The Central Nevadan. [volume] (Battle Mountain, Nev.) 1885-1907, 1905-01-26

was made on Mrs. J. K. Harper, of Reno,
early last Friday morning. The fendish
brute entered the Harper home on
Second street and going into the room
where Mrs. Harper and her two children
was sleeping, he struck her many times
with an ak and then taking her out OF
the front door, dragged her to the wood
shed where he evidently made an attempt
to cut off her head.
10 speaking of the terrible affair the
Gazette says:
"The would be murderer entered the
house through a window on the east
side Standing on toy wagon belong
ing to one OF the children, he pried up
the window with a hatchet, which he
was carrying, and entered the house
The room he entered had door opening
into the sleeping apartment OF Mrs.
Harper, but this was not opened. The
assassin made a circuit OF the front
rooms and came to the bedroom. BE
seized the helpless woman as she lay IN
bed and as she screamed, dealt her a
blow with the ak he carried. The cry of
the injured mother and the flying blood
that saturated them, aroused the two
children sleeping with her, who crawled
under the covers to shut out the terrible
scene. The brute then dragged the
woman into the another room in which
the three frightened children followed
Eddie, aged Q, was the first to enter
the place, and in telling Of it afterwards
said
We heard mamma crying and
thought the man WAS killing her because
he wanted to rob the house. told him
10 take everything we had in the house.
but not to kill p,amma. Tie chased US
back and said mamma was al right.
Then he dragged her TO The front door
and we ran to Mr., Irving's to ask him to
/ TO help u.s.
"Mr. Irving, who had been called by
the children, seized his gun. rushed to
the house and hogan search for The
would be mnrderer. He telephoned for
the officers and physician, who found
Mrs. Harper lying in the woedshed in
pool II blood and utterly unconscious,
"That the crime was planned before
hand seems to he certainty. On the
night previous some one had attempted
10 enter the house and succeeded IN
raising the window, but they were over
heard hy Mrs. Harper, who got up aod
rang the telepone bell TO scare them
away. At that time she thought IL was
some ne WHO wanted to rob the house
and all the lights were left burning.
The back door was barred and it WAS
thought all the windows had been locked,
The front door was kept closed by means
OF safety catch.
THE murderer was deliberate and
cold blooded in his acts and while carry.
ing out his tiendish purpose was chewing
tobacco, traces of which he left in the
room.
"The fact that no money or valnables
were taken or anything disturbed In the
rooms would indicate that robbery was
not the motive OF the would be murder.
er. A watch and jewels were on the
bureau in plain sight and purse in the
drawer. all OF which were apparently un.
noticed.
"Neighbors have taken charge of the
children, Mrs Irving caring for Evelyn
and Eddie, aged 8 and Z respectively,
and the youngest child, Helen, who is 5,
is being cared for by Mrs. Blair.
an speaking of the sad trouble little
Evelyn today said:
"when papa is away we all sleep in
the same room with mamma Last night
Helen and | were in bed with her and
Eddie was in crib next to the bed. 1t
was early this morning when l heard
mamma cry and woke up A big man
was standing over us by the bed. be
hit mamma and the blood few all over
Helen and me. was afraid and hid my
head under the covers. Then the man
took mamma into the other room and
we went in and asked him not to hurt
her, but to take our money and go away
lit started t. chase us around the house
but then he quit ard picked mamma up
and went out the front door with her.
As soon rs be had gone we got out OF
the house and went to find help
A negro by the name Of Eli Reeves
has been captured ard is now in the
state prison, he having already confessed
that he committed tie crime
He was first soen sinking about the
Newlands house rot far from the Rhodes
ranch near Reno. He had been seen
hanging around that section since Mon
day morning, frightening the children,
and complaints had been made to the
officers about him.
When the news of the assault on Mrs