Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1841-05-21
From tho ST. Louis Republican, Mayl
THE ST. LOUIS TRAGEDY-TuE
MURDERERS DISCOVERED!

For some days past, the city authorities
have been engaged in investigating some re-
cent developments connected witt, the muir
der of Messrs. Baker and Weaver, and the
burning Of the store of Mcssrs. Collier aud
Pettus, and we have rcfraincd from giving
any Of the particulars, least our doing so
might impede their operations. The objects
of secrecy being over, in the opinion of the
officers, we fee! at liberty to state the par
ticulars so far as they have been developed.
A negro man named Edward II. Ennis,
who has been for sor some time in the emf
ploy Of a barber named Johnson, on Mar
kct street, opposite the National Hotel, made
the disclosure. The communications were
made to Ennis, by one of the parties, that
Ennis being uneasy about it and yet afraid
because of the excitement, and also Of the
murdcrcrs, to tell what he knew, went on
Friday last to Butcher, yellow man, who
resides in Brooklyn on the opposite side Of
the river, and told him what he knew, and
asked his advice. Butcher refused to give
any advice; on Sunday he went over again
and went to Alton, when Butcher commune
Gated the facts to two constablcs who arrest
ed Ennis, and after taking his statement,
came here with the expectation of catching
one of the parties (Warwick) but he had left
before their arrival.
The circumstances of this horrible affair,
as detailed by Ennis, are as follows: .ibout
10 O'Clock on Saturday night, Ennis went
from the barber shop to his boarding house
kept by Leah, free yellow woman, and
Peter Chareville, a free man, on Third, be-
tween Merket and Walnut streets. Shortly
after he had gone to bed, negro slave ma
med Madison exclaimed, &C d-n the
luck" and on inquiry why, he said, 81 have
done more murder to night than ever did
before, and have not been paid for it ;" and
after remarking that there would be an alarm
of fire shortly, he stated in substance, that
he and three yellow men, viz James Sc
ward, alias Sewell, Warwick, and Brown,
had gone that night to Mr.. Pcttus' counting
room, that the door was unlocked; Madison
entered alone Mr.. Baker was sitting down
with his boots of reading new spaper-
Madison walked up to him and presented
bank bill to him, and asked HIM if il was
good; and as Baker turned to look at the bill,
he struck him over head with short bar of
iron which he had concealed under his arm ;
the others then came in and they repeated
the blows until he was quite dead, his skull
and one side of his head completely mashed !;
after searching the body for the keys, they
rolled it up in bed clothes and placed i, in the
bed.
They secured the door and went to work
on the vault to open il. Whilst at this work
Mr.. Weaver came to the door and knocked
and called to Jesse, (Mr. Baker, to let him
in. Some dispute cnsued between Brown
and Madison, which should kill Weaver (;
and it was insisted that Madison should, as
he had killed Baker, but he refused, saying
he had done his share and would do no more.
Brown opened the door and placed him
self behind it, and as Weaver passed into
the room struck him over the head with u
bar of iron on the second blow he fell, and
attempting to rise, Brown thrust sharp iron
bar through his head. Ennis in his state
ment, does not confirm the firing of the ps-