THE DICTIONARY describes a vandal as “a person who willfully or ignorantly destroys or mars public or private property.”

Two area cemeteries, the Salem Cemetery and Little Egypt Cemetery in the Egypt Valley area, recently were hit by vandals with grave markers being overturned and/or damaged. This isn’t the first time that this has happened and – unfortunately – it probably won’t be the last.

Such stupid actions not only mean more work for others, but also more expense.

The sneaky vandals most often hit isolated cemeteries.

IT’S TERRIBLE to damage anyone’s grave marker, and one of those damaged during the recent vandalism was the tombstone of Louiza Fox, a murder victim.

Fox formerly was engaged to Thomas Carr, who allegedly committed 13 other murders, but her parents decided not to let their teenage daughter marry Carr reportedly because of his reputation and the age difference.

A book, “The Life and Confession of Thomas Carr … One Notorious Belmont County Resident, 1846-1870,” was printed in 1870. It was reprinted in recent years by The Ohio Valley Civil War Roundtable and was edited by the late Charles “Bud” Fry, who also added results of his research and photographs related to the event.

Fox was nearly 14 years of age when she was murdered. Carr wanted to talk to her, and their encounter took place in a chestnut orchard near Sewellsville in Kirkwood Township.

She died Jan. 21, 1869, after Carr used a razor, inflicting numerous cuts with the first being across the jugular vein. According to the book, “He then attempted to take his own life, first by shooting himself, and then cutting his throat; but death came not to him … The 21st day of January 1869, in consequence of this, will long be remembered as a day of blood.”

After a trial, Carr was hanged – the first and possibly the only execution by hanging in Belmont County.

LOUIZA, however, still is remembered as items such as wooden flowers, animal toys and a miniature wooden rocking horse have been left at her grave.

It’s a disgrace that the vandals have no respect for her and others.