Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-12-21
LErom our Philadelphia Correspondent


Mosr BaUrAL AND HoRaIp MURDER IN PHILA-
DELPHIA On Saturday morning about o'clock,
the fact OF murder was brought to light by the dis
covery Of the BODY of aged man. buried under the
foor of outsuilding, Immediately adjoining
dwelling house, in Fifth street. near Master in the
district of the Northern Liberties, and during the
day, by the examination OF several witnesses, by AL
derman Clark, of Kens ngton, who held the inquest,
and committed some of the parties To prison, the cir
cumstances Of most cruel and horrid nuSder were
developed II appears, that in the dwelling house
alluded 10, four families resided by the names Of Nc
Nance, Birmingham, Johnson, and Hebron, the lat
ter being the principal tenant and the rest tenants
under him. johnson, the man who was found mur-
dered, was o. years OF age, and occupied one room
on the second floor, with his wife, who, il appears,
aid ne work, but lived on small income derived
from an Investment In railroad or turnpike stock.
From the statement of his wife, il seems that on
Monday morning last, he stated 10 her that he was
going into the city 90 get yearly semi yearly di-
rideud, amounting, as she thinks, 10 about 500 and
that he went off, from which time until SATURDAY.
morning, abe had neither seen nor heard any thing
satisfactory of him, except that occasion Mi
chaei Hebron, who is strongly suspected of being
the murderer, told her that he had seen him in the
street, and that he told him he going into the
country on business The frame building, adjoin-
ing the dwelling where the body was found, APP
peared to have been used for keeping rubbish in.
During the week Mrs. johnson was anxious to
get into tais place, for the purpose of storing
some articles Of furniture, but Heifrsn either
fused TO allow her 20 20 In or put her off by telling
her he had lost the key to the door, or had key
which would not fit the lock. However, on Saturday
morning, Mrs. Johnson succeeded in ge ting into
this building, and. aim st Immediately discovered
hat upon the hoor which she cognised as the hat
cfh husband This circumstance at once awak-
ened her suspicious, and induced her to examine
the premises miautey. When taking up a board in
the floor she discovered the manged corpe of her
husband living upon the ground, presenting one of
the most h"rriying spectacles ever itnessed. She
gave the alarm, when Hebron, who in the yard,
nuttered something, and said to her g will go and
get The Coroner"-since which time lie has not been
sesn. Aiderman Clark sent for, who imme-
oistey caused the inmates ofthe house TO be
Cd. he Coaoner being engaged at the time,
the Alderman summoned jury, who, after a tess
oioss examination OF the whole matter, rendered
verdict that Samuel Johnson came TO his dsa by
blows upea The head and cuts Ipon the neck, infict
ed by some rerson or persons TO the jury unknown.
The coroner soon after arrived, and made post
morton examination, when three separate and dis
unet cuts we're found over the throat, supposed to
have been doae with Ratchet, which, together with
chisel, both having marks Of blood on them, was
found upon the premises, LAYING only quarter of
an inch the external surface uninjured. The
phagus and pharynx were wounded from the right
slde-the carotid artery not divided The bones
the left side of the head fractured, extending TO the
right to the temporal bone and the bones the right
aide OF the head One of the hands much brui-
sed aad the other and had the appe=ra Of ha
wing been done in -rdisg of blows. The body
presented II the most horrid sights beheld.
Hsifron's wife, James McNamee and wife, ard
Thomas Birmingham and his wife were brought be-
fore Alderman Clark. Police officer II. F. Smith
produced a blue cloth roundabout, light colored
cloth pania!oons, and pair Of yellow buckskin
gloves, which he found in Hettron's room, placed
away IN a barrel, aad covered with a bed. There
blood upon them atl-upon the sleeve Innings OF
the jacket there appeared 10 have been great deal
ofbood, which had been partially washed out. Hef-
irons wife said that they his clothes, but pro-
tested most solemnly her entire ignorance Of the
murder. She stated that Hofron, for two three
days, had worn his bettermost clothes, and that in
answer TO her inquiries why ne did he said that
he was goug out ON business but she remarked that
he did not 20. She was Committed TO prison The
others were bound over in the sum o. $1,000 each,
to appear at any time, when notified. Heffron's wife
appeared 10 be composed, manifesting at no time
any symptoms Of fear conscious guilt.
The dwelling part OF the house was closely exa-
mined, and no marks Of blood or yioleace could be
discovered there. Subsequently search was made
In the back part Of the outer building. under which,
in the rear. there 10 cellar hole dug TO the depth
OF four or FIVE feet, about half the length Of the
tire building. accessible by Of fight Of steps
from the Inside, within about tw feet Of where the
body was found. In this hole cellar tksre lay
lot OF tarnips and other vegetables which, at the
bottom, were found 90 be clotted with blood, which
circumstance strongly induces the belief that the
belief that the murder was committed IN that Place,
and the unfortunate man afterwards dragged up and
buried above in the spot where found.
Suspicions exist that the deed was not done by
one person, for on Mozday or Tuesday morning two
individuals left The house for New York, aud
Monday night noise was heard in the room, or
near the room OF Hebron, which seems TO favor the
presumption that the act committed on that
night. The Impression was that Mr. johnson had
a Comfortable sum Of money about him, Dut his
vile thinks that be had not more than twenty dol
lars when he went Sway-cannot imagine how m-ch
ne might have had on his return, up TO the pre-
sent time she has No knowledge ef his having re-
ceived the money he went after
There seems TO be but little doub. that Hebron is
the principal murderer Of Johnson, or that he had
hand IN the bloody deed. Hedrou has a large num-
Der ct acquaintance IN New York. The house
where he lived ~ owned by gentleman in Pitts
burg, by the name Of Mccormack lie NAV possi-
by steer his course towards that place, We has
been resident there. lie is sometimes called Hef-
man, or Hoffman.