Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1844-01-04

E1TAAOAD1NARY Co1NcIDENcE.-A casa has
been heard before Judge UlshGfeE, al New York,
which, for time, mist have given the Judge no
little trouble. We and the particulars thu given
in the Journal of Commsrces q,
Afew days back colored man named John 1eAss,
brought the two Albinos ofwhitb negro boys, -
exhibiting at Pealeie Museum, before Judge ".
shelter on writ Of Hebeas Corpus. II appeared
from the evidence Of Jones and Others that Jones
who claimed the children, formerly lived in Woos.
ter street, and had black wife, by whom he had
five children, three Of them white and two colOred
Some years back he moved to Monroe county, and
and became pauper, and HE two white sons were
bound out by the overseers Of the poor to person,
named James Heustead, for two years and half,
which period expired about six months back
Heustead took the children away from this city and
exhibited them in various parts of the country,
and their father saw them no more. Recently,
hearing that two such boys were being exhibited at
Peale's Museum, he went to see them, and then
procured writ Of Habeas Corpus, and brought
them before Judge Ulsheffer and swore positively
that they were his children. A Quaker lady who
had before seen the children, also deposed positive
ly to their being Jones's children. tavern keep
er who had seen them exhibited at Newark by
Heustead, also identified those boys az being the
same. Other witnesses gave similar testimony, and
case nearly conclusive was made out in favor Of
Jones's claim to the children.
ButA bow came the other side Of the story. A re-
spectable young man who was born aud brought up
at Shrewsbury, New Jersey, proved that colored
man named Joseph Manice, who lived there and
who had black wife. had by her five children,
and that he parted with them only fortnight back
to the keepers Of the Museum, and that the two
boys now present before the Judge were positively
the same boys born at Shrewsbury, and who only
left it fortnight back
This testimony of course threw considerable
doubt on the matter, and Judge Ulshefer adjourn
ed his decision in the case until this morning.
In the meantime, some of the parties concerned
traced out Heustead, and discovered that he had
recently hired the two boys, who had been inden-
tured to MIN, to man in Massachusetts,, who was
exhibiting them there. This man was traced out
and the two children taken from him and brought
to thiseity, and to the no small establishment Of all
brought before Judge Ulsh@ffer yesterday morning.
There was such an extreme similarity in their ages
and personal appearances as to render It difficult to
distinguish between them at first sight. But Jones
had scarcely cast his eye upon them, when he i'm
stantly recognised his own offspring, admitted his
mistake in regard to the others, and gave up all
claim to them, and each of the contending parties
took away their own children.
HORRID MURDER AND ARSON ON STATEN
ISLAND.
We just learn from David Van Name, one Of the
most respectable citizens Of the north sideOf Staten
Island, that a horrid crime was committed, proba.
bly, on Sunday night last, in that vicinity.
Last evening, about O'clock, the House Of Can't.
Geo. Housnan, about mile south Of Port Rich.
mond. on the Richmond road. was discovered to be
on fire. Capt. Housman was at sea- The neigh
Obtained great headway. FINDING no one moying
about. thew Concluded that Mrs. Hous,nan was as.
sent, and therefore broke in. They found the floor
of the upper story had burnt through and when the
flames were extingaished, discovered to their inf.
mite horror beneath the bedstead and bea-clothinc
Of MIRA Housrnan,s room ON the tower oor the char
red remains az Mrs, Housman and her infant child
The conjecture 10 that the house had been broken
into on the preceding night-its inmates murdered
IL property r;fled. ana then so IRE made. which
did not hurst ont i'm Yesterday evening.
Cant. ,Housman reachsd home from Virginia IN
the schr. Whir this morninr. To- learn the heart
rendinr intslligence.. He WINS known 10 he yvell
of. and particularly to have received IN COO. iusi
before he sailed, which. with 4 handsome gold
watch, he left at home. This, and other property
In the ho,,se Il supposed 10 have led No the horrd
crime A. neither watch. nor money. nor the silver
spoons. Of which there were dozen ana half. nor
Mrs Housman's iewelry nor any other property,had
Mr.. Ho,,srnan was \ darehteF az John 4 Van
Pelt. and about 81 years Of are, The child was
only 10 months. -
spectable neighborhood, where these crimes occur.
red Is, az NAV Be imarined. yery great,--.M Y.
american.
IA sister Of Mr.. Housrnan named Polly Isodine.
has been arrested Is the murderer Of Mrs n. The
Circumstance are yory strong against her.1