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fHREE SLAIN BY AXHUSBAND, WIFE AND DATJGH TEE KILLED WHILE ASLEEPs:ai h dBY UNXOWN MURDERER bt:elt;iifi1)VItc]Wife was Formerly Charity Hollingsworth of Newport.Monmouth. 111.. Oct. 1—With their skulls crushed in, as if each had been killed while asleep in bed with a sin- j n jle blow of an as, the bodies of Wm. j E. Dawson, his wife and his daugh- j p ter. Georgia, 13 years old, were found at their home here today.Bloodhounds have been sent for bv*tlie sheriff and it is expected that the j g trail will be taken up before mid- j j night. In spite of the strenuous\\ work on the part of the sheriff, his j T1 deputies and friends of the dead; no plausible clew to the identity of the $ criminal has yet been discovered. j 1:Dawson was the caretaker of the j 7 First Presbyterian church here and it I was only because of his connection i f with the church that the triple crime was discovered today.It was part of Dawson’s duties to open the church each Sunday morning and prepare it for the morning service. Today the congregation arrived as usual, but the building wasjl locked. Thinking that the caretaker j 1 might be ill, four of the church mem-jr bers started for his home to get the 11 key. |«It was a grewsome sight that met:: them at the Dawson house. Dawson, his wife and little girl were found murdered. All three had been dead for some hours. There was no evidence of a struggle and it is believed that each was killed with one blow with an ax while they were asleep. There was no clew to the murderer.Dawson had four married daughters and three unmarried daughters, all three of the latter living at home. Two of the younger children were absent on a visit to the country last night. No reason for the killing can be found.Although the police have been earnestly probing the crime no motive has yet been discovered.Of recent years Dawson has united with the church and led a good life, becoming highly respected in the city. Robbery was not the motive as about $40 in money which the dead man drew Saturday was found undisturbed in the house.The above special telegram appeared in the Chicago Inter Ocean of last Monday. Mrs. Dawson was formerly Miss Charity Hollingsworth of this place. She was a daughter of Mr.I and Mrs. Henry Hollinsworth, both deceased. She was considered the 1 most handsome young lady in New-i! port. She was a sister of former»i *j sheriff Morton Hollingsworth of this place: Karl, Earl and William of Indianapolis; Mrs. Mary Malone of Dana and Mrs. Ettie Van A lien.(From Tuesday’s Inter Ocean.) ! Monmouth, 111., Oct. 2—'Thera are i absolutely no clews in the triple mur-1 der here early Sunday morning in w hich William Dawson, his wife, Mrs.Charity Dawson, and their daughter, Georgia, aged 13, were killed with an ax or some blunt weapon.; The jury held a session thie after*I noon, but postponed further tevesti-| gation until Thursday, pending developments which it is hoped willj throw some light on the tragedy. .A motive for the terrible dead is!i lt;| lacking and the whole affair iepfctoud- j j ed in the deepest mystery, j Dawson was not known to have any j j enemies. Robbery could not * have \ been the cause, as he was a peer man | and articles of value were left on* touched at the home.Bloodhounds owned by Boy Ben*' dure, detective and deputy sheriff ofMacon county, were rushed te the city from Decatur, but the animals failed to do their work, as the scents were obliterated, owing to the large crowds which entered the Dawson home.An ax was found in one of the outbuildings, but it w as discovered with 1 feathers, and the blood on It presum- j• ed to have come from killing chick- j! ens. No other weapons were foundI on the premises.i Mr. and Mrs. Dawson lived former-j ly at Newport, Ind. They were the j parents of eleven children, seven of | \ whom are living. The triple funeral j j will be held tomorrow afternoon at j . the Christian church. |
Newspaper Details
Newport Hoosier State
Newport, Indiana, US
Wed, Oct 04, 1911
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Lee G.
USA 12 Oct 2022
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Newport Hoosier State
