1880 Murder of Warren S. Stafford
Wellsboro Agitator
A couple of gentlemen who arrived in this village yesterday afternoon brought word that a horrible murder was committed in Chatham last Sunday afternoon.
Last Sunday Mr. Warren Stafford, of Westfield, was visiting at the residence of his brother-in-law, Elijah Whitney, who lives in the south part of Chatham Township. During the day the wife of Mr. Floyd Whitney—son of Elijah Whitney—and Mrs. Elijah Whitney—the step mother of Floyd Whitney and sister of Stafford—got into a quarrel. The dispute waxed hot and threatened to result in blows, when Stafford stepped between the two angry women. Whitney’s wife struck Stafford, and then went home and told her husband Floyd Whitney, that Stafford had struck her.
The fracas between the two women having ended, Stafford was sitting quietly in the door of the elder Whitney’s house, when Floyd Whitney, who had armed himself with a heavy club, came around the corner of the house and hit Stafford on the head with the club, dashing out his brains. The blow was so severe that Stafford lived but a few minutes after he was struck.The Characters
The Whole Story by Eyewitness
Wellsboro Agitator
...About three years ago Mr. Elias Whitney wedded his present wife, he having at the time two adult sons—Floyd Whitney and Victor Whitney. Floyd being the eldest son was 26 years old last December and has been married several years and has three little boys. He kept house by himself nearly two miles from his father’s house. The other son lives at home.That 'other son' is the ancestor of our family's* DNA match.
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| (DNA family chart) |
Elias Whitney, our third great-grand uncle (or fourth great uncle), is a family DNA match. So is his son, Victor. Our third great grandmother, Joysa (Whitney) Merrick, and her sister, Caroline, died before this incident. Her widowed husband, Hiram Merrick, was still alive. Their son, the civil war veteran grandpa, Joseph S Merrick, was forty years old. His son - Jeremiah Whitney's grandson, Hiram - was nine years old at this time.
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| Gr. gr. Hiram, Verna (Wilcox) and gr. Anna (Fuller) Merrick |
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| Elias Whitney's family |
The Story
New Step Mother and Daughter-in-LawWarren S. Stafford, the man who was killed lived at Westfield. He was in his 26th year and was married, but had no children. He was the brother of Mrs.(Elias) Whitney. He reached Whitney’s house about six o’clock last Sunday night, going there to visit his sister. Soon after he reached there his wife also came. There were also present his brother Charles Stafford and Alva Stafford, Elias’ wife, and Ralph Button, Victor Whitney, Elias Whitney and Miss Mary Babb, the school mistress who was boarding with the family. Some young children were also present.
...Mrs. Elias had bought of Mrs. Floyd two 2 quart glass fruit cans for which she was to give her a hen in payment. She received the cans but hadn’t handed over the hen. Sunday afternoon Mrs. Floyd made her appearance at the house and demanded the return of the cans. Mr. Whitney offered to have the hen caught and give that to her, but she was angry and insisted on the cans.
Mrs. Elias Whitney then went down cellar to get one of the cans which was there and Mrs. Floyd went into the pantry and helped herself to two cans, one of which was hers. As she came out of the kitchen door with the cans, Mrs. Elias Whitney came out of the cellar and around the corner of the house and the two women faced each other almost immediately before the front door of the house. Mr. Elias Whitney told his wife not to let her take anything that didn’t belong to her and Mrs. Floyd Whitney raised a can to strike Mrs. Elias.
The latter knocked the can from her hand and it rolled away on the ground and just then Mr. Warren S. Stafford stepped between the two women and told Mrs. Floyd Whitney not to strike his sister. Mrs. Floyd Whitney thereupon hit Mr. Stafford with a broom and struck him in the face with her hand.
Floyd Kills his Step-Mother's BrotherMrs. Elias Whitney thinks Stafford did not touch Mrs. Floyd Whitney, but Mr. Elias Whitney thinks he pushed her back with his hand and told her to stand back—that they didn’t want any fuss or fighting there. Mrs. Elias Whitney took hold of Stafford and told him not to touch the other woman. Mr. Button also took hold of him and Stafford said he did not intend to strike a woman. This was between six and seven o’clock in the evening.
