The Kalamazoo Tragedy

The only intmates of 1;he houne at the time were Miss Cobb, aged 20, her brother Fred, who is the victim, and Frank, who is in his 23d year. Miss Cobb rose and got breaüfast ready. At 7 Fred, who had slept in the barn, carne to the house. The condition of the table indicated that he had not eaten much, perhaps had not commenced. Frank was at the table at the same time. Without giving his brother any warning he went to an adjoining bedroom, srot his father's razor, and approaching his brother from behind, seized with his left hand and cut his throat repeatedly. Their sister had finishëd her breakfast bef ore the boys, and went into thenext room to continue her work. Turning she saw the blood spurting from the wounds. Frank looked at her but kept on. She immediately fled from the house, and ran screaming to the nearest neiehbors, about 35 or 40 rods, when she was too much overeóme to teil what the trouhle was. She could only say that something dreadf ui had happened, and that she wished some of the men to go over to the house and j ust look in. When asked if some of the women could not go, she said 110. Before she got out of hearing. Frank emerged f rom the house, and said it was no use to oall anyone, as it was all don e. Mr. A. Newkirk, one of the nelgnbors. was promptly on the scène, and after finding that all was over he went to Mattawan and sent word to the father of the boys, by telegram. Returning, he accompanied Mr. Wm. Darling, other neighbor, and Mr. S age, 'm arreutng Frank, under a wan. ut issued by Justice McCormick. Frank was cultivating in the lot. Wken the three men approached he transferred the reina froni one hand to the other and ieached for his pocket. He made no resistance, however, but said that, when he saw men approaching a lHtle while before, he had gone to the house and armed himself with a jackknife. He was not fully handcufïed till he ïeacüed the house, one cuff being locked and the person with the key being at the house. When the other wrist was f astened he remarked that it was rather rough, to which his custodian replied that he had better go inside of the house and see if that didn't look rough. Dr. B. C. Thorp, Mattawan.conducted the autopsy. He made out four distinct cuts, any one of which would have terminated in death in a minute or two. The largest muscle below the ear was severed on both sides ; also both caro tid arteries and both jugular veins Tbe jury returned a verdict of wilfu muider, and the prisoner was lodged in jail at Kalamazoo. lie betrayed no emotion, and made no eiïort to escape. He evideutly had some fear of lynching, for he would allow no one to be behind him. When he was Qrst arrested he commenced talking rather incoherently about some big ideas of a scientiflc character that he had to settle, and said his brothe was in their way, but Mr. Darling told him that that style of talk was too thin, he could not get ofí on any such dodge. This was the last allusion lie made to any scientiüc mission. To a Telegraph reporter who saw him at the iail in the evening he told of his lii'e, in response to questions, but when he came to the morning's deed, which wa not denied, he always dodged the main point as to his own feeling3 about the murder. HIS APPEARANCE AND FAMILY. Frank Cobb, the nmrderer, is about flve feet six, cf slender physique and accustomed to out-door life. He spent six months at the agricultural college at Lansiug, and would now be in the junior class had he reraained. He lelt there in August, 1880, and went to California. It has been known among the neighbors that while he was there something happened that troubled his father. It now transpires tliat he was in the Stockton asylum. The blow has been a terrible one to the surviving members of t'.ie family. Mr. Cobb partially swooned on flrst reaching home. He is in poor health, and has sufïered the doublé affliction of the recent loss of a son who went to Kansas not long ago, and the death of his wife last f all. The tragic death of his youngest child, and the worse fate to which his surviving son has committed himself, is a terrible shock. He has the sympathy of the large neighberhood where he is known and in which he is highly respected.