christman settled in NeWtown. He was an
Industrious and frugal young German, and
securing a little capital started brewery,
which occupied the site of the substantial
house in which he incnerated himself
yesterday He married one Of the neigh
horhood girls and the young couple start
ed TO fight the battle of life with the
f. rest of prospects. Two children were
born. Katie and Lizzie and the acme of
Christmans happiness was attained The
brewery business was abandoned and in
its pace there rose a fourteen-room house,
u which none in the village was superior
IN point of architecture and convenience,
Chrlstman was not morose or sul.en then.
Instead he was good-na tured and jolly
ami loved nothing better than to have his
house the scene Of Old-fashiOned country
parties. This was before he was COM
I-led to borrow money from w. R. Ma
il, president OF the Cincinnati and East
ern Railroad, which is now known as the
&C., p and v" Magill was the solid
man of the village, and was looked up to
Ivy everybody. He was the superintend-
ent OF Sunday school, and if any one
had minated that he was not what he
represented himself to be he would have
taireQ badly. Chrlstman became strait
ened financially and as Magill had al
ways professed to be his warm friend he
went to him and requested the loan of
$aV, For the amount he gave mortgage
on his house.
Committed Suicide.
One day the village was shocked to hear
of the suicide of Magill which was partic-
ulary horrible. He leaped through the
open door of a baggage car as the train
was passing over the lofty trestle that
spans Elk Run, near Winchester, o., and
was crushed out of all semblance to a
human being. 1t DEVELOPED shortly after
his death that he was involved in serious
financial difficulties. The greater part of
his paper was found to be worthless, and
some of it contained false signatures In
the schedule of Magilfs assets was found
The Christman mortgage. L. d. Drake
was appointed executor of the estate, and
he attempted to collect the money due
on the mortgage.
The mortgage was the subject of many
violent disputes between the two men.
Christman always insisted that he had
PAD the money, affirming that Magill had
destroyed the original mortgage and
Drake was always rebuffed when he pre-
sented the claim. 1t was then that the
mortgage began to prey upon the old
man mind, and he made the life of his
daughters so miserable that they were
compelled to leave the home where they
mad spent so many happy hours. Katie
TOOK up her residence with an uncle,
CHARLES Gertie, who lives at Dry Run,
Hew miles distant She secured position
as teacher in the Oakley school, being
an exceptionally bright young woman, and
with her earnings she and her invalid Sis
.er Lizzie, lived in comparative comfort
1aeanWhile the old man led the life of
hermit, practically, and his eccentricities
becoming so manifest often leading him
10 reVlle his neighbors he grew to be
cordially disliked, although a great deal
OF sympathy was expressed for him, as
ms HlHerences with Drake were well
M!oWn. Recently Christman offered the
Iauer S5O in cash and his note for the
paiance of the debt, thus lifting the mort
sage Upon brakes refusal to comply,
stman walked away, muttering sub
dued threats
Threatened to XIII Himself.
Last Sunday he called on his daughter
hdls ana talked about nothing else but
ne became violently angry, and denounced
'Ht administrator in bitter terms. The
Eouhs lady had TO close her ears to keep
nom hearing the TRADE that was literally
SpIihN Cd with profanity. Finally he
Stopped IN his restless pacing and run
AIng his tremulous hand through his shock
u white hair, he dramatically exclaimed:
mat house shah never pass into the
HaHds Of Drake. No, not even if have to
sSIii 1t and then kill myself. swear it
H!aiI never pass into his hands"
Ills daughter thought that his remark
was put a phantasy of a disordered and
,uldlsh mind and paid but scant atten-
.oh 70 It. 1t was recalled to her with
SIrlole Vividress yesterday morning when
Sne saw al that was left of her father
dragged from the glow ng cinders of his
ttHAei al pyre. Monday evening the ha-
"i.ues OF the village grocery saw Christ
nan coming down tie road with a coal oil
ean IN his hand. He entered the store
VIII llyfs