Rensselaer Republican, Volume 26, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 28 September 1893 — WHOLESALE MURDER. [ARTICLE]

WHOLESALE MURDER.

An Entire Family Butchered by Unknown MiscreantsAnother Blot on Indiana’s Fair Escutcheon—Plunder the Supposed Object. Monday night, In Harrison township, Daviess county, nine miies from Washington, an entire family of six persons were butchered with hatchets. The family consisted of Dennis Wratten, his mother, wife and three children. The eldest of the children, a girl of twelve, is still living, although unconscious and with her bead cruelly gashed. Denson Wratten was a farmer, thirtyiive years old, a good citizen, in moderate circumstances. His aged mother iivod with the family and drew a pension. She lid not bank her money and was supposed to keep several hundred dollars about her. This money was doubless the motive for the murder. The house is a log one, a story and a half high, and has a logkltchsn annex. The murderers entered by a window, breaking in the sash. There was evidences of a fierce struggle. Wratten was sick with typhoid fever and incapable of resistance. The old lady was found upon the floor, cut terribly about the head, and both hands cut off at the wrists. All were found dead upon the floor, except the baby, three years old, which was killed in bed. The murder was discovered at 6 o’clock, Tuesday moroing, by a Th fr bytwo dollars in money was found sewed in the wife's dress and $7 in a drawer. The bureau drawers had all been ransacked. There is no clew. The murderers are supposed to have been tramps. Tracks of three men were discovered near the house. Bloodhounds have been brought from Seymour to trail the murderers.