The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1914-05-16
Confessed
YOUNG MAN ARRESTED IN
CHICAGO ADMITS
TRIPLE MURDER.
Tells In Detail Of Killing of Entire
Family With Whom He Worked
Near lrOnton.

Special Dispatch TO he Intelligence.
lRONTON. ONO. MAY I5-Harley
Beard. eighteen. arrested I'm Chicago
this afternoon. confessed 20 the mur-
ger OF three persons on farm near
here, last "Wednesday
Beard with perfect calmness. in the
presence OF Chicago detectives. said
that he first beat his victims on the
head with a stick of wood and then
completed the work with a razor.
Those he killed were Robert Massie.
forty i've: his sister. Mary. forty-six: /:
and their mother. Mrs. Nancy Massie.
eighty.
Beard was arrested at the home OF
his sister. Mrs. ID. r. Day. AZ 1881 ".
Madison street. Chicago. as the result
OF word sent 10 that city from here.
Il went TO work for the Massies last
September" said the prisoner whose
words were written down by a detec-
tive.
Il worked for them all winter and
we got along all right. although on the
Whole they treated me pretty rough.
particularly Bob. Last Monday morn
ing at 3 80 or 4 o'clock Mary and /
got up and hitched up the rig for Bob.
He said he was going to lronton or
TO Arlington TO buy some furniture.
Mary followed me to my room. and
when ! ordered her out we auarreled
Then her mother came and scolded
me. and when | tried TO answer back
that | was not at fault she wouldn't
listen.
Hit With Hatehet.
Bob got home about IL o'clock that
night and then Mary's story was told
10 him. He did not say much TO me
Tuesday. but Wednesday afternoon
while he was mailing a board on a
fence he tried to hit saa with a
Ratchet ! warded this blow on. but
the next one landed and he said he
would cut my head on"
The confession recites that after
this Bob started for the house. Beard
following. The fight was renewed
Beard picked up stake and as Bob
reached the stairway he hit him on
the head. Mary came running up and
was felled with another blow and the
same fate was dealt out TO the aged
mother. Beard continued:
And so ] didn't think the Massies
were dead and ] cut their throats
with a razor"
This ended the confession. except
that the relator added that he was
not sure whether he cut Bob's throat.
The arrest was made in Chicago on
Information telephoned from the sher-
in here. Beard. after the murders.
ransacked the house. stole $50 and two
gold watches, drove TO the railroad sta
ton and took a train for Chicago
Dfhu Sdlu ne arrived IN NnlCdgO this
morning and went direct TO the home
OF Mrs. Day
Prominently Connected.
Mrs. Massie. her son Robert and
daughter Mary had a country home at
GREASY Ridge. this county. 25 miles
from lronton. They were prominently
connected in this city. another son be-
ing Commissioner W. +. Massie. Their
bodies were found today. Miss Mary
Massie was found in the kitchen OF
the house with her hands tied behind
her back and her throat cut Robert
was found I'm the back yard with his
head battered in. and the aged mother
was found In the front yard. with her
throat cut and skull crushed.
he police say that the positions in
which the bodies were found strongly
indicate an attack on the daughter.
the pursuit and murder OF the aged
mother in the yard. and the waylaying
and killing OF the son near the barn.