Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1847-07-20
EXTRAORDINAR AND HORR1D
MURDER


MURDER.
The Maumee River Times Of tho 81
contains an accoun, Of 4 murder shock
ing to think of. committed upon small
child of Mr.. Schamp, about five years
old. living in the vicinity Of West Unity
Williams County. Ohio. on the 10Th nit.
The substance of the narrative Is "a toll
lows. A man calling himself Andew r.
Tyler. who pretends to tell fortunes cnmo
into West Unity and commenced telling
fortunes. On Sunday. Mr.. Scaamp MIS-
sed his lit,le boy, whom hc and his neigh
bors turned out 10 find. On Monday.
Tuesday and "Wednesday the search con-
,inued. on the latter day 900 men joining
in it, when, no, discovering him. snsplc ions
arose tina, he had fallen into violent hands.
and rested on young man II years OF
age, named David Heckefthorn. On being
questioned, he confessed that no had de.
coyed the child into the woods. poisoned
candy furnished him by Tyler for tho pur-
pose, and hid it III hollow tree, and pro-
cceded forth with 10 show the place OF con-
cealmcnt. Ga his examination before the
Coroner's Jury, Heckerthorn said no had
boon employed by Tyler to commit tho
deed, rs well rs others. of the samo hor-
rid nature. The object Of this diabolical
villainy appears to have been to make
money in The fraudulent art OF fortune
telling, by giving information. OF lost ch,!.
dren after oil means of discovery had
been tried in vain.
Tyler, Hecker,horn, and another sup
posed accomplice wero arrested and OK.
amined before n Justice.
The editor of tho Times gives the fol.
lowing additional PARTICULARS:
The above named Tyler and Hccker-
thorn were committed to the Jail OF this
county for snfo keeping, on tho 2Sth ult.
by the sheriff of Williams county. Heck
er,horn, we learn confesses that he wns
hired by Tyler to commit the act. undor
the pain of death, il he divulgod tho Sc
cret, and then Tyler furnished him with
poisoned candy, which he gave tho child.
The child turned black in tho face Heck
erthorn states Immediately after it ate of
the candy. and in about fifteen minutes
died, when according to Ty!er's instruc.
tons ,ho placed the body in hollow log,
and covered it with spice bush leaves
Tho coroner's jury Of inquest, however.
in their sitting, discovered marks OF vio-
| Iance upon tho body, and a fracture OF tho
scul, and it is supposed that tho child
came to his death by more violent means
that the administering of the candy.
Hockorthorn however most solcmnly
protests that no had no AGENCY in the mat
tor, except decoying tho child into tho
woods, and administering the candy as be-
fore mentioned.
AT the timo of Tyler's arrest, he was
some six miles from the place where the
murder was committed, and without being
informed for what offence he was arrested.
and being ignorant Of Heckertiorn's con-
fesson. he said that he was mot guilty
that it was another person, boy, that
committed tho act" Tyler is man a
bout thirty five years of age. is short and
thick set, of rather dark complexion. has
wife and two children living in Morgan
county. in this State. He with Hecker-
thorn will await their trial the next term
of the court Of common pleas of Williams
COUNTY.