Democratic Sentinel, Volume 7, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 26 October 1883 — BENTON COUNTY’S HORROR. [ARTICLE]

BENTON COUNTY’S HORROR.

The Butchery of Ada Atkinson—Confession of the Murderer —A Thrillingiy Dramatic Scene in Court —Unsuccessful Attempts to Lynch the Brute. On Thursday, the 11th day of October last,. <a most cruel and unnatural murder was perpetrated near Oxford, Benton county, Ada Atkinson, the young: daughter of Farmer Atkinson, being the victim. She had been left alone at the house that day, the other members of the family having absented themselves on various errands. The only human beings who are known to have been near the house were some hired farm laborers, three or four in number, and their work called them no nearer to the fatal spot than a quarter of a mile. In the evening about dusk an , elder sister of Ada returned home, and was horrified to find the poor girl lying upon the flgor of her room dead, her throat cut from ear to ear, and the inanimate body hacked and slashed and mutilated in a most cruel and innuman manner. The news spread like wildfire, and the whole neighborhood for miles around was thoroughly aroußed. The horror and Indignation excited by the fiendish and bloody deed was such as is rarely witnessed in any community. The populace would gather in knots and talk in undertones. W r hen neighbor would meet neighbor they would converse for a few moments in the usual tones, but immediately they would begin to speak in whispers, and bystanders would know the butchery of Ada Atkinson was the topic under discussion. Detectives were at once summoned to the scene of the awful crime. The murderer left no clew by which his bloody hand could be traced up. He had covered up his.tracks well. Upon the farm was employed a man named Jacob Nelling, well advanced in years, who enjoyed a bad reputation. Suspicion naturally pointed to him. After two or three days’ fruitless work of the detectives, the suspicion of the neighbors grew into a positive conviction that Nelling was the author of the foul deed. The wretch became aware of this, and, to save his own neck, denounced a fellow-workman named Jacob Ladd —an honest, manly young fellow—as the murderer of Ada Atkinson. Very few believed in Ladd’s guilt, this turn in the affair serving rather to strengthen the belief that Nelling was the true murderer. Both'were placed under arrest, however. On Tuesday, Oct. 15, a public investigation of Nelling and his charge against Ladd was begun in the court-house at Fowler, the county seat of Benton county, in the presence of several hundred citizens and the officials afld legal lights of the county. Several lawyers of State fame were also present, including Judge Coffroth and Col. Dehart, of Lafayette. The examination of Nelling was intrusted to Judge Coffroth, and he did his work well. The shrewd lawyer, by his sharp cross-questionings, led the fiend into contradictions and admissions that left no doubt of his guilt in the minds of those present. Notwithstanding his self-accusing words, however, Nelling stuck to his main charge, that Ladd was the man who killed Ada Atkinson; that he saw him go into the house late on the afternoon of the murder, carrying with him an ax, and that ho made a remark before entering the house which led him (Nelling) to believe that “ something awful was going to happen.” After Judge Coffroth had finished questioning the witness, one of the most thrilling and dramatic scenes ever witnessed in a temple of justice was presented. Young Ladd was placed upon tho stand, nnd in a plain, straightforward manner, told his story, which directly contradicted that of Nelling. When he had concluded, Judge Coffroth, addressing Nelling, said, in his clear, ringing voice: “Nelling, is that the man who came to you in Atkinson’s yard on the afternoon of the murder and went into the house? ” Nelling pretended to look scrutinizingly at Ladd, who openly faced him, and then said in that same monotone: “That looks like him.” “Stand up, Ladd,” said Judge Coffroth. Ladd arose. “Nelling, stand up, and face him,” said the Judge. The two men stood looking at each other, not three feet apart—Ladd with the natural complacence of innocence; Nelling, with the dogged and now palpably forced glare that a brassy criminal uses because he must perforce look into the eyeAf innocence. “Jacob Nelling, do yon solemnly swear that man before you, Jacob Ladd, is the man who came to you in Mr. Atkinson’s yard and who went into the house on the afternoon of the murder?” asked Judge Coffroth impressively. “I do,” said Nelling, in his strained tone, and then added: “Yes, sir, that’s the man. I know him. That’s the man that done the murder. If I was going to be killed this minute I’d say he is the man, he is the man that went in the house;” and so he went on protesting too much. When Nelling was done, hoarse whispers about “ the villain ” were heard throughout the room, that had been almost painfully still up to this time. “May I ask him some questions?” asked young Ladd. Judge Coffroth 'said he might, as many as he pleased. Turning to Nelling the big round eyes of young Ladd dwelt a moment oh the cowering glare of the diabolical villain, who was trying to swear his life away. At just this moment the young man seemed positively grand. He rose above the surroundings; his mind turned its full force upon the subject in hand. He was not a boy then, hut a guiltless man, standing before nis cowardly, dogged eondemner —a splendid picture of innocence, which neither pallor nor blush could mar. Then came, in a voice full of the assurance of innocence, the words: “Mr. Nelling, before God do you swear that I came to Mr. Atkinson’s yard on that day?” > “I do,” said Nelling, glaring in the big brown eyes, his jaws set, his whole body apparently rigid, strung up to about its highest pitch, that he might carry himself through this terrible battle, face to face with confident innocence. “Then how was I dressed?”