After Mrs. Floyd Whitney had left and near nine o’clock in the evening the persons we have named as present were all gathered in the front room of the house, except Mr. Victor Whitney, who was in the kitchen. Mr. Warren Stafford was sitting in a chair tipped back against the front door which was swung open against the wall south of the opening.
Within three or feet of him and on the north side of the open door sat Mr. Ralph Button with a child on his lap. Mrs. Elias Whitney stood by the bureau at the front of the room, probably eight feet from the open door and was looking toward the door. The rest of the persons named were scattered about the room.
Suddenly, while the inmates of the house were thus situated, without the slightest warning or notice, Mr. Floyd Whitney appeared in the open door, placed his left hand against the south casing, reached his right hand into the room and struck Mr. Warren Stafford a severe blow on the right side of the head with a heavy club, that is described as a cherry root a little more than two feet long and with a heavy knot on the end.
Mr. Stafford immediately fell to the floor in front of the open door. Mrs. Whitney thinks but one blow was struck, but Mr. Elias Whitney informs us that Mr. Button says Floyd struck Stafford twice, but he (Whitney) thinks this is a mistake. As Stafford fell Floyd said, "Will you strike a wife of mine!" or something to that effect, according to Mrs. Whitney’s recollection.
It was found that Stafford’s skull was crushed on the right side, from the temple back. He lived until nearly two o’clock the next morning, but Mrs. Whitney does not think he was in his right mind any of the time although he spoke a few times.
Floyd on the RunFloyd Whitney stayed on the premises until a short time, before Stafford died. He carried a lantern and helped catch a horse for Alva Stafford to ride to call a physician, and he offered to go for Stafford’s mother if it was desired. ...Elias Whitney talked with Floyd after the latter had struck Stafford. Floyd said he was too past and was sorry for what he had done. ...Elias Whitney says he hasn’t seen Floyd since he left his premises just before Stafford died.
Upon this writing Floyd Whitney has not been arrested. As stated by us last week, a warrant was issued by Justice of the Peace White, of Knoxville, on Monday up to this time Whitney has managed to elude his pursuers. Constable L. C. Beach come near catching him that day, giving him a long chase through a marsh, but the fellow finally got into the woods and escaped.
He has a large number of relatives and connections in Chatham and as our correspondent says it is generally believed they are secreting him and keeping him supplied with food and information. It is supposed his friends are trying to get him out of the State and into Canada.
Reward OfferedIt is reported in Chatham that he is now well armed, and there seems to be a general feeling that he would not be a desirable customer to meet in the woods. He is generally spoken of as a rather hard case and even his father does not give him a very good character.
A few weeks later:The County Commissioners last week offered a reward of $100 for his arrest and delivery to the Sheriff. Chatham men who claim to know him well describe him as follows: He is about 5 feet 5 or 6 inches high, weighs about 140 pounds, stoops a little when standing, has regular features, large blue eyes, pale complexion, light brown or sandy hair, long full sandy whiskers, wore a yellowish snuff colored coat, and a blue cloth cap, wears his cap on one side of his head and holds his head on one side. He does not look a man in the face when talking to him.
Wellsboro Agitator
The barn of W. W. Beach, in Chatham, was burned last Monday night, together with its contents. Mr. Beach had been out assisting in the search for the murder of Floyd Whitney at the time. It is supposed that either he or some of his friends caused the fire.
Those who are aiding in the escape of the murderer of young Stafford ought to be arrested and sentenced to imprisonment at hard labor for a term of years. Some of the parties are well known to the authorities and will be dealt with soon if they continue feeding and carrying provisions to Whitney.
