Rochester, Monroe, NY
Union & Advertiser
Wed July 25, 1883
SUSPECTED MURDER AT ROANOKE
The Body of Mrs. John Kilbourne Found
by the Roadside -
Coroner's Investigation
Early Tuesday morning Eli MASON of
Roanoke, a small village near Le Roy, while going to work on his farm,
discovered the body of a woman lying dead by the roadside, about ten rods
north of the village. He immediately summoned aid and a careful survey of the
surroundings was made. The body and face were quite badly swollen, the latter
being almost black. Near the spot where the body lay were the fresh tracks of
a horse and carriage which had stopped and turned around, and it is believed
that the body was taken from the wagon and dragged to the place where it was
found. The deceased was without bonnet or shawl and wore slippers, one of
which had evidently been dragged off in coming from the wagon. The woman was
quite stout, of light complection and wore a nearly new crimson dress. A small
purse containing $2.60 was found in her pocket. Coroner SKINNER of Le Roy was
notified and made a careful investigation of the remains, concluding that no
felonious assault had been made upon her. By direction of the coroner the
remains were removed to the undertaking rooms of Mr. STEUBER in Le Roy, where
they were viewed by a large number of people, none of whom, however, were able
to identify the deceased. In the afternoon Coroner SKINNER impaneled a jury,
which had just assembled when a man walked into the room and upon seeing the
body identified it as that of his wife. He gave the name of John H. KILBOURNE,
and said that he lived on the Roanoke road near Rice's Mills, or what was formerly
known as Jug City. Mr. KILBOURNE testified that he and his wife retired to
their room Monday night and he went directly to bed. His wife was also
preparing for rest when both heard a wagon cross the bridge near the house,
and she went out ostensibly to see who it was. After an hour had passed and
she did not return he became very anxious and arose. Not finding her after a
careful search the witness said he took a chair and sat out in the yard until
4 o'clock in the morning. Finding that she did not return he made an
examination and found that a horse and wagon had entered the yard and drove
around the barn some fourteen rods from the house. By means of a peculiar tire
on one wheel he had been enabled to trace the wagon to a point north of
Pavilion, where there were evidences of a struggle. When the wagon left this
scene he was unable to trace its course further, and accordingly made his way
to Pavilion, where about noon he heard that a murder had been committed in
Roanoke, to which place he went only to find the body had been taken to Le
Roy. He stated that his wife claimed to be 55 years of age and they had been
married twenty-five years. It was also elicited from witness testimony that
several young men of Le Roy had been in the habit of coming to the house when
slightly intoxicated and visiting with his wife. On one or more occasions it
had been necessary for him to order them to leave. It is said that the
deceased was addicted to liquor and would always drink socially with these
young men. The sister of the deceased testified that she had frequently warned
Mrs. KILBOURNE that her course in entertaining these visitors was wrong and
the latter promised Sunday night to stop such conduct.
There was no
dispute between the husband and wife Monday night, before she left so
suddenly. Mr. KILBOURNE believes that she was forced into a carriage and taken
away, but for what purpose he is at loss to decide. There are strong
suspicions of foul play. The inquest adjourned until to-day, as some of the
witnesses desired are out of town.
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PERSONAL
--Miss Blanche MORTON's studio will
be closed till September 1st, as she has gone to Shelter Island.
--The wife and daughters of Dr.
George (R. or B) STONE, of Savannah, Georgia, are visiting Mrs. Jacob De VOS
and Andrew _. ANGELL of this city.
--A report having gained circulation
that Prof. WELLS had resigned his position as vice-principal of the Free
Academy, that gentleman takes the first opportunity to make an explicit
denial.
--Hon. Roscoe CONKLING, Ex-Governor
BOUTWELL of Massachusetts, and Judge COXE of the U. S. Court, passed through
here last night en route to the Yellowstone park.
--Among the guest at the Whitcomb
house are Frank PULVER of New York, J. E. CARBERRY of Utica, and Robert HANNA
of Olean.
--At Congress hall are S. P. PALMER,
Albany, and James SMITH of Buffalo.
--Thomas MOWBY, New York; F. A.
WOLCOTT, Lawrence, Mass., and J. H. BENEDICT, Palmyra, are registered at the
Waverley house.
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DEATH OF MRS. PIEHLER
Mrs. Anna PIEHLER died suddenly
yesterday, of apoplexy at her residence, No. 16_ Wilder street. She was
sixty-two years of age and leaves eight children, six in this country and two
in Europe. Her husband, Sebastian PIEHLER, died two years ago this month. The
funeral will be held Friday morning at eight o'clock from the house and
half-past eight from the Holy Family church.
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FUNERAL OF JOHN WIDMAN
The funeral of the late John WIDMAN
occurred yesterday afternoon from Salem Church on Franklin street. The
services which were of a very impressive character were conducted by Rev.
Charles SIEBENPFEIFFER, pastor of the church. At Mount Hope the solemn rites
of the Masonic fraternity, of which deceased was a member, were performed by
Past Master John VICHMANO, of Germania Lodge, No. 722. The pall bearers were:
George WERNER, F. J. MERTZ, John BORNKAESSEL, George SALLINGER, Jacob BA_TURIE
and Casper SPAAR.
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FOUND HER FATHER
Amelia KAHLER, a girl about fourteen
years of age, appeared at the police station this morning to obtain aid
in finding her father, Henry KAHLER, who moved to this city about two weeks
ago. She arrived in this city last night from Utica where she had been
visiting friends. Her family moved here while she was in that city. Officer
RICE took her in charge and going to the headquarters of the Knights of __bor,
of which organization her father is a member, ascertained where he was working
and took the girl to him.
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DIED
In Meadville, Pa., on the 24th
instant, R___, infant son of Jennie and Robert McELROY aged six months.