|asked the young man. Nelling hesitated, and said that he didn’t know; that he never took any notice how people were dressed. “What did I have on my feet?” asked Ladd. Nelling, in his testimony, had swprn that Ladd wore a pair of fine boots, with small heels, probably intended to match some tracks that had long ago been found leading from the house. Now he hesitated somewhat and said: “You had on what I would call pretty good boots. Yoy might not think they were good but they would be pretty fine for me to wear.” “What kind of pants did I wear?” “I don’t remember. My memory ain’t very good,” answered Nelling. “Did I wear my pants inside or outside my boots?” asked Ladd. “I couldn’t say. My memory Is bad.” “Well,” said Ladd, “you are old enough to have memory sufficiently for that question.” “Maybe I’m too old,” replied Nelling. “What kind es a coat or hat did I have on?” “I don’t know: I didn’t notice.” “Well, sir,” said the young man, “did 1 have on any coat?” “ I don’t remember, I tell you. I only remember it was you.” This was enough. Ladd was satisfied, and %o was the assembly. After this thrilling episode no one had any further doubt of Nelling’s guilt and Ladd's innocence. Nelling was fully apprised of this feeling, and during the night he weakened and made a full confession of his awful crime; When the court convened the following morning Col. Dehart read the confession, which was in the following words: L, Jacob Nelling, being duly sworn, acknowledge that I killed Ada Atkinson with my pocketknife, shown to-day in open court in the Benton county court-house. I killed her under the following circumstances. Before I started to do it something came oter me that enticed me to do so. I started from the fence on the east side of the orchard to the house. I entered the south door of the house. I went up-stairs and found Ada up there. I said to her, "Ada, lam going to kill you." She told me not to do it, that she did not want to die that way. I told her I should do it, but don’t recollect what she said. Then I took hold of her and threw her down on the floor. Then I ent her throat. Then I became frerteied and made the other cuts. It seems my mind left me, and I did not care what I was doing. I cannot explain the raising of her clothes or the

rest of the cutting, but I suppose! I did it all. 1 bad no motive that I remember of for hilling her in this manner, and I did not attempt to ravish her, and had no desire to do so. As I left the house I went to the milk-honse and washed my hands and the knife in the basin, which I had lying on the end of the miik-tank near the door. I threw the water in the yard, and likely it soaked into the grass. I did not get my clothes bloody, because the blood did not iall. It seems to me that I h»d hold of the handkerchief which was around her ne'k, and I might have twist it when I cut her throat. Alter washing the blood off my hands and knife I went bac: through the orchard to my work. I do solemnly swear that Jacob Ladd is innocent of the murder. and that he did not visit me that day, and that the previous statements I have made about him are lalse in every particular. Jacob M. Nelling. * P. 8.: I will state that I have not been forced to make this confession, and that I make it volun arily without any expectat ons of immunity from justice. J. M. Nelling. A warrant was brought forth. Justice Hawley opened court and held Nelling for murder. The Sheriff rose to lead Nelling away to jail, when the crowd began to surge toward him with threatening aspect. Cephas Atkinson, father of the girl, who had weepingly heard the cold-blooded manner in which the brute had told of the horrible murder, sprang to his feet and cried, “ Take him out,” meaning for the crowd to hang Nelling, but his voice was weak and few heard the command, else no power could have saved Nelling an . hour. Friends gathered about Atkinson and turned his attention to other things, while Judge Coffroth arose and in a calm, easy manner dispelled the terrible excitement, bidding the lawful citizens of Benton county to continue to merit the good reputation they had established for patience and order, and promising them if Nelling were permitted to come to a legal trial no power should save him from the gallows. The speech gave the Sheriff time toremove the prisoner to the jail, a substantial Btonc building apart from the county house, and lock him securely within six iron doors before the crowd started from the room. * At once the crowd