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Paulding County, Ohio

 

 

From: Idaho Daily Statesman
Nov. 6, 1894

Brutal Crime in Ohio

Bodies of two children found in Brush Heap

Both Horribly Muliated

Paulding, O., Nov 5

A most appalling murder was discovered here this morning. Two children of Samuel Good, living three miles north of town, were found in a brush pile murdered and an attempt had made made to burn the bodies. The girl aged 6, was decapitated and disembowlled, and the boy's throat was cut ear to ear and his head nearly severed from his body. The boy was 9 years old.
The children left home at 10 a.m. yesterday. At 3 p.m. a searching party was organized and searched all night and at 3 o'clock this morning the bodies were found. They presented a most horrible spectacle.
News of the affair spread rapidly and soon hundreds of people were on the scene. Sheriff Staley was among the number and arrested Charley Hart, a neighbor's boy, who was at once suspected and the people of the neighborhood are firm in the conviction of his guilt. Young hart says he cannot read or write and does not know his age, and is very nervous. When accused of the crime he denied it.
When the bodies were found within three rods of young Hart's home. The little boys' boots were found in the grass a short distance from the bodies.
Their little hands were tied together with a piece of tarred rope attached to a billet of wood, resembling a roughly hewn pump handle. It is thought this will furnish a definite clue if the boy is guilty. One of the grounds for suspicion is that when the dead bodies were found, the boy discarged his gun and ran to his home in an excited manner. He was one of the searching party and was not far distant when the children were found.

Van Wert. O., Oct 5

Suspect Arrested

Charles Hart, aged 18, has been arrested, charged with the murder of tow children of the farmer near Paulding, Ohio, whose mutilated bodies were found today. Hart is in jail here and it is reported that from 300 to 500 men are organizing to take him from jail and hang him.

Van Wert, O., Nov 5

Mob after the Murderer

As soon as Hart was taken to the Paulding jail a mob of 300 to 500 men organized to hang the prisoner at once but were dissuaded on the plea that the chances were largely in favor's of the boy's innocence and that the guilty party was still at large. It was evident this argument would hold the crowd off only until night came on and the sheriff watched his opportunity to spirit the prisoner away to the jail at this place, a distance of 30 miles. It is reported tonight that the mob is coming from Paulding into Van Wert county in such numbers that it cannot be resisted by authorities.

 

 

 

 

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