Democratic Sentinel, Volume 3, Number 31, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 12 September 1879 — HORRIBLE TRAGEDY. [ARTICLE]

HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.

An Ohio Lad Murders His Mother, Aunt and Consin, and Commits Suicide. [Cincinnati Telegram.] The finding of the dead bodies of three women at Waynesville, Ohio, has been heretofore mentioned. The suicide of Willie Anderson, tho son of Mrs. Hatte, one of tho victims, news of which has just been received, completes one of the most remarkable cases of crime in the history of the State. The investigations of the Coroner and of detectives have developed the following facts: Mrs. Hatte lived in Waynesville, a small Quaker village in Warren county, with Willie Anderson, her son by a former divorced husband, a l«d 18 years of age. With her w6re staying temporarily her sister, Mrs. Clementine Weeks, of Cincinnati, and a 12-year-old daughter of the latter. One week ago last night neighbors of the family heard screams issuing from the house, but little attention was paid to the fact. On Sunday morning the boy Willio loft Waynesville for Cincinnati. On the same day persons passing the house noticed an offensive smell coming therefrom. On yesterday afternoon it got so bad that the Marshal ventured to open one of the windows, when the stench becamo horrible. Entering, ho found the room in confusion and two dead bodies lying one on a bod and the other under. A further search revealed a third body in the back room, and all were in an advanced stage of decomposition, while tho head of tho one in the front room had been eaten by rats until the hair and scalp were all gone. The bodies were unrecognizable exo;pt by Lie garments. The mother and child lay in the front room. Mrs. Hatte, in the back room, near a lounge, was covered with a tick, and had her head mashed. The victims had evidently retired, tho lit:lo girl’s pallet lying on the floor near the window board, stained and tumbled, while the child lay on the bed, partially covered by cE thes. The poor mother had crawled under her bed to die. Her arm was gashed wi'h blows from the hatchet, as if it had beon put up to protect her head. Suspicion at once attached to the boy, whose conduct toward the close of the week had been noticed to be suspicious. It appeared by testimony before the Coroner that he had left the house on Tuesday night and spent tho rest of the week at a hotel. He was seen, however, several times going badt to the place, and the discovery of a dime novel, which had been loaned him on Saturday, Ling by his mother’s side shows that he must have spent some time iu the house as late as Saturday night. It appears that after leaving Waynesville on Sunday morning l;o came to Cincinnati, where his father, Daniel R. Anderson, is Jiving. He stayed at a hotel hero over night, visited his father, aud passed the time about the city. Last night he ’•esolved to go back to the scene of the tragedy, whether with the intention of confessing tho deed or or putting a bold face upon the matter is not known. He had no money, and, being unable to pay his fare, was put off the train at Plainville, a few miles out of Cincinnati. He went to a hotel, but was refused admittance, not having money to pay his lodging. Nothing more was seen of him until 1 o’clock to-day, when he was found on a coal heap near tho station with a bullet through his head and his right hand grasping a thirty-two caliber pistol. He had been dead somo hours. The motive of the lad for committing the terrible crime can only be surmised. He was living apparently on good terms with his mother and aunt, aud was regarded in the village and iu the printing office where ho woiked as a peaceable boy. The only thing which affords a clew to the mystery is that he acted for or with his father. Mrs. Hatte was married to Anderson when she was 16 years old. She was a pretty girl, and in her later years was regarded as a handsome woman. After the birth of the son difficulties arose and a divorce followed. Subsequently the woman was married to a Mr. Hatte, who died wot long ago in an iusane asylum. The of the detectives is tnat Anderson is in some way implicated in the murder, and that Mrs. Woeks and her daughter were killed because they wore witnesses ot the deed. The deed lias" created a profound sensation, and further details are eagerly awaited.