HANNA, Tilghman H. and wife Murdered - Putnam

The supposed murderer of Tilghman H. Hanna and wife – a few further particulars - As we stated in our last, a young man by the name of Goodlow H. Evans has been arrested on a charge of having murdered these unfortunate individuals. Evans is about 20 years of age and has a father and mother living in the vicinity of where this awful deed was committed. On Tuesday, we visited Evans in our county jail where he is now confined. We found him quite cheerful and but little concerned about his fate. In appearance he does not indicate that he is a very bad man yet, there is, evidently, something about him that would lead a discerning person to believe that he is one of those individuals who has but little or no concern for the fate of the world.  His hair is of a light color as is also his complexion.  He has a large nose and prominent forehead and in weight and height is of about an ordinary average.  He is now confined in our jail on a charge of double murder to away his trial at the April term of the Putnam Circuit Court.  His case underwent a careful and scrutinizing investigation in Floyd Township before Esqs. James Shoemaker and AF Wright with the result we give above. DR Eckels acting as prosecutor and Delana E. Williamson as his defender. The unfortunate victims were undoubtedly both murdered in their bed.  We learn from a friend who saw them before they were removed that Mr. Hanna had a long deep gas on the ride side of the head, commencing about an inch above the ear and extending back five or six inches, the axe having penetrated the entire length of the blade.  He had evidently been lying on his left side, soundly asleep when the fatal blow was struck which caused him to expire without an effort.  His wife was lying with her head upon her husband’s shoulder with a terrible gash cut in her face, commencing on her nose and extending upward through her right eye and passing back to the extreme portion of the right forehead.  Mrs. H. appeared to have made some efforts to get up after the blow was struck and had fallen in the position in which she was found.  The prints of her hands, in blood were to be seen on the plastering back of the bed in which they were murdered, where she had thrown them in her agony.  The blood was also spattered upon the bed posts and plastering in several places and a considerable quantity had settled around the pillows.  The murderer or murderers entered the house through a back window and after finishing the work of death and writing several dirty and nameless sentences in a memorandum book in the house passed out the front door.  One of the sentences writing in the book was to this effect:  I have done the deed – now G – D you catch me if you can!”  Mr. Hanna, the murdered man was an exceedingly peaceable and inoffensive individual and would have been 20 years of age some time in April next – his wife was also an amiable woman – a daughter of a Mr. Williamson living near Carpentersville in this county.  Her age we have not learned.