Rutland herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1823-1847, 1844-01-11
HORRIBLE MURDER AND ARSON AT
STATEN ISLAND

The house OF Capt, Houscman, on Staten ISL
and, near Pou Richmond, was found on fire by
The neighbors on Mondaw night The wife aMd
child OF Capt Housemnn persisted IN The flames.
the house had been robbed, the inmates murdered
and the premises afterward fired. Capt. House.
man reached home from Va. in the sehr. Wing
Yesterday morning, to learn the heart rcnding in
ielligence. He was known to be well of. and
pa rticularly to have received 81 900 Just before
he sailed from home, which, with a handsome
gold watch, In a, home. This, and other prop.
er,y in the house, is supposed to have led to the
horrid crime, as neither watch nor money, nor
the silver spoons. OF which there were n dozen
and q half. nor Mrs Honsemon's Jewelry. or any
other property, had bcen found Mrs. House
man. was a daughter OF John l. Van pcl,, and
abou, q years of age. The child was only 10
months. The excitement in the neighbofhood
is very great.
Some light at length wn. thrown upon this
mysterious affair. The appearance Of the body OF
Mrs. Houseman. and some circumstances con-
nec,ed with its discovery, induced the ,Coroner's
Jury 10 bring n VERDICT Of wilfn| murder, though
the criminal was unknown. Suspicion, however,
has rested from the first on the sister of Mr.
Housenan. named Polly Bodine. She slept
with Mrs Honsenan on Saturday night previous
10 the murder. and LEFT the house according to her
I OWN siliffDfW NJ - ohfA " WI oibhhh' "''"N'S
for New York. The nigh, before was the last
lime Mrs. Housrman was seen. The fact that the
house had been shut up since that night, and Mrs
Houscman not seen, united with the bad cbarac-
ter Of Mrs. Bodine, she for some time having liv-
ed scperotc from her husband, aud not q very re-
putablc life, directed supicion on her. Her hus-
band is now in Sing-Sing for bigamy. He was
tried for the murder Of his second wife, but the
testimony was no, ~suflicien, TO convict him. Mr..
George Waite. apoihecary, 2j2 Canal street, Wis
led Staten Island with n son Of Polly Bodine, on
Saturday evening Tho connection that existed
between him and her caused him TO be arrested
and examined "A letter was found on him from
tina, woman, requesting some drug, with which II
is supposed Mrs Hou:enan was stupifed previous
10 the murder.
Yesterday the premise. Of Ware were examin.
ed. and several articles Of Polly Bo1inc were
found 10 a room in the building. The gold watch
tina, was missing was also found in the premises
of Mr.. Adolphus. pawn broker in William street
These facts increased tho suspicion against Polly
Bodine, and The police were on the look out Tor
her during all the morning About one o'clock
she was seen and recognised b. Mr. Coddington
yr, son Of Mr. Codd,ngtcn Of The Horse Bazaar
Wait street, who took her to alderman Wander
yoo,'s, but not finding him n, home proceeded 10
his falhcr's stables where he me him, who i'm
mojiaiely carried her to the police Office in Cen
tre street
She was much overcome on appearing before
Magistrate, bat Asserted the innocence ofthe char
ges. stating that II she had any choice she woult
prefer being the murderess rather than bring nc
cusad Of 50 fouI a deed. She stated tina, she lef
Staten Island ty the 6 O'Clock boat on the day q
the murder, and LEFT the House before 6 o'elocl
A NJ
/, She was then taken into a back room and strict
" SEARCHED nv Mr. Chandler, the Clerk, but no
thing found mon her She stated ihs, ste ha'
: ler a @r4iculc IN a church in lpuanestret; the
$ again iha, 1t was in Spring street An officer wa
=. sen, to both places, bul could find nothing.
A No questions were asked her-fui Mt ADO
!, phus. the pawn broker ia William street. % whor
The watch w1s plodgrd. was SEA, for. and on r
wing BE- fally ind,uuheI her as the person wh
> bod pewnei T.
a The unfortunate and wraehed f-rnn'. was the
pisced in a esrnage and accompanied hy JBsie
p MERIT. Nj CallenJer. ard officers NEG aih M
- Dnashe. taken over 10 Staten Island
The circumstances are vrry much syains d
wrssch~l woran, snd u must odi imm~aslrabl
20 the grief 81 MIR. Ho1senan, 20 fed'hsi his ~
> sister q he murirrfss Of he Nise and hshe. II
y 'hous4nd dolisn hieh wat, eossealcd on The prcr
10 lsss Id, dOuhlem. 10 the sernisieS Of The era