Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1840-12-25
THE MURDER AT NEW BRUNSWICK

There is no longer any mystery as othe fate
of Mr.. Abraham Suydam, of New Brunswick.
lie has been inhumanly murdered. His body
has been discovered, buried in cellar belong
ing to house carpenter, named Peter Robin
son. We copy the following from the Newark
Daily Advertiser:
"Petcr A. Robinson Unexpectedly called
upon Mr. Jacob Edmunds, dealer in lumber to
whom he was indebted, to pay his account The
agreeable surprise at this voluntary payment, when
least expected was converted into suspicion, when
Robinson mentioned, in connection with an inclden-
tai remark concerning the my ,terlous disappearance
of Mr.. Suydam, that he had paid him off, adding,
"thank fortune am out of his clutches" He said
he had paid of ia mortgage Mr.. S. held on his proper
ty, but did dare to take it to the clerks Office to
be cancelled for fear he should be suspected of being
the murderer. This remark, together with the pay
ment of money which could not have been expected
full suspicious, which Mr.. Edmunds first communi-
Gated to his wife; and after reflection on Monday
morning, he called upon the Mayor, Judge Vail, and
related the circumstances.
After conference with a small number of friends
careful inquiries were made during the morning
which resulted in ascorlanng that RobiNson's bond
and mortgage for $50 dollars, held by Mr. Suydam,
were missing, and that Mr.. $. had also withdrawn a
note of some seventy eighty dollars from the
ca Ter of the bank on the day before that in VIII ch
he disappeared, as he said to settle with Robinson. -
These, with other circumstances, such the descrip-
ton Of the money paid to Mr.. Enthusiastically
increased the Suspicion and it was finally determin-
ed to have him arrested and examined During the
afternoon therefore, the Mayor called npon Robin
son with an officer and communicated to him the
suspicion, and proposed that he should go with him
before agstrate for examination, which he readily
consented Ia, remarklng that he had not Mr..
Suydam in six weeks.
The examination was conducted before Judge Con-
over. 1t appeared that Robinson purchased the lot
upon which he built house, of Mr.. s., the mort
gage on which he swore he had paid off some five or
six weeks before He readily consented to produce
the papers, and for that purpose the officers returned
with him to the house, where they found number of
citizens who had been making a search during the
progress of the examination. Robinson took out the
papers, and it then proposed to him that the cellar
floor which it was ascertaned had been laid during
night after Mr. S. was first missed, should be re-
moved Robinson protested earnestly, saying, they
did, the house would fall down. He was, however
taken back to The magistrate, and the gentlemen to
whom the search had been confded, raised the floor
and discovered indications of loose earth about the
dimensions off grave, which led them to open the
ground. About foot under the surface, dead cat
was found-supposed to have been placed there to
count for any smell that might afterwards arise and
about four feet below the surface the body found
in full clothing lying on its face-where II must have
lain since the Sd instant
After having secured the body party went up to
the Office where the examination was IN progress
and proclaimed that the body had been found. Rob
inson heard the announcement without the slightest
apparent emotion. All the evidences of debt which
Mr.. S. held against Robinson were produced as hay
ing been paid with the signatures torn off, policy
of insurance which Robinson had transferred to Mr.
S. during the interval in which he had sworn he had
not seen him. had also been discovered. Robinson
brother who it is said assisted in laying the hoor was
Immediately arrested, and when he entered the Office
the officers were searching Peter A. who seeing his
brother, and supposing he had come in voluntarily tc
his aid remarked to him, "you need MT come here
l am not aiiiald-l am innocent Nothing farther
| was elected by the examination, ana the brothers
! were duly committed. Robinsons wife goes out Il
work as cook &c, and has also been committed
Among other circumstances of suspicion, valuable
| lady's gold watch was found in the prisoner pos
session, which he said he bought IN New York some
months ago. and which he had offered TO sell within
few DAYS for $50 set of silver spoons were subse
auently found in his trunk, bearing the name of II
Evans, clock and watch maker OF tins city, as ma
kerr Mr.. f.. has been called upon, and states that
man, answering to the description given of Mr. Rob
nson called al his shop lew days since, with yer,
valuable double case, patent lever gold watch with
massive chain, which he wished 10 exchange for less
valuable watch aud sundry other articles. This wa
MIR. Suydnms watch, and the lady's watch found il
Robinsons possession is the one received from Mr.
Evans in exchange together with the spoons found II
his trunk.
lie also ordered another set of spoons to be mari
MARKEDLY "P. A. r." but which are in fact the initials
! of his own name. lie told Mr.. T.. that his name wal
Brown or Brewer which he did not distinctly under
stand. While in the shop, he bought gold key, ap
peared to have plenty of money, and said he bough
The patent lever AT auction in New York, SIX months
ngo, for 500
Robinson, as may be inferred from the circumstan
ces is very ordinary man, 30 or 40 years off age nnc
we understand, known in New Brunswick only as
carpenter His wife was ont when he was arrested
We understand that he continued up to this morning
to deny any knowledge of the murder, and that he u
perfectly suen and imperturbed.
! Nj Suvdsm was President Of the Farmers a MO