Evening star., 1907-08-20
DOUBLE CRIME
IN new JERSEY
Wife and Servant Are FouIIy
Murdered.
HUSBAND FROM HOME
Fought Fire at His Barn While As
sassins Robbed.
SOME FARM HANDS SUSPECTED
Tragedy Occurred About Four O'Clock
This Morning-Farm Situated in
Lonely Part of County.

CAMDEN, N. j., August 20-While Ed
ward Horner. a farmer, was trying early
today to extinguish fire, thought to have
been kindled in his barn for the apparent
purpose of drawing him from his home
between Collingswood and MerchantviIle,
a few miles from this city, some one en-
tered the house and murdered his wife
Annie with an AK and with the same
weapon attacked Victoria NapoM. an
Italian servant who probably went to the
rescue of her mistress. The servant died
short time later in hospital in this city
The home of the Horners is situated in
a lonely part of Camden county. About
month ago Horner had trouble with several
Italian farm hands who were employed for
the trucking season upon the Horner farm
The Italians when discharged made threats
of vengeance, Horner said, and one of
them threatened to destroy his house and
barn by fire.
About 4 o'clock this morning Horner
awoke and from the window of his bed
room saw a red glare. He arose and saw
that his barn, quite a large structure, was
In flames. He ran to the structure and
saw that the fire had spread beyond the
handed. Fearing that the fire might be
carried by the wind to his home he left
the barn to its fate and hurried back to
the house intending to arouse his wife and
servant.
Terrible Scene Greeted Him.
| Upon entering the house he heard groans,
and going into the kitchen and lighting a
| lamp he saw Victoria Napoli lying on the
| floor in a pool of blood. Her head was
| frightfully gashed and her garments torn
as though she had fercely struggled to
ward off an attack.
A still greater horror awaited Horner,
I Co. t..
| body of his wife. Mrs. Horner's throat
had been cut through to the skin at the
back of her neck. The keen instrument
which severed her throat had crushed
| through the spinal column. The woman's
| face was beaten and gashed almost beyond
| recognition and her skull was shattered.
Not far from where the body lay Horner
dition of the room indicated that the mur-
| derers had met with strong resistance.
Evidently Surprised Burglar.
Mrs. Horner, it is thought, was awakened
| by her husband leaving the house to go to
| the burning barn. She evidently dressed
| and went down stairs, and in passing
| through the dining room must have met
| the assassin. There she fought desperately
| against the attack, it Is thought, and de-
| Tended herself until a blow from the ak
| felled her. Then, it is thought, the other
| wounds were inflicted. The murderer must
have rained blow upon blow on the pros
| trate body.
The condition of the kitchen as well as of
the dining room shows that both women
fought when attacked. Walls, floors and
furniture and even the ceiling in the dining
room were spattered with blood.
Never Regained Consciousness.
Horner, upon making sure that his wife
| was dead, ran to his nearest neighbor and
reported the crime. The news of the MUIR
der soon spread to other farms, and by day.
light a score of farmers were at the Hor-
ner home.
The wounded servant was sent to a hos
! pital here and while she lay in the institu-
| ton efforts were made to get from her a
statement which might lead to the capture
| of her assalant This was found impossi-
BILE, for the woman bee anne unconscious and
remained so until shortly after 8 o'c,ock,
| when she died.
The police are making close search and
colored man was given employment on the
| farm yesterday, but he did not report for
work this morning. Horner says the muir
dererS entered the living room of the house
! and secured 81 and Two gold watches which
he declares only person who was familiar
with the building could have obtained.
| Horner says the murderers must have been
interrupted in their work Of gathering up
| the table cutlery by Mrs. Horner who, it
is thought, was going to assist her husband
at the barn when She was attacked.