The pilot and transcript. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1840-1841, 1840-12-22
| FF0ln be PhiIadelphia U S Ga:stts qfyester-

! From tie Philadelphia .. S Ga:ette qfyester-
day morning.
HoRRIn MURDER.-The body of a man by the
name Of Samuel Johnson, who formerly owned
and kept the Spring House Hotel, little dis
lance from the city, ON the old York Road, and
who has been missing since Monday last, was
found ON Saturday morning in a sned adjoining
the house, buried about eighteen inches in the
Sround-the head was very much cut, and in
horrible state. The deceased was about sixty
years Of age, and had but a short time before sold
his hotel for $1,000 The knowledge of his hav-
ing the money IN his possession, has no doubt
caused the commission ofthe horrid act. An iu-
dlSldual on whom suspicion has fastened has
since absconded.
An examination before Alderman Clark, eli
cited the following additional circumstances. Il
appears that the house in which the deceased
lived, was rented by man named Hefiner, two
other families also resided III the house; the dc
ceased had the second story front room; he did
no work, but subsisted on the dividends of some
railroad stock which he owned He told his
wife on Monday last that he would 20 to the
city to receive a dividend, amounting to about
sSU After being away some time his wife be-
ing alarmed at his not returning, asked HefIncr
il he had seen him, he said yes, he had seen him
on the road, and that he was going into the
country on business.
Mrs. johnson had been for some time impor-
tuning Hcfiuer to grant her the use of an out
house or shed, which had been used for storing
OF rubbish. He evaded her request from time to
time, using as his excuse that he had Nc the
hey. She at last gained admittance, when the
Iirst thing she saw on the floor was her hus-
bands hat This excited her suspicion and
causing search to be made, the body was at
length dragged out from under the floor, multi
ated IN the most horrible manner; three distinct
cuts were visible, severing the phargna rso-
phagus, leaving only the caroted artory un-
touched; one Of the hands much bruised, as if it
had been raised to ward off blow
A Ratchet and ehisel were found, stained
with blood; there was also produced a blue
Jacket and pantaloons, and yellow buckskin
gloves, much stained with blood-the jacket
very much so. Heffner's wife recognized them
as her husbands, and said that he had been
wearing his best clothes for few DAYS past,
giving as his reason that he was going out q
business He did not so however. Mrs. II.
was very composed during the trial, and sol
EMMY ayerrsd her ignora ice of the murder
Hetfner was in the yard at the time when Mrs.
Robinson gave the alarm, and muttered some
thing, saying aloud "I'll go for the Coroner"-
He went away, and has not since been heard of
He has very probably Steered his course for
New York, as he has many acquaintance there.
Ia the course OF the search which was instituted,
an old cellar, in which cabbages and turnips
were kept, was examined the Goor OF this cell
lar, under the vegetables, was found to be clot-
ted with blood, which leads tn the supposition
that the murder had been committed IN this
place, and the body afterwards dragged up
stairs and buried under the floor Mrs Heffner
was admitted to bail in the sum of $1,000, and tn
other persons residing in the house in 500, to
appear when summoned, The police are using
every effort to track out Hehfner, who has no
loubt committed this horrible murder