Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1841-05-08
From he Mi.souri Ropoblio,n.
The Tragedy of the night of the
l7th-Five Thousand Dollars Re-
ward.

w so'"o t'nie past, inc CITY authorities have
oeen engaged In investigating some recent de-
veiopemenls connected with the rider OF
Messrs' Baker aud Weaver, and the burning oil
tho store Of Mossrs. Collier g. Pet,ns, and we
have reirained from giving any of the partcu.
iars, least our doing so might impede their ope.
ratlons. The objects OF secrecy being over, 10
the opinion Of the officers, We feel at liberty to
state the particulars so far as they have been
developed.
negro man named Edward II. Ennis, who
mas been for some time past in the employ of a
barber named Johnson, on Marke, street, OF.
posite the National Hotel made the disclosure
The communications, il seems, were made to
Ennis by one OF the parties, that Ennis being
uneasy about 1t and yet afraid, because Of the
excitement, and also OF the murders, 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 wha,
he knew and asked his advice. Butcher refu-
sed to give any advice; on Sunday, he went
over again and went 10 Alton, when Butcher
communicated the facts TO two constables who
arrested Ennis, and after taking his statement
came here with the expectation of catching one
Of the parties, (Warrick) but he had left before
their arrival.
The circumstances of this horrible affair, as
detailed by Ennis, are as follows; About 10
o'clock on Saturday night, Ennis went from the
barber shop to his boarding house, kept by Lee
ah, a free yellow woman, and Peter CarleviIie,
free man, on Third, between Market and
Walnut streets. Shortly after he had gone to
bed, negro slave named Madison, came to the
door, knocked and was admitted. Soon after
being admitted, Madison exclaimed, "G-d d-n
the luck" and on inquiry why, he stated,
81 have done more murder to night than ever
did before and have not been paid for il" and
after remarking that there would be an alarm
oil fire shortly, he stated in substance that he
and three yellow men, viz: James Seward alias
Sewell, Warrick and Brown, mad gone on that
night TO MIR. Pettus' counting loom, that the
door was unlocked; Madison entered Alone Mr.
Baker was sitting down with his boots of, read
ing newspaper; Madison walked up and pre-
scented bank bill to him, and asked him if it
was good, and as Baker turned 10 look at the
bill he struck him over the head with a short
bar Of iron which he had concealed under his
arm; the others then came in, and they repeat
ed the blows until he was quite dead, his skull
and one side of the head completely mashed,
after searching the body for the keys, they
rolled i, up in the bed clothes and placed il in
she bod.
They secured the door and went to work on
the vault to open it. Whilst at this work, Mr.
Weaver came to the door aud knocked, and
called to Jesse (Mr Bakery to let him in. Some
dispute ensued between Brown and Madison
which should kill Weaver; and it was insisted
that Madison should, as he had killed Baker.
but he refused, saying that he had done his
share and would do no more. Brown opened
.he door and placed himself behind it, and as
Weaver passed into the room, struck him over
the head with the bar OF iron; on tho second
blow he fell, and attempting to rise, Brown
thrust sharp iron bar through MS head. En-
mis- in his statement, does not confirm the report
of the firing Of the pistols, but says, that hav>
ing heard that Weaver was shot, he asked
Madison about it, and he told him that no pistol
had been fired and that they had no weapons
but tho bar Of iron mentioned From the state
ment il would seem that all ofthem had beaten
Weaver.
After some further effort at the vault, finding
they could not get into 1t, Madison left; War
rick, SewelI and Brown remained a short time,
then fred tie house in five different places,
came out, locked the door, and wen. up the
alley north from the house, and threw the key
away. Brown took with him gold watch,
and blue cloth cloak, which he said he had
thrown away for fear Of detection, but did moi
soy where
|, seems from the statements, that Ennis, on
the morning following, was IN company with
nil Of them, and many Of the facts he got from
others besides Madison. Warrick and Sewell
said but little about II. Madison had with him,
on the morning following, the bar of iron with
which The deed was executed, and Ennis having
learned the Office it had performed, took it and
threw il into a privy in the rear OF Leah's
house. The yau: WAS yesterday searched and
the bar found We understand it proves to be
an instrument used in opening dry goods boxes.
chisel on one cnd and claws on the other, one
Of the claws partly broken, agreeing fully with
Ennis's description.
There are many other minor statements, but
the above is the substance. Tho communica-
ton of Madison appears TO have been made
without solicitation, and without any injunction
OF secrecy.
Leah and her husband confirms Ennis state
rnent as to The time he came home, and the
time Madison came in. They heard the con
versaton, hui not sufficiently distinct to under
stand it, 1t may be well, however, 10 remlk
as a further confirmation of Ennis statements
that Yesterday Madson's coat was found in the
loft OF LeRh's house besmeared win blood
From all that we can gather, il does not ap'
pear that the scheme had been long concocted
or that they had very well matured their plan
OF operations.
We suboin such a description Of The muir
derers as we are in possession Of, and trust /
may be sufficient, if they have not already
been apprehended, to lead 10 their detection.
MADISON is slave belonging to Samuel G
Blanchard OF New Oreans-has been her
some time running at large, and if we are cor
rec,ly informed, was sent here to avoid pros
ccution in New Orleans lie is stout cope