went to the jail,but were met at the door by the Sheriff, who counseled letting the law take its course, and the excitement was suppressed for the time. About i) o’clock at night 300 or 400 men marched with hoots and yells to the jail wherein Nelling was confined. Justice Hawley mounted the steps and told the men they could not have Nelling, and must disperse. Finally somebody who wanted to see what the crowd was there for anyway, shouted for all who were there simply us spectators to come across the street. In a minute the crowd surged across the way, leaving three of the noble 300 as the mol). All this was undoubtedly traceable to the fact that the men were without a leader. Instead of dispersing, as was expected, they remained around the jail. Several of them soon went to a vacant lot, and, with timber which seems to have been provided, they erected a rude scaffold. A rope was soon forthcoming. Then the men went back to the jail, and stood there seemingly lost for lack of a leader. Nothing was done for some time. About 11 o’clock a fresh mob gathered, to the number of (100, and demanded Nelling. All were wild with excitement. The Sheriff and his eight assistants refused to deliver up their prisoner. Finally a rush was inado by tho lynchers and a struggle ensued, during which several of the lynchers were thrown down and trampled under foot. The Sheriff and ex-Sheriff pleaded urgently with the crowd to disperse, and the best citizens of the town went in among them begging them for God’s sake to desist. The mob was under no regular leadership, or they would have accomplished their object at once. The following day a detachment of militia was dispatched, oy order of Gov. Porter, to the scene of the threatened lynching, which had the effect of restoring quiet. Taking advantage of this lull in the excitement, the Benton county officials quietly spirited Nelling away to Lafayette, and placed him in the Tippecanoe county jail. ' State Items. An “opium joint” is exciting the good people of Indianapolis. Clark Alvis, a switchman at Terre Haute was run over by the cars and lost both legs. The firm of Warwick & Florer, dry goods, have assigned. Liabilities $30,000, assets $45,000, While playing base-ball at Edwardsburg, Joel Sampson was struck on the temple by the ball and killed. It is said that a new bank will soon be organized at Lawrenceburg to carry on the business of the defunct City National. Sarah Whitman, wife of Samuel Whitman, of Pennville, Jay county, hanged herself recently in her kitchen. The cause is unknown. Phillip Tallow, an Allen county farmer, was killed, recently, while felling -trees. His skull was crushed in by a blow from the limb of a tree. Del Skinner, son of S. B. Skinner, a wellknown farmer of Washington township, Delaware county, hgd his brains kicked out while currying his horse. The Game law will go out in this State on the 15th inst. Quails are very plentiful in Southern Indiana this year, and there is no end to young squirrels. Miss Rose Amick, of Oregan township, is the midget of Clark county. Miss Rose is 20 years old, three feet high, weighs sixty-five pounds, and is very pretty. ■ While Samuel Haynes, near Montgomery, was attending to his stock, he was attacked by a vicious hog, which threw him down and lacerated his side and arm in a terrible manner. Mu. Wert, a Lagrange county man, while on his way to church and conversing with his comrades on religious matters, suddenly fell back into the arms of those behind him, gave a gasp and died. The mutilated remains of Robinson Brown, a wealthy farmer of Clay county, were found on the track of the Indianapolis and St. Louis railroad at or near Coal Bluff. It was at first supposed that he had met his death by being run over by the east-bound passenger train, but the evidence taken by the Coroner and the circumstances surrounding his death point to a deliberate murder. Mr. Brown was killed for the money on his person by some of the inmates of a low dive in Coal Bluff, and the body placed upon the track to avoid detection. The Mormon missionaries in' Fountain county have not labored in vain. A man and his wife named Shelby, left Attica recently for Salt Lake City to join the Latter-Day Saints. This is the second couple that have left Attica for Mormondom. The elders in preaching exhort eloquently for pure and undeflled religion, which captivates the women. The men are caught privately on very different grounds. The missionaries are shrewd men, talkingorthodox religion in public, but when pressed for an unequivocal answer confess an unfaltering belief in poly* gamy. Indianapolis has 9,000 feet of hose, eight steam engines, and other fire department property enough to make an aggregate value of $274,512. The expense of the department last year was about $75,000, and the total fire loss in Indianapolis was but $52,160 on 212 alarms, or an average loss of $246 to an alarm. In St. Louis last year the alarms were just about fifteen times as costly as that* But then, it would take about fifteen such men as the Indianapolis Fire Chief to make one such “a jolly good fellow” as our solid odl Clay Sexton. “Dog-gone” the fires, so long as we keep ahead on the “good fellow” business. —Western Insurance RciHeic.