DOUBLE MURDER

About one year before the above related murder, there occurred in the northwest part of the county, near Colona, a double murder, the details of which are sickening. Clem Gallion murdered Thomas Dilley and wife.

In the dead of the night, the murderer secretly entered the bed-chamber of the victims, and as Dilley lay asleep, he shot him dead, the bullet entering the eye, and death was so instantaneous that he never moved, but lay dead just as he was sleeping! The shot probably awoke Mrs. Dilley, and then the murderer, having no other shot left, fell to and with an old broken shovel slowly pounded the poor woman to death! The sight in the room was simply appalling. Blood and brains were on the floor, the bed and the walls, the plastering broken in many places, the foot-board of the bed splintered, and the poor woman literally beat to a jelly! What a slaughter pen! and the victims were a good man and wife, who had extended to the murderer friendship and kindness, and given him a home when he was in pressing need of it,

In the adjoining room were asleep the three Dilley children, the eldest a girl of 12 years; and as soundly as children sleep, the girl was awakened, and greatly frightened at the horrid din, but in her terror acting with wonderful discretion. Through a crack she saw a light in her parents' room, and quickly she approached and looked through, and saw a man rumaging in the bureau. She recognized Gallion and realized something terrible was going on. She waited till he put out the light and went away, and then she aroused the other two children, one of them not yet five years old, dressed them, and taking hold of hands, they went through the dark to a neighbor's, nearly three-quarters of a mile, roused them up and gave the alarm.

This diabolical murder occurred in the latter part of 1881, and the murderous monster was hanged the next May.

 

History of Henry County

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