The Sun.
London, England, 1860-12-27 00:00:00

Mrs. Shancks, a widow lady of 45, who was about
to go to the altar a second time, was found mur-
dered in her house, New York, on the 7th inst. The
murder is supposed to have been committed about
nine o'clock in the morning. Near the body of the
deceased was found a small fire shovel, thickly
coated with blood, and bent double, as if by the
assassin in striking her. Around her were frag-
ments of her last meal, the pieces of bread which
had fallen from the table and become soaked with
blood, together with broken pieces of three bottles,
a pitcher, and an earthenware jar, all of which had
been apparently used by the murderer in consum-
mating the terrible deed. Her hair was filled with
pieces of the broken glass and jar, one fragment of
the latter still being partially embedded in the skull.
Near the stove was a plate clotted with blood, with
portions of broken crockery. A new skirt was dis-
covered on the bed, smeared with gore, where the
murderer had evidently thrown it after wiping his
hands. The throat was cut from ear to ear, in a
jagged irregular manner, carotid artery, jugular
vein, and all the minor blood-vessels of the neck,
and sinking to and partially penetrating the cervi-
cal vertebra. The top of the head was fractured,
and one portion of the skull dented through to the
brain, as if by the edge of a chisel or the corner of
an axe. On the left side of the face, beginning at
the angle of the lower jaw and extending in a curve
around to the mouth was a deep cut, which laid
bare the jawbone and severed the carotid artery.
Across the nose, and separating its apex was an-
other gash, which terminated in the flesh over the
cheekbone, and penetrated into the cavity below
the eye. The scalp on the forehead was terribly
lacerated, exposing the skull to view, and from
their jagged, irregular appearance, the wounds were
evidently inflicted with either the bottles or the
jar, the fragments of which were found in the
vicinity of the body. The deep wound in the
neck was such as to lead to the belief that it
must have been inflicted while she was lying sense•
less or dead upon the floor, and was probably the
finishing stroke of the terrible tragedy. The ap-
pearance of things about the stot•e and room showed
that the murdered woman had just completed her
morning arrangements for the business of the day,
and had sat down to breakfast. Evidences that
plunder was the motive were apparent on every
side. A paper box, in which she was in the habit
of keeping her money, was found removed from its
accustomed place, with finger-marks of blood upon
its outside and upon the bottom. Its contents were
gone, with the exception of a nickel cent, which
was stained with blood. The portion of the cup-
board immediately above the place where the doors
meet was dripping with blood, while upon the
doors 'themselves bloody impressions of fingers were
found, which were probably made by the murderer
when opening the closet to take out the money-
box. The shelves and sill also bore spots of gore,
which had undoubtedly dripped from the assassin's
hands in ransaeking the interior. On the way to
the door lay a broken chair, like the other articles
in the room covered with blood, and which had
probably been smashed in the struggle. The por-
tion of the door around the knob was bedaubed
with patches of blood ; and passing thence into the
store, a quantity of white skirts were found upon
the floor with the bloody imprint of a foot marked
plainly upon one of them, together with evidences
that the murderer had here wiped his blood-stained
boots or shoes. A pile of similar skirts lying upon
a little table in this end of the store were stained,
as if the assassin had wiped his hand upon them.
Indications now arise that his hands were severely
gashed or cut in giving his victim the blows with
the bottles and jar, as spots of blood were found on
the curtain concealing the bed at the end of the
store, which spots were probably thrown there
when the blood gushed afresh from his own
wounds, after endeavouring to wipe his hands dry
in the skirts on the table. The footsteps of the
murderer were next traced to a small chest under
the counter and near the window, and on the way
the head of an axe was found, bearing on one
side the bloody impress of a thumb, and upon the
other side similar impressions of the fingers. To
what use he put this, or intended puffing it, it
is impossible to conjecture with any certainty. The
lid of the chest was covered with finger marks in
blood, as if the murderer had attempted to raise it,
but could not, on account of the slippery condition
of his fingers, which were besmeared with the blood
pouring anew from his cuts since wiping his hands
in the skirts at the other end of the shop. 'that he
again staunched the flow of blood, is shown by a
piece of muslin lying upon the counter immediately
over the chest, upon which are evidences of his
having wiped his bloody hands before again
attempting to force open the box. The contents of
the chest were found ransacked, but unstained, as
the murderer had very probably succeeded in stop-
ping the blood with the piece of muslin lying on
the counter. No further traces were evident until
reaching the front door, where he made his exit.
At this point new evidences of his gashed hands
were witnessed on the lace curtain of the window,
where fresh red spots were found. Upon the door-
key a fresh and still liquid globule of blood was dis-
covered, where it had been left by the hand of the
murderer in pulling open the door. The steps out-
side bore one or two spots of blood, and at this
point all traces of him cease.

A young man named Buchanan, whose hands are
badly wounded, has been apprehended on suspicion.
Ile had been seen lurking in the neighbourhood of
deceased's house for several days, but after the mur-
der disappeared, and was caught at Susquehannah.
He asserts his innocence. His father stated that
he has been subject to fits, and that it was once
necessary to send him to a lunatic asylum.