New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1853-06-13
MURDERERs ARRESTED.


| Inc hobbery ana murder NJ tnc N"'s"'
hesirs w. II. Van Tassell and John Secor. OF New
castle Westohester County have been riversing the
Northeastern portion Of State in company in quest Of
horses, Of which Mr. Van Tasse had previously been
purchaser in that quarter for sale among his neghbors lie
is thrifty farmer Of 40 years Of age Seeor was
younger maD-perhaps IS They rsve ing from Fort
CoviDgtsn TO Malone, in Franklin Co, on Monday last
each horseback, with two three led horses which
they had purchased when Mr. Van rasse was startled by
the report Of gun close At hand and instantly saw his
companion reel and fail TO the ground shot through the
body Instantly there emerged from the woods two young
men whom the had freely convened with respecting
horses be purchased and who knew route they were
rsv cling aid that they had considerable money in their
possession OF these Mr. Van Ts.se, in some doubt in
CURED Is this accident what does II mean NO
being returned he wheeled hi. horse and fed at
the top Of HE speed TO village few miles distant where
he gaveihe alarm which Immediately spread far aud
wide and every turned Out to surround and scour the
woods in bieh the tragedy enacted This was done
so specify bst The yobng wreches who committed the
deed were caught before they had made their escape, and
Of them TO throw away something just before
be was srrested, which proved to be the watch and
money sI50 Of the murdered Secor They were both Sc
cared.
Hsppeared that having but one gun of their they
had attempted borrow another the day before undera
Of hunting but the refused to lend MS gun
for hunting the Sabbath, they were obliged to at
ten pt the mudr with The place where they lay IN
wait by the side Of the road showed that they had waite
there whiting sticks, &c. for hour aud it
seemed probable that they bad endeavoed to bring the
travellers in range to shoot them both at once
The ball passed through the body of Secor but Van Tase
was untouched He reached home with the body OF hi
fiend Tuesday and the funeral took place Choppa
qua Friday.
p S-Since writing the above, we have found in the tn
Frontier Palladium Maone) of the 9th inst the following
- OH
1t becomes painful duty this week to record one OF
the mos. colo bCOded and he~rtess murders ever per
p.trated in THIS section.
Twonen Van Tassel and job. b. Secor, from New Cas-
tie Westche.ter County in this State had been for few
days previous to this in this and the edge Of
ST. Lawrence County purchasing some horses and on Mon
day morning The 6tn nsu were on their way home with
ih ir horses having taken the Hopkn0n and Port hent
Turnpike from Hopknton On Sunday night they stopped
at The lin of Mr.. Ladd in Duane in this county, where
they itaid until hoDoay morning. After breakfast they
proceeded their way through woods with six horses
each riding horse and leading two Others one on either
SIDE and one Immediately preceding the other on the road
They proce eded III this manner some four five miles
frt Mr. Lsdds, and until within about three fOurths OF
mic OF the old Hatch tavern, kept by Hiram Ayres
the town Of Franklin when they came 10 small brook,
either side Of which the land rises several feet and the
road as TO form elbow As the men descend
ed the brook they about rod apart and Mr.
SecOr upon the bridge they startled by the
port of a rife and Mr. Van Iassel, who riding in the
/, ar looking il the direction of the sound smoke is
tuI the bushes the side of the road within
rods of ihem snd nj the instant observed his com
p-nOn fail dead from his horse and man step from the
bushes which had concealed him. Van Iasse exclaimed,
What are you doing here Did you mean to shoot u.s.
"or was it an accidental sho 7" The ruilian made
reply but ST. pped back INTO the bushes and walked shori
distance of Van Tassel fearing further violence turned
his horses and returned ~ the nearest house and Informed
them had happened md then went on to Mr. L.dds
vh,re be bad spent the night and aroused enough TO
,u to the scene of murder
On returning the spot they found the body of Secor
lying in the road his pockets red Of nearly all their
tents.
Coroner's Inquest was held on the body as soon as
possible, and the Jury returned verdict in accordance
with the above facts
Suspicion as Immediately directed to James Bick
foid and II mss Cock from Dickinson, two young
one Whom had rife who had been in the neigbbor
hood the previous afternoon and had called at two
placer 1t one Of which they endeayored borrow another
gum with the Intention they said of going to heacham
LAKE, u, uS h s th nas on j.; thu d.
ton of the of the murder About the scene tracks
al other evidences OF the presence of at least per
IONS were discovered and ese tracks correpOnded in
size and appearance with those OF the persons hal
css at the house Of Mr. Perkins, where they endesV
ored 10 burow tho gun Similar tracks also found in
the road some miles this side the persons I'd taken
their this place On following them up, II was
found that they bad stopped at the house of Mr. Wine
wbere they had TAX dinner, and said they ming
10 Malone TO take the Before night many OF our ct
zens had the alarm, ana bodies of them the
lock murderers About sunset two persons
we're discovered about mile and half south Of this vii
aee near the woods the bank of the river and they
we're approached fled into the woods and disappeared
The roads partially guarded during the night 10 the
dir. ctIon supposed they would take but nothing
was seen of them Early the following morning woods
in which they had taken refuge secured the
roads leading village but nothing could be dis
covered of them. The alarm had been spread along the
railroad and watches set at the different stations aud about
o'clock on Tuesday morning they taken at Burke 1
Station They approached the depot in company but
of them, young Bedford noticing with whom he |
was scqusinied spoke to him. and as he passed mmed
stey got the fence into the lots and made off in
Their direction Young Cook kept toward the depot and
vss S. Oh arrested by tie hands. As BicklOrd
this he started into brisk rum but pursued and over
tab en- about hundred rods They brought to
this village and after being searched put in jail and
in the afternoon had examination When the prisoners
wer. brought IN about noon Tuesday, the bells were
rupg and fired, and those who searching
Immediately came IN
On the examination Mr.. Van Tassel thought he recog.
nzed in young Bckord the person who stepped into the
road when the fatal shot fired he also recognized
watchkey found Bickford, the having belonged
ia Secor and a watch and pocket book containing s374
which were found hid under a log, within a few feet of /
where Bickford taken; and beside which h5 !
was observed by his pursuers 10 stop, which enabled
them TO come up with and take him. They recon.
med to await the action OF the Grand Jury at the next
session of the Court of Oyer and Tener to be held in
July next
We have given the leading features in this awful
tragedy correctly and free from prejudice
able Many of the details necessarily passed over.
The young men offered no witnesses their part and we
understand will until they called up for trial should
an indictment be found against them although opportunity
was given them procure witnesses and offer testimony
at a subsequent time.
OF the character of these young men we know tle-of
one of them nothing Young Bickford the oldest of
Mr. Henry Bickford, of Dickinson very respectable
and well esteemed man. wherever he is known. The |
Young has attended school at this place for a con
siderable length of time and his schOOlfelows give him
many young men, rather Wild but not believe mali.
COus lie - 3 Years of good looking AMI intel