The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-01-14

also picked up. The tracks of several persons were
traced In the snow and followed to the northeast,
running IN the same direction with the brook,
| through low marshy ground round towards the fac
in a swamp scat,erinsly covered with low shrub
| berry and cedars Here musket was found, which
had been fired and broken into two pieces. The
piece of the breech found near the scene of the
murder fits in its place the stock of the musket
| and therefore, there is doubt that this gun was
| the instrument used TO effect the murder, A
| coat also found in the swamp on which
were spots of blood, but no trace OF It's ownership
| has yet been discovered. The COCK OF the mnskei
and the clasp that covered the trigger were found
the following day, in the snow immediately I'M
| der where the body of deceased had LAID. III Il
thus evident that the conflict between the deceased
| who was a very strong active man, weighing near
| ly 250 pounds, and his murderers, was severe IN,
deed, it is presumed If he had not been disabled
would have been impossible tor any two ordinary
men 10 have mastered HIM
The only trace of any thing found near the scene
| OF the murder which identified the Gordons as the
perpetrators Of this act, is the gun, which Mr.. A.
my, the auconeer, says he thinks he sold TO Mi
chaei q. Gordon, before the civil troubles In me
State. colored man who left the gun with Mr.
Amy TO sell, also Identifies H. and 1t therefore VIII
| become necessary tor Michael Gordon 10 either
show that il is not, never was his gun or else
| to explain how it left his possession. This rs the
only testimony that bears materially against HIM or
his brothers, as nearly all the other stories put IL
circulation are unfounded, and the mere coinage
| of the brains that have given them publicity.
| A feeling of hostility has existed for some time
between Michael G.. Gordon and the deceased
| Gordon has occupied small tenement In the I'm,
mediate vicinity of the calico mandatory, and
sold groceries, including ardent spirits Mr. Sprague
| succeeded last spring IN preventing him from CD
taninga license to sell liquor, but 1t Is SAID lhat IL
was stu continued and he, therefore, gave orders
| TO the men in his employ, numbering between one
! and two hundred, not to go into Gordons store IN
fear of discharge from his employ Michael "
Brien, who is arrested with the Gordon's, was IN
| Of he deceased. a
| and violated this order The deceased hearing OF
it dismissed him, and told him to go to his book,
keeper and obtain the pay due him. Instead OF
this, he went INTO the factory .and, continued ms
work. The deceased seeing him there, ordered
him out and, as we understand, kicked him ash
| was leaving the premises. This was about three
months since, and OBrien afterwards heard
to express feelings of revenge, for which, alone, he
| now stands arrested. .
The most probable conclusion, if the Gordons
were concerned in the murder, Is, that they have
been hunting or shooting at mark, when they
have accidentally met the deceased, who has pro-
badly ordered them off his farm, or otherwise com,
menced acrimonious conversation, when actuated
| by motives ofrevenge, they have shot at HIM, and
| the murder has then been cOnsummated IT Is true
that the finding of the pistol and discharge OF the
cap, which, up to the present time, has not been
identified and the selection Of the peculiar spot
where the murder was committed, show strong
| evidence of generalization; but nothing else
evnces such conclusion. II has been minated
that the pistol belonged to the deceased, and that
he commenced assault with IT., or fired It IN self-de
fence but one Identifies 1t as his, and as he
owns revolving one, It seems hardly probable that
he would have carried this with him. Hearing
it mentioned, and seeing several publications re-
ferring to some supposed intimacy between the de-
ceased and married woman residing on the farm
where the murder was committed, from when
conclusion had been drawn that the feelings OF an
outraged husband might have prompted this horri-
BILE deed, made enquiry for her residence, which
| found to be but short distance to the north
west of the scene of the murder, over knoll
of rising ground on the Johnston road "A
at the ohec Tas Sss3sb wb by
occupies the north end Of the. cottage. We asked
for Mrs. Leech, who Immediately rose from a seat
the stove in her sisters apartments; and upon
requesting private interview, she ushered us
into her apartment, at the other end of the building
She is young woman Of about " years OF age, OF
graceful form, brunette complexion, large, dark
hazle eye, very animated, and on our informing
her that we were from New York, and had visited
the scene of the murder; and also called upon her
to obtain all information relative to ii, she became
very communicative, and chatted with as much
| ease as though we had been long acquainted. we
told her that she must be certainly aware that hel
had been brought into this matter, and thati
had been limited that owing to visits 1.-THE deceased
| at her house her husband might have been induced
| to commit the act from jealousy and revenge. She
replied that she did believe he would have cou
rage enough to Kill any thing, still less such
| man as Mr., Sprague, and to Justify her posi-
ton remarked that during last summer a
| troublesome, when she endeavouIed to, get
| him to kill it, and he refused, She said she
had not seen her husband since July last, when he
went away, but she had been told by several per
sons that he passed by the house on Christmas day.
She said that they had no quarrel on separating, but
| that he had become lazy and indolent, and went
off of his own accord. That he had never expressed
any feelings of jealousy towards the deceased, io
whom he formerly worked, but had always appeared
| o ihi.k much of him. That since he had left she
had supported herself she had done before, by
making clothing for persons engaged IN the factory
| of deceased, which work was generally sent from
| the store connected with the factory. She sale
that the deceased was in the habit of coming to the
house almost every Sunday, and at other times ~
| the week, and that oftentmes on Sunday h.
would stay an hour or two, as he, was llvley
| company, and liked to be among lively folks
That she knew people had talked about il, and SHE
told deceased of It once, when he laughed, and salt
he conceived he had right to 60 where he pleased,
particularly on his own property, The house II
which she lives is the farm of deceased, where
she said she had resided only about year. but thai
her married sister had occupied II for several Year.
with her husband who has also been IN the employ
| of deceased.
| She said the house was closed on the Sunday the
murder was committed, as she and her sister were
on visit to the Phenix factory to spend the New
Year. She said that deceased was present at then
house on the Sunday previous, when she told some
| one they were going to the Phenix on the follow
ing Sunday, that he knew that she not al
home the day Of the murder; She first heart
of the murder while at the Phenix, which SHE
would not believe until she come and saw the body
he said that the visits of the deceased were of
friendly character only-hat sometimes he would
pass by the house and not stop in but when he die
he would talk and Joke the same as any body else
about matters and things IN general, but nothing II
particular. She appeared to regret his death yer,
much, as she said he was very nice man, ant
then apologized for taking us into cold room, a.
she had not made fire in it since the discovery o
the murder. Her husband, george Leech, is re
presented as a small, ndolent man, of little capa
city and trait in his character that would promp
him to the commission of such murder as THU
has proved to be.
The examination Of witnesses on the part Of the
defence-the prosecution having closed--was con
nued before the magistrate until about 2 o'cloci
on Friday, when they adjourned till Monday morn
ing next
In the meantime, the following hand bill ha,