Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1836-03-29

/ From 10 B,o,kr1is fiae.aaaD American W,rcl 4
fioRRIBLr TRAGEDY. Ii becomes our pain
iul duty TO rcco d one Of the darkest deeds
in the annals os crime. On Saturday the
27th of Feb. in the ncighborhood ofLiberty
Union co. Ind and / 5 miles from this Elace
u man, by the name ofisaac Heller, murder
ed his whole family-hls wife and three
children The circumstances are reported
TO be OF the most aggravated nature. tap
pears that some Of the neighbors had called
at the residence Of Heller, and told him that
unless he would go TO work and maintain
his family. the proper officers would attend
TO il, and his family would then become n
county charge This appeared somewhat
TO incense him. He is presented as being
robest man, not giving 10 dissipation, but
extremely improvident and indDlent After
these persons left the house, he rose and
and lifted the axe from beneath the bed
telling his wife that he was going out to chop
and passing behind where she was sitting
with the child in her arms, struck her to the
iioor-litieraliy splitting her down. A girl
a sister to the wife, being present and seeing
The stroke thus made at her sister, fue TO
give the alarm, but before relief could
reach the place the work was done!
The wife, after receiving the perpendicu-
lar stroke, was heard by the rctrcating girl
to give one scream. He then threw the
children on the floor, as reported by himself
they made no noise. The murderer had
fed when the alarm had called any asssis-
lance. BIT immediate pursuit being des-
patched, he was overtaken six or eight miles
on the Brookville road and surrounded with
Out resistance, only giving in justification
OF the net, that "they were likely TO become
acounty charge, and that he would ra,he,
see them in their present situation" He
is SAID to have answcrea,hu v.,,,a,. 49,,
composedly and sedately, bv no means agl-
tated-said he knew very well what he had
done. And when before he court the was
equally calm and unfiurried.
1t is said that he has been guilty Of MUIR
der before, in Western Penn and convicted
by jury. bu, repreved by the executive on
the plea ofinsanity. Some Of the particu
lars OF this case are reported to be these
he had two brothers living, neighbors, with
one Of whom he was then residing He was
discovered one morning, before the family
rose, TO be making some arrangements in
the house that alarmed them They rose
and fled TO the house of the other brother
not thinking at all Of chrld-an orphan
child living with them-and left in a bed.
After reaching the place of retreat, the wo-
man thinking Of the child, mentioned it,.
observing that he could bear no malice a.
galnst the child. The two brothers. how
ever, returned TO the deserted house, and
found that he had murdered the child in bed
and fed. After being taken, standing a
trial, and finally being repreved he came
to Indiana, and, at the suggestion of some
friends, dropped his true name, which was
Young, and assumed that Of Heller, that be-
'n2 middle name from his mother. There
are more suggestions that he is now insane.
lie, some FIVE or six months since. said that
ne was insane, and frequently told persons
that he had an inclination to kill his wife and
family lie is now safely lodged in the
Liberty jail