Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1910-06-08

ing the solitaire, found Hardy lying
on the floor in the southwest corner
of the CELL Mason said he felt Hardy's
hand, and 1t appeared to be colder
than it should be if the body was at its
normal temperature. He seemed to be
unconscious. The deputy spoke to the
youth, but the latter did not answer
him. The physician was then called.
Later when Hardy regained his
senses he remained silent when asked
for an explanation, saying no more
than that his head was aching badly.
Theory of Murder.
There are two distinct theories Of the
murder, one of which must be accept
ed in summing up the details. These
refer especially to the facts that none
of the victims made a struggle for his
life; that they We're killed one by one
and at different times, and that the
blows were delivered with remarkable
trueness and deadly effect.
These facts all point to one of two
things. Either the murderer was
stranger and took each and every one
of his victims by surprise or he was
well-known ITO them, and because of
this acquaintance or friendship, he
was able to do his deadly work with
terrible accuracy and dispatch.
Stranger May Have Hid.
Taking the first theory it might have
been possible for a stranger, or other
person, to have taken all three of the
members Of the family by surprise and
to have killed them separately. This
might have been so, in view of the fact
that none of them had a chance to
fight for his life, SO they must have
been taken by complete and absolute
surprise. By being so caught una
wares might account for the accuracy
of the blows.
1t is peculiar of the triple crime that
every blow went true to the mark
which was the top of the head. Not
one blow missed. They all went
home and they number twelve or fif
teen.
This gives weight to the belief that
the first blow in each case knocked the
victim down. The other blows. and
there were from three to five landed on
each head. were probably struck after
the victims were down.
Friend Would Have Chance.
Then opposite to this theory that the
family was killed by a person who
took them by surprise, so complete that
he was able to beat them TO the floor,
then kill them so quickly that they did
not have time to make struggle, is
found the theory that the same condi-
tons might have resulted had the
murdered would have by reason of any
the closest relations with the other
members of the family. Such a rela-
tionship would give him all the adj
vantage and more than the other
murdered would have by reason of any
advantageous position he might take.
Such friend. relative or intimate
could strike down the members one
by one and slaughter them separately.
without their having the chance to
struggle or perhaps even cry out.
Order Of the Killing.
Sheriff Nicholson and County At
torney ]. H. Egermayer hold that the
order of the killings were that the
mother was slaughtered first. the
son Earl next and Mr.. Hardy last. They
also agree that all were killed with the
gaspipe and that il was left where the
last and third murder was committed
in the COW stable.
If Raymond committed the murders
he had at least the advantage Of SUI
perior size and strength over the other
of the family. All the others
were of slight build. The father is
small man. not weighing over 140
or $50 pounds. His right hand was
badly crippled with rheumatism.
The son Earl was physically weak,
and was slightly undersize, being OF
slender frame. He did not weigh over
800 Mrs Hardy was slight and
rather small woman. 1t is said that
she was subject to heart weakness.
Raymond is taller than his father
and much taller and heavier than either
of the other two He is of a stronger,
sturdier physique than any of the
others.
Many to Encam pint nt.