The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1846-03-28
The HOrrid Murders at Au-
burn--Great Excitement!
From the Rochester Daily Advertis

From the Rochester Daily Advertiser.
Our thanks are due Mr.. Bostwck, Mail
Agent, for copy of the Cayuga Tocsin, con
tanning the testimony before the Coroner's
Jury upon the horrid murder in Cayuga coun-
~.
The excitement in Auburn and vicinity is
said TO be Unprecedented, AS the negro
made disappearance in the streets, in charge
of ten constables, the crowd made rush for
him, but were prevented from getting him by
the officers putting spurs to their horses. The
District Attorney then directed them to make
their way TO the scene of the MURDER for the
purpose of having Mr.. Van Arsdale, who lies
IN very precarious state, TO identify the ne
gro. An immense crowd followed him and
on arriving at the house, n motion was made
TO the throng out doors by one of the most
substantial men of Auburn, that the wretch
be taken from the hands of the officers, and
strung up on the first tree! This motion was
seconded by deacon o. te church, and carried
by dcaiening 'AYE!!" from the crowd.
AT this point, one of the Justices came 10
the door and made speech TO them; telling
them that the probability was that there were
others who had instigntcd the negro 10 com
nit the hOrrid deed, aud justice demanded
that he should have an examination. The
crowd promised that they would not modest
him, but when he made his appearance, not
withstanding he was surrounded by men
with their arms closely locked, some ofthe
more excitablc actually jumped upon him.
He was finally pun into covered wagon and
drove for Auburn.
Two individuals had started for the village
in advance Of the wagon, at full speed and
attracted the attention of the crowd to the
Conrt House, for the purpose of getting the
negro into the side door ofthe Jail unmolestcd
The ruSe succeeded; but no sooner did the
crowd discover the deception, than they rush
cd with such force to the Jail, that the fence
surrounding il was completely carried away.
The details oithe murder are revolving in
the extreme.
Mr.. Van Arsdale and Miss Holmes both
recognized the murderer. The negro admits
the murder, and says that no stabbed Mrs.
Van Nest ont doors, and then went to the
door and stabbed Mr.. Van Nest as he was
opening the door.
From his accountit seems probable, though
there is some confusion about his subsequent
steps, that he next encountered old Mrs. Wy
koff, in the entry way and stabbed her. and
in doing SO, either from his own knife, or from
one in the hand of Mrs. Wykoff, he received
a severe GU; upon his hand which nearly dis
abled him. Hesthen proceeded to the stairs,
where Van Arsdalc was coming down, and
had the encounter with him.
Mrs. Wykoff died about two o'clock Satur-
day afternoon, and Mr.. Van Arsdale is in n
precarous situation. The excitement has
been without parallel. The wonder is that the
citizens have been able iin their exasperated
state of feeling, TO refrain from applying
Lynch law to this fiend.
EXCITEMENT IN CAYuGA. Determination of
Tie people TO lynch The MlTderer!-The freight
train from Auburn is Just in. Mr. Van Ars-
dale died ofhis wounds last night, making
the fifth victim of the internal Freeman. We
also learn by the r. r. Conductor, that the
excitement is beyond control in all the south
ern towns of the county, and that the people
ofFleming, Owasco &c. have determined TO
march to Auburn to day, and if Freeman is
ofim at all hazards. Ifthe People once get
hold of the Murderer, when in this state of
excitement, the result can be easily conjec-
Journal Of .No',day. !
We copy the following from the Auburn
Daily Advertiser, of Monday.
The funeral ofMr and Mrs Van Nest and
child, and Mrs Wykof, were attended yester-
day by an immense concourse ofpeople. The
Van Nests, father, mother and child, were
buried in one grave. The excitement was
very great--perhaps more so than ut any time
previous. The funeral sermon, preached by
Rev. A. b. Winfield, was eloquent and APP
prOprldte. -.
We see it stated as the motive ofthese foul
that the murdered parties gave in
some time since by which the ne
gro was apprehended for theft aud imprison-
ed three years therefor.
G5PWe take the following paragraph from
the evening edition ofthe N. Y Tribune. 1t
records very singular occurrence:
DocToR KILLED BY HIS OWN PREscrp-
rIoNs. We have just seen a private letter
from Macon, Ga, stating that Doct Ambrose
Baker, an old and highly esteemed physician
Of that place, died on the 9Th inst. from the
effects ofhis own medicine He wrote pre-
'cription for a dose composed III part of Prus
,ic acid, to be administered to patient. The
druggist sent the medicine, with a message
whoever took it would be killed. The pa
lent thereupon refused to take it, when the
0oct. to convince him there was no danger,
wallowed it himself He died in half an
lour. The prescription was copied exactly
rom medical work, but the quantity ofprus-
ic acid was eight times as great as should