In this city, July 23, Katharine J.,
youngest daughter of Mrs. C. MONAGHAN.
-Funeral from the family residence
Thursday at 8:30 o'clock and from St. Mary's Church at 9 o'clock A. M. Friends
of the family are invited to attend.
Rochester, Monroe, NY
Union & Advertiser
July 26, 1883
THE ROANOKE MYSTERY
Probable Case of Strangulation -
Bad Character and and on a Spree
Dispatches from Le Roy state all the
circumstances immediately connected with the death of Mrs. J. H. KILBOURNE, of
Roanoke, remain enshrouded in mystery. The facts elicited at the inquest agree
in the main with those stated yesterday. The inquest was held by Coroner
SKINNER of Le Roy, who selected as jurors J. M. FOREMAN, Samuel CLARK, W. M.
CHAPMAN, A. D. WESTLAKE, L. GRUMIAUX, William CROFOOT, F. T. BLOOD, John
HEDDON, W. H. ANDERSON, E. BROWN, Frederick HAWKS and W. H. LATTRELL. The
remains were identified by Mr. John H. KILBOURNE, who lives at what is called
"Jug City," near Roanoke, as those of his wife. She was of Welsh
descent and was forty-six years old. Mr. KILBOURNE testified that his wife
left the house at 10:30 o'clock Monday night, going away with a man in a
wagon, without any hat or shawl on, while he was in bed. He sat up all night
under a rose bush, watching for her return. He traced the buggy tracks and
found a place by the side of a fence near Pavilion where the buggy had been
driven in, where the occupants had alighted, and from the appearance of the
grass a struggle had taken place. His search was unsuccessful further than
this. He testified that drinking was regularly indulged in at his house, and
that his wife, himself and wife's sister drank, as also did their rough
company from Le Roy, who, when under the influence of liquor, made themselves
quite familiar with the female occupants. It was shown that the character of
deceased had not been of the best. Mr. KILBOURNE gave the names of some of the
young men who were in the habit of calling at his house, and also the names of
the person whom he suspects as being the one who took his wife away. The only
suspicious appearances about the body were red marks on the neck as if
produced by pressure. The doctor would not swear that they were finger marks,
and said that he had never noticed such marks on a corpse before. The trachea
was congested, and on opening it, a small piece of potato fell out. It was
first thought by some that this would be a sufficient cause for strangulation,
but that fact is overcome by the victim having vomited when she was found at
Roanoke, and the potato was a part of undigested food that had lodged there.
The lungs were found congested but healthy, and the heart normal. The stomach
was swollen from the effects of gas, and there was no evidence in the stomach
to show an excess of liquor. The jury were unable, from the testimony adduced,
to come to any conclusion as to whether the woman was strangled by somebody or
had choked to death in a fit of vomiting. The inquest was therefore adjourned
until Saturday, Aug 4th. The woman was the second wife of KILBOURNE and they
were married in 1859. The parties are well known in Batavia and once lived on
a farm in Alexander.
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MATRIMONIAL
--At St. Mary's Church, yesterday
afternoon, Miss Cora A., daughter of W. E. CHERRY, was married to Frank M.
TALLING, Rev. J. P. STEWART officiating, assisted by Rev. Fathers MADDEN and
GLEASON. The bride was attended by Misses Julia MADDEN, Kittie CONNOR and M.
Dove CHERRY as bridesmaids. W. J. DAVIS, W. E. CHERRY, jr., and W. F. CHANDLER
acted as groomsmen. The choir rendered some special music for the occasion,
the bride having long been an active assistant in that important adjunct of
church service. After the wedding there was an informal reception at the
residence of the bride's parents, attended by a number of the relatives and
friends of both the bride and the groom. The presents were very numerous, and
were all articles of value and utility. The newly united pair left for the
East on their wedding journey, and they departed with the best wishes of
numerous friends.
--At the marriage, yesterday, of Miss
Aggie CARBERRY to Mr. O. W. CLARK, of Bath, the bridesmaids were Miss
Teresa CARBERRY, a sister of the bride, and Miss Mollie LOREY, Mr. W. C.
CLARK, a brother of the bridesgroom, and Mr. J. W. CARBERRY, brother of the
bride, acted as groomsmen. The ushers were Mr. J. E. CARBERRY, brother of the
bride, and Mr. J. NAGLE. The happy couple left for Saratoga, Lake George and
the Thousand Islands.
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PERSONAL NOTES
--Dr. A. J. CAMPBELL, of Syracuse,
has been appointed assistant physician at the City Hospital.
--Prof. HAUPT has been induced to
remain in Buffalo for a longer period than he at first designed, in order to
accommodate another class in German.
--James C. HART, James R.
CHAMBERLAIN, Will REED and Charley ANGELL left last night for Lake Superior on
a fishing excursion, to be absent about three weeks.
GjS
Union and Advertiser
July 30, 1883 page 2
Michael Wrenn Killed by the Cars
Michael WRENN was struck by engine 558 drawing an east-bound freight train at
Grimesville, a few miles east of Buffalo, yesterday afternoon, receiving
injuries which resulted in his death in about half an hour after his removal to
his home. Mr. WRENN was formerly employed on the Central, but at the time of his
death he was working for the Delaware, Lackawanna and Western. He was bout fifty
years of age, and was the father of P. and Edward WRENN, train dispatchers at
the Central depot of this city, whose many friends will sympathize with them in
their bereavement. Another son, John, is a telegraph operator on a Kansas
railroad, and at the time of the accident was on his way home for a visit. A
sister, Mrs. Lizzie (?) HOLMES resides in Buffalo. The sons in this city
received the sad news at the depot last evening, and left at once for
Grimesville. psm