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GEORGE
STAYTON KILLED BY HIS BROTHER
At
half-past one o'clock on the morning of the 24th of
December, 1882, at the dwelling place of widow Stayton, two
miles south-east of Clapper Station, a fratricidal homicide
occurred, seldom equaled--either by brutality or
fiendishness, in the annals of crime. The family in question
consisted of the widow, her daughter Miss Mary, and two
sons--James and George W. - the latter recently married to
Margaret nee McLeod. The night of the tragedy they sat up
until a late hour, engaged in social converse, nothing
occurring either by word or action to irritate the mind or
create unpleasant feelings. At the hour above mentioned,
when all were wrapped in sleep (except the murderer),
George's wife was startled from her slumber bv a loud
report, which she could not under the circumstances well
define,
whether it was the report of a pistol, the slamming of a
door or a crash of falling timbers. She immediately
attempted to arouse her husband to ascertain the cause of
the noise, but all her efforts to effect this object failed
- he neither by word, sign or motion made any response. She
then screamed for help to the balance of the family who
slept up stairs. In the meantime she looked across the room
and by the feeble light she saw James Stayton standing on
the floor, in his night clothes. She asked him what he was
doing and he answere "nothing." She asked him if
he had shot George, and he answered-- "I have not; what
is the matter with George; had I not better not go and get a
doctor." Yes, go immediately," she
said. He then proceeded to light a lamp, went upstairs,
dressed himself and then went to the stable--got a horse and
fled to parts unknown. All this occupied but a few moments.
The female portion of the family were in the meantime
applying remedies to restore vitality to a dead man,
thinking he was attacked by a congestive chill in
consequence of his previous sickness of ten days. Some time
had elapsed in their vain efforts in this direction ere the
fatal wound was discovered. It was produced by a 32 caliber
ball which entered about an inch back of the right ear,
ranged upwards and lodged in the brain. Only a few drops of
blood exuded from the wound, on the pillow, which were
covered by the position of the head. This settled the matter
of the cause of death. The nearest neighbor was immediately
apprised of the horrid deed. The news spread rapidly and a
force collected who made arrangements to pursue and arrest
the murderer. A warrant was issued by Squire Fields and
placed in the hands of the leader, Robert F. Parsons, who,
with a few determined men, struck his trail. All these
arrangements, however, required time, which gave the
offender some four or five hours the start. The pursuing
party arriving at Stoutsville, telegraphed to the Paris
authorities that if James Stayton put in an appearance there
to take charge of him. Shortly after the receipt of the
telegram Officer Thalus Hocker of that place arrested
Stayton near the Glenn House. Stayton had a pistol cocked in
his pocket, but did not resist and was lodged in jail. It
appears that his object was to catch a train and make his
escape. When within a few miles of Paris he turned his horse
loose and walked into the town.
In
justice it must be said that the unfortunate offender had
for some years manifested at times strong evidences of
insanity, resulting from an injury sustained by being thrown
from his horse, which was subsequently intensified by a
sun-stroke. He was declared to be insane and sent to the
insane asylum, where he now is. |
