The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-06-05
THE HVRRD MURDERS ON LONG ISLAND.

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| MIR. and Mrs. Wschham Killed-Tho Coaered
Boy not Expected 20 survive-Tne MIur-
dcrer still ~ laxse-el.OOO Onsred for hrs
Arrest-Great Excitemeut.
We publishcd In yesterdays HERALD the atrocious
murcer Of Mr.. James Wickham and wife, and coIored
hoy, which took place Friday night at their resi-.
denoe situated at Cutchogue In the town Of southho
sufslk county Long Island.
Ihs murdsrous deed evidently purpstrated BY an
rishman named Nicholas BAin Aborer formerly In the
employ Of Mr. wickhs, bat who had recently been dis.
charged In consequences Of quarrel having taken place
between himself and The servant girl lsn Holland Who
It Is alleged he wanted 70 marry. However be that as
1t may, there has been species Of rsveass exhibited In
this affair." Of the most deoniae charaoacr and the I'm
presscn seems To b that Bans intentions were 10 take
the life Of all In the house. svsh the gr and then set
fire TO the premises and thereby destroy the evidence Of
his guilt.
For the purpose Of asosrtalung more fully the facts
and circumstances In this horrible affair." one Of our
special reporters yesterday visited the scene Of tho
tragedy, and collected the following,- r
In the first place, Mr. James wickham was . retired
merchant, having made fortune in the Arm Of Oliver
Corwin & Co., wholesale grocers in Front street. near
Fulton, New York; and about three years ago he pur
chased the farm where he resided his DEATH About
two ago he took Nicholas Balm into his employ %
laborer the farm having found him at the eoe Of
the Commissioners Of Emigration. The inmates of the
house consisted Of Mr. and Mrs. wickham, and two
servant girls named Ellen Holland and Catharine Dowd
The former and Balm became intimate and hs wanted
to marry her. Latterly however diiculty arose
between them and she accused him of stealing Sl0 from
her This trouble between them caused Ellen to inform
Mrs. Wickham that she would leavc the house II Nicholas
was allowed to remain. This fact was communicated
to Mr.. Wickham, who informed Nicholas that his
services were no longer wanted. This preference
given to the girl Ellen produced q very bitter
feeling his part towards the family and particularly
against Een to whom he declared he would have salts
faction and even went far TO threaten personal
lence. On last Tuesday Mr. wckham paid Nicholas the
wages due him, and he then left On Friday morning he
took his trunk from the house and went by the train to
Greenpor, where he left It. On that night IT is evident
that he returned to Mr. wickhams house. and at about
entered the premises by pushing up the ktch
window. very furious dog Is kept In this Kitchen
and the fact Of the dog not making any noise showed
it was some one he well knew.
Prior to entering the house, Balm armed himself with
post axe and in his stocking feet proceeded to the
sleeping room Of the negro boy, Stephen Winston 10.
Gated over the kitchen from this o smsil door
leads to the main building next to the sleeping apartment
Of Mr. Wickham. This door was fastened by rope.
With the the boy was struck several times on
Leaving the boy, supposing him to be dead, he then
went down stairs passed through the parlor, leav-
ing traces of blood upon the doorways up stairs,
to the sleeping apartment Of Mr. Wckham and his wife,
He entered that room with his in hand and
small lighted lamp in the other, which he had brought
from the kitchen. Here the deadly contest took place
tween the murderer and his victim. From the appear
of the bed clothing is believed that both Mr. and
Mrs. wