Lincoln County NeArchives News.....Bascombe, Richard & Emily Murdered April 8, 1885 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ne/nefiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Debra Crosby http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00010.html#0002467 July 17, 2018, 8:16 pm The Nebraska State Journal Wednesday April 8, 1885 The Daily State Journal A FRIGHTFUL TRAGEDY Wm. Bascomb and Wife Horribly Butchered and Their House Burned. North Platte, Neb., April 4.-- This community was startled yesterday by the report that the house occupied by William Bascomb and wife, situated three miles northeast of town, on the north bank of the North Platte river, had been destroyed by fire, and Mr. Bascombe and wife burned to death. The sheriff, coroner and a number of citizens at once repaired to the scene of the calamity. Very soon rumors began to be current on the street that arson and murder, and not accident, was the cause. The public pulse throbs under the news, and should any definite clew to the perpetrators be found, the chances are that Judge Lynch will be invoked. The coroner's jury has been in session for twenty-four hours, and though secrecy is maintained, many things relating to the deceased and his relations to his neighbors are becoming known. The day preceding the night of the fire Mr. Bascomb had received notification from Washington that a certain case before the United States land office had been decided in his favor. He did not seem elated by his success, as it seems that he had been threatened that his life would be taken and his house burned, which is now fulfilled. The persons who made these threats are under strict surveillance, and it is more than probable that arrests will be made. These facts are known: Mr. Bascomb had not retired, as when found he had three shirts on his person, as well as pants and suspenders. Blood was found on the shirts, and doctors with whom we have conversed state emphatically that it was undoubtedly antemortem blood and right here is where the very mysterious part comes in. Of Mrs. Bascomb's body nothing was found but the two pelvic or hip bones, with two or three of the lower vertebra attached. And further, the bones found were burned to a degree that does not seem possible in an ordinary house fire. One theory is that Bascombe was killed by a blow with some blunt instrument, perhaps a slungshot. There is no idea as to how Bascombe was killed, but that when the deed was done an effort was made to dispose of the bodies; that Mrs. B. was cut up and an attempt made to burn the body, but the process was found to be too slow. Then the few bones left were put on the bed with the body of her husband and the house fired. It is believed that the whole terrible truth will be ferrited out. The honor and good name of the people of this county are at stake, and justice of the strictest kind will be meted out to the guilty.. SEARCHING FOR CLEWS. North Platte, Neb., April 5,-- Coroner's jury is still in secret session. Just how many and how important facts have been obtained could not be learned. Strong suspicions, with lack as yet of confirmatory facts, are entertained. Your correspondent visited the scene, and noted with others some blood stains in the stable, on manger and posts and walls. Sufficient blood was secured to determine positively whether human or otherwise. If found to be human blood, it will be a link in the chain of circumstantial evidence that will be almost certain to bring within the clutches of the law the fiend who perpetrated the diabolical crime of murder, mutilation and burning of victims. The testimony in possession of the jury will perhaps be made public in the next twenty-eight hours. ------------------------------------------------------- The McCook Tribune (McCook, NE) Thur Apr 16, 1885 THE BASCOMBE MYSTERY.--A gentleman from North Platt says that when the evidence collected by the jury investigating the Bascombe mystery is made public it will cause great excitement. The house of the Bascombes, about three miles from North Platte, was burned on the night of April 3d. The next morning the bodies of Bascombe and his wife were found on a bed in the ruins. That of the man was clad in three shirts and a pair of pants, all the clothing being daubed with blood, which the doctors say was shed before death. The position of Bascombe's body, the manner in which it was dressed, the blood, and other circumstances warrant the belief that he was killed and laid on the bed. But the strongest evidence in support of the murder theory is the fact that nothing could be found of Mrs. Bascombe's body but the hip bones with two or three of the lower vertebrae attached. These bones were charred to an extent impossible in an ordinary house fire. It is thought that after the woman was killed the murderers cut up her body and tried to burn it. Not being able to dispose of it quickly enough in that way, they picked up the bones found, put them on the bed with the body of Bascombe, and then set the dwelling on fire. In addition to the evidences of crime found in the ruins of the hou9se, the mangers and walls of the barn are spattered with blood, tending to show that one, and perhaps both, of the victims were killed there. The murders are thought to have been inspired by jealousy and a desire for revenge. Bascombe had an important land contest case pending before the United States commissioner at Washington. He had told his friends that he was afraid to win it, as certain parties had threatened, if it was decided in his favor, to kill him and burn his buildings. The night before the murder Bascombe was in North Platte and while there receive news from Washington that he had won the case. The news did not seem to please him, and he several times said that he was almost afraid to go home, lest the threats made against him would be carried out.-- Omaha Herald. Additional Comments: 1880 North Platte, Lincoln, Nebraska Household Role Sex Age Birthplace Walter K Covell Self Male 36 New York, United States Francis C Covell Wife Female 35 New York, United States Herbert Covell Son Male 10 Wisconsin, United States Edith Covell Daughter Female 8 New York, United States Nellie Covell Daughter Female 1 Nebraska, United States Richard Bascombe Other Male 50 England farmer Eanely Bascombe Other Female 40 New York, United States Lydia Bascombe Other Female 24 New York, United States 1870 Rome Ward 4, Oneida, New York Household Role Sex Age Birthplace Richard Bascomb Male 45 England Ann Bascomb Female 52 England Frederick Bascomb Male 17 England Lyira Bascomb Female 14 New York Frank Bascomb Male 10 New York 1860 1st Ward Village of Rome, Oneida, New York Household Role Sex Age Birthplace Richard Bascomb Male 35 England Ann Bascomb Female 42 England Sarah Bascomb Female 12 England Fred Bascomb Male 7 England Lydia Bascomb Female 4 New York Francis Bascomb Male 0 New York 1851 Egdeley, Cheshire England 23 Mosely Street Frances Bascombe 64 Head Cotton Twister b. Bristol Somerset Sarah Bascombe 56 Wife b. Northwich Cheshire Richard Bascombe 26 Step son Rail Server b. Edgely, Cheshire Anne Bascombe 32 daughter-in-law Laundress b. Stockport, Cheshire Sarah Ann Bascombe 3 granddaughter b. Edgely Cheshire 1850 Vienna, Oneida, New York Name Age Wm Covell 47 Hannah Covell 45 Juliett Covell 19 Lyman Covell 19 Alva Covell 12 Emily Covell 10 Walter Covell 7 Walace Covell 7 1841 Cheadle, Stockport, Cheshire Francis Bascombe 50 Sarah Bascombe 40 Richard Bascombe 15 Francis Bascombe 10 [Francis died 1858 Stockport, Cheshire Sarah died 1859 Stockport, Cheshire] Cheshire, England, Select Bishop's Transcripts, 1576-1933 Name: Richard Bascombe Gender: Male Baptism Date: 2 Jan 1825 Baptism Place: Cheadle, Cheshire, England Father: Francis Bascombe Mother: Sarah Bascombe Richard Bascombe married Ann Wood 1844 Oct-Nov-Dec quarter Stockport, Cheshire England File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ne/lincoln/newspapers/bascombe15gnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/nefiles/ File size: 8.3 Kb