Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1906-01-04
Mystery Surrounds the Muir.
der OF Sarah Whitmirc.

clew has ben found with which any
substanti II evidence can be establish
ed. The County Commissioners met
shortly after the tragedy occurred and
offered 5000 for the capture and CON
viction of the guilty part, believing
that the one who committed the
! crime could be easily found.
There seemed to be no organizei,
efforts on tho part of any one for
this considvi lon, to establish evil
dence and bring the guilty party to
| justice. The Commissioners met
again and increased the reward to
$500. All who have been suspected
of the crime have beon able to prove
an alibi. One arrest was made but
for want of evidence the party was
released.
Before the coroncr'S jury Thurs
day night following the murder the
story of the, discovery of the murder
and something of the circumstances
surrounding it, We're officially told
| by Il half dozen or more witnesses
! The inquest began about five o clock
after the following jury had been
empaneled: General Bigger, Daniel
Taylor, jefferson Secules, William
TayOr, Jacob StackhouSe and George
Meyers. Under the direction of
Coroner Mcllenry post mortem ex,
animation of the woman's body was
made, and the wounds ON the head
elected the opinion of DR.. McHenry
that there were, in all probability,
TWO persons engaged in the killing
There were three distinct features,
and in his judgement, these had all
been made with the sticks of stove
wood found in the house A fact of
value TO those upon whom devolves
the task of ferreting out the perpe-
traitors of the crime WAS the discov-
cry that upon one of the sticks of
wood was found several short light
colored hairs, evidently those of a
man. Upon this fact is based the
theory that Mrs Whitmire had
wrested the bludgeon from her as
sailant and had succeeded in using
it effectively upon him before either
himself or his companion rendered
her senselesS.
Edward Watts, the hoy who rode
from Strawbridgc to Muncy Valley
with the Rev. 5. b. Bidlack, testified
that after they had driven past the
house he heard Il shout, hut thought
nothing of it, as he concluded it was
somebody on their road home who
was hallowing for sport. This sound
is now thought to have been either
the cry of the woman or that of one
of her assassans.
Charles Hopper, one Of the tannery
men who accompanied Charles Flick
to the house, was il witness at the
inquest and de5crib, d the ap ,earan, e
of the room and the body is found
by them.
The evidence of Charles Flick
who found the woman dying on the
floor, was to the effect that he had
seen Mrs. Whitmire during the day
and told her that he would be back
70 her house that night to stay, but
that, in all probability, it would be
late before he arrived. "I'll give
you the old Jerry Whitmire signal"
he told her, striking the house
three times with IL board, and then
you'll know it's me and you can let
me in" Flick, when he reached
the house about II O'Clock Wednes-
day night, crossed the creek on the
foot bridge, whacked three times
against the lite bo lrd h vel, but
got no response. Then he discovered
that the door was open, walked in,
struck match and found himself
standing at the edge of pool of
blood, with the woman's body pros
trate on the floor almost at his feet.
She was moaning. But stopping
neither to endeavor To have her
speak or to do aught else he fled from
/ the place toward town. mile and a
half away, for help.
1t was almost midnight Thursday
when the coroner's jury formulated
a verdict, which was TO that Mrs.
Whitmire had come to her death at