Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1844-01-12
MURDER AND ARSON.

I" hlND hNoOINs
The wife and child of Mr.. George House,
man, residing on Staten Island, opposite
New York, we're inmmanIy murdered few
days since, by the husbands sister, and the
house set on fire TO conceal the crime. Cap
tain Houseman was at sea. Tho neighbors
rushed TO the spot, but tho fire had already
obtained great Roadway. Finding M ono
moving about, they concluded that Mrs House
man was absent, and therefore broke in.-
They found the floor of tho upper story burnt
through, and when the flames were extin.
guishcd, discovered to their infinite horror
beneath the bedstead, and bedclothing Of
Mrs. Houseinan's room, on the lower floor,
the clarred remains of Mrs. Housman and
her infant child. There are conclusive evil
dences from remnant. of clothing about her
person, and tho room, that before the decd
was pcrpetrated, great violence and indign-
ties we're committed on her person-indecd
the evidence given by Doctors Harrison,
Clark and Edic, go far to establish, this point.
A black silk handkerchief tied tight around
her right wrist, is a mos, singular crcum-
stance in the history of the case. The dis
tressed husband arrived two days after the
murder was discovered, and found sccreted
in the wood-house, tho $1,000 he received
before he left. The watch, trinkets, &C., of
Mrs. Houseman arc all missing. The case
excites more than ordinary alarm from the
fact that most of tho residents on that part
Of the Island are waterman, who arc ncces-
sarily absent large portion of tho time, and
are compelled TO leave their wives and chill
drcn unprotected. A part of the skull of the
child has been found, with the hair perfect,
which leads 10 the opinion that the child was
murdered. II is also ascertained that Mrs.
llouseman had her day clothes on, and not
her night clothes when she was found, as was
at first supposed.
Some light seems at length 10 be thrown
on this mysterious affair. The appearance
Of the body Of Mrs. Houseman, and some
circumstances connected with its discovery,
induced the Coroncr's Jury to bring in "a
verdict ofwilful murder, though the criminal
was unknown. Suspicion. however, has
rested from the first on the sister Of Mr..
Houseman, named Polly Bodine. She slept
with Mrs. Houseman on Saturday night pre-
vous to the murder, and left the house ac-
cording TO her own statement at 5 o'clock on
Sabbath morning for New York. The night
before was the last time Mrs. Houseman was
seen. The fact that the house had been
shut up since that night, and Mrs. Houseman
not seen, united with the bad character of
Mrs. Bodne, she having for some time lived
separate from her husband, and not very
reputable life, directed suspicion on her,
Her husband is now in Sing Sing for biga-
my. He was tried for the murder of SEC
ond wife, bnt the testimony was not sufficient
to convict him. Mr.. George Waite apo,h-
ecary, 252 Canal street, visited Staten Island
with son of Polly Bodine, on Saturday
evening. The connection that existed be-
tween him and her caused him to be arrest
ed and examined. A letter was found on
him from that woman, requesting some drug,
with which it is supposed Mrs. Houseman
was Supplied previous to the murder. Tho
premises of Waite were examined and sew
cra articles Of Polly Bodinc were found in
the room in the building. The gold watch
that was fund in the premises of Mr.. Adolf
plus, pawn b-okcr in William st. These
facts increased the suspicion against Polly
Bodinc, and the Police were on the look out
'o' iN' uu'i"S all tIC iiV' HiHH. Nop"' v
clock she was seen and recognized and I'M
mcdiately carried to the Police Office in
Centre street. She was much overcome on
appearing before the Magistrate, but asserted
her innocence of The charges, stating that il
she had any Choice she would prefer being
the murdcress rather than being accused of
so foul deed. She stated tina, she left Sta
ten Island by the s o'clock boa, on the day
of the murder, and left the house before 6
O'Clock, A. NJ. She was then taken into :,
back room and strictly searched by Mr.. CAL
lender, tho Clerk, but nothing was found
upon her. Mr.. AdoIphus, the pawnhrokrr
IN William street to whom the watch was
pledged, was sent for, and on arriving he
fully Unidentified her as the person who had
pawned it. The unfortunate and wre,ched
female was then taken over TO Staten Island
The circumstances are very much agains, the
wretched woman, and it must add imneas,,.
rably to the grief of Mr.. Houscman 10 fee
that his own sister is the mnrdercss of Iii.
wife and babe. The thousand dollars whicl
was concealed on the premises, led, doubt
less to the commission of the crime, and i, II
supposed that Waite was accessory to it, ant
was 10 have part of the spells.