Floyd Whitney for the past few years has been almost an outcast among his own relatives. He has been arrested for larceny, and his family has suffered for the necessaries of life. He has been a vagabond upon the earth, and has applied to me while a Justice of the Peace to get aid from the county, but since killing Stafford, he has been fed and harbored and secreted by those very persons who would have turned him out of doors before. It is an outrage upon the public welfare and buildings are to be burned because their owners are assisting in his arrest, I think it is time that the people take the matter in hand and organize a vigilance company and watch and if necessary exterminate this barn burning fraternity.Floyd stayed on the run for over a year. Finally;
DETROIT, Mich., Jan. 25.(1882)--Floyd Whitney was arrested in this city last night charged with having murdered Warren Stafford at Chatham, Tioga County, Penn., on July 25, 1880. He admits having killed Stafford, but says he acted under great provocation and did not intend to take his life. Since the murder Whitney has been a fugitive in Colorado and various parts of this State. He will be taken back to Pennsylvania.When he was brought to the jailhouse in Tioga County, a reporter got his side of the story.
The Murderer of Floyd Whitney resided in Detroit.
—Living under a false name
—An account of the murder
—in his own words.
Wellsboro Agitator
...‘My father lived about two miles from where I did. Warren Stafford was a brother to my step mother, who is still alive. My father’s name is Elias Whitney, and he is well known in the community where he lives. The murder was committed by me on a Sunday night.
My wife went over to my father’s house, starting about 4 o’clock on the Sunday afternoon. When she got there she found Stafford and a number of others there and during her visit they all began drinking wine. My brother was there and also my cousin. Stafford had some words with my wife, which led to his clinching her. He threw her out against a wall on the side of the house and then put his knee against her and injured her seriously. She immediately came home and informed me of what had happened.
When she spoke of Stafford misusing her, it enraged me very much. I had been drinking some wine during the day and this increased my anger. I determined to make Stafford pay for his actions and started to my father’s house. I am naturally a quick tempered man. I went on foot going as fast as possible.
When I got to my father’s house there was quite a large crowd assembled there. I had a stick in my hand and looked into the kitchen and parlor doors without seeing Stafford. I cannot say whether he saw me or not. Soon after I saw him sitting in a doorway and struck him on the head with the stick. The crowd immediately came around and kept me back. I next saw Stafford on the ground where he fell after being struck.
I did not suppose at the time that I had hurt him. I stayed around and after it was said that he was seriously hurt, I got a horse and sent my brother for the nearest doctor. He came with him and the doctor after examining him told me that there was no danger. I then went home and told my wife what had happened.
I stayed there during the night, and the next morning I heard that Stafford was dead. I then concluded to escape. I was then told I had fractured Stafford’s skull." ...
Mrs. Whitney corroborates her husband’s statement, and is very much affected over his arrest. She will go to Pennsylvania and appear as a witness in his behalf.Correction
It is due to Mr. Whitney to state here that a reporter of the Agitator had a talk with him at the jail last Saturday morning, when he stated that this report in the Free Press was not quite accurate. He is there represented as saying that during his wife’s visit at his father’s house on the Sunday of the tragedy, those present "all began drinking wine".
What he told the reporter was that he (Whitney) thought that his father and Stafford had been drinking that day not that the whole party had been drinking wine. He reached the conclusion that Stafford and Elias Whitney had been drinking from his own observation not from what he was told....
Whitney said that since going west he had never met any person he knew from this county. While there he went by the name of George H. Wilson. He expects his wife to leave Detroit for this county this week. He says he is 28 years old and has been married seven years and has three children one of whom is with his father in Chatham and the other with his uncle in Middlebury. ...
Whitney is a small man, not over five feet 5 inches high and weighing probably not more than 130 pounds. He has a fair complexion and regular features, light brown hair and a sandy moustache and no beard and isn’t a bad looking man.Joyce Tice transcribed the full articles and the entire trial from original reports here. Floyd was sentenced to ten years at the Prison Workhouse for murder on September 6, 1882. His prison intake record (link here) describes his temperament as 'Moderate.'
*Note: Relationships, such as grandmother, 2nd great, etc., are expressed from the perspective of the grandchildren of Leon Arthur and Anna Grace (Fuller) Merrick.
Terms of relationship - grandmother, uncle, aunt, cousin, etc. - are used here generically to include relatives such as fourth great grandfathers, great grand uncles, second cousins twice removed, etc.
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