“Murder By Female Fury”: The Mary Senff Killing, Part Four

The murder of Mary Senff inside the Athey farmhouse in May 1880 was one of the most brutal crimes in Tuscarawas County history.

Read Part Three

Note on spelling: Not surprisingly, the Senff surname is spelled differently across many of the historical documents, newspaper articles, headstones, etc. For consistency, I have decided to use the spelling that appeared on the 1850 census record for the family.

When examining a crime like this, it is crucial to recognize that all known details come from those who either participated in or investigated the events. The victim’s perspective remains forever lost. What follows is derived from accounts given by the perpetrators and the findings of the investigation, as reported in numerous newspapers at the time. Mary Senff’s experience of that fateful night will never be fully known.

On the evening of May 28, 1880, Ellen Crites Athey and Mary Senff spent a seemingly pleasant evening at the home of Ellen’s parents, enjoying music, singing, and conversation. The gathering included Ellen’s brothers and other neighbors of the Crites family. Ellen’s husband, Henry Athey, did not attend as he was occupied with work at the nearby Salt Works. Ellen and Mary departed around 10:00 p.m., making their way back to the nearby Athey farmhouse, Mary completely unaware of the tragic events that would soon unfold.

Upon reaching the farmhouse, Ellen and Mary retired to their respective rooms to prepare for bed. All was not well however and the quiet of the night was soon shattered when Ellen decided to confront Mary about a perceived indiscretion. She accused Mary of attempting to seduce her husband by tapping on the bedroom window at night and enticing him to join her outside. Mary allegedly dismissed Ellen’s accusations, telling her to “mind her own business”. Mary’s response only infuriated Ellen, and led to a violent escalation that ended in bloodshed.

Ellen retrieved an ax and stormed into Mary’s room, striking her at least once, leaving Mary injured and staining the bed’s coverlet and sheets with blood. Despite her wounds, Mary managed to flee to the kitchen in a desperate attempt to escape. Ellen, however, caught up with Mary and delivered multiple fatal blows with the ax, almost chopping Mary into pieces. The force of the attack left the wallpaper drenched in blood, and the ground beneath the kitchen floorboards became saturated with evidence of the crime.

Ellen stitched Mary into the bloodied bedding and dragged her lifeless body outside and buried it in the ash heap in the farmhouse yard. She then hastily attempted to erase any traces of the murder by papering over the bloodied wallpaper and scrubbing the floors. Henry Athey insisted he was not home at the time of the murder or the subsequent cleanup, distancing himself from the heinous act. When authorities later investigated the home, they uncovered the original blood-stained wallpaper beneath the new covering, remnants of Mary’s blood near the washboard, and undeniable evidence of the crime beneath the kitchen floor.

Ellen eventually confided in her brother, Alexander Crites, revealing both the murder and the location of Mary’s hidden body. Henry discovered the siblings engaged in a hushed discussion by the ash pit, leading him to learn the shocking truth. Henry claimed that he insisted that Ellen inform her father and, after he learned of the murder, David Crites demanded that Henry assist Alexander and Ellen in disposing of Mary Senff’s remains. Henry ultimately participated in the grim task, further entangling himself in the tragic and horrifying affair. Only one of the post-murder conspirators, however, would be brought to any form of justice.

Read the Conclusion

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© Noel B. Poirier, 2024.