The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-03-23
From The BrOOkriHs (indi0na) Amsri-
can, March 4.

can, -uuTCH 4.
HORRIBLE TRAGEDY.-It becomes our
painful duty to record one of the darkest
deeds in the annals of crime. On Sat-
urday the 9th Feb. IN the neighborhood
of Liberty, Union Co. la. aud ID miles
from this place, man by the name OF
Isaac Heller, murdered his whole family
--his wife and three children ! The
circumstances are reported to be of the
most aggravated nature. ltappears that
some of the neighbors had called at the
residence of Heller, and told him that un-
less he would 90 to work and maintain
his family, that the proper officers would
attend to 1t, and his family would become
County charge. This appeared some-
what to incense him. He is represented
as being a hale, robust man, not given to
dissipation, but extremely improvident
and indoent. After these persons had
left the house, he rose and lifted the axe
from beneath the bed-telling his wife
that he was going out to chop, and pass
ing behind where she was sitting with the
child in her arms, struck her to the floor
literally splitting her down. A girl, sis
ter to the wife, being present and seeing
the stroke thus made at her sister, flew to
give the alarm, but before relief could
reach the place the work was done ! !.
The wife after receiving the perpendlcu-
lar stroke was heard by the retreatlng
girl to give one scream. lie then threw
the children on the floor, and severed their
heads from their bodies with such violence
that the weapon struck in the floor, and
as reported by himself, they made no
noise. The murderer had fled when the
alarm had called any assistance. But
Immediately pursuit being despatched he
was overtaken six or eight miles on the
BrookviIle road and surrendered without
resistance, only giving in Justification of
the act that they were likely to become
a county charge, and that he would rath-
er see them in their present situation."
He is said TO have answered the pursuers
very composedly and sedately by no
means agtated-said he knew very well
what he had done. And when before the
inqulring court was equally calm and un-
Hurried.
It's said that the has been guilty of
murder before, in Western Penn. and
convicted by jury, but reprieved by the
Executive, on the plea of insanity. Some
Of the particulars Of this case are reported
to be these: lie 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 child--an orphan
child living with them-and left in bed.
After reaching the place of retreat, the
woman thinking of the child, mention
ed 1t, observing that he could bear no
malice against the child. The two broth
ers however returned to the deserted
house and found that he had murdered
the child in bed, and fed. After being
Understanding "A trial, and finally being
reprleved, he came to Indiana, and at the
suggestion of some friends, dropped his
true name, which was Young, and as
sumed that of Heller, that being "a middle
name from his mother. There are some
suggestions that Ire is now insane. He
some five or six months since said that
he was insane, and frequently told per-
sons that he had an inclination to kill hls
wife and family. lie is now safely lodged
in the Liberty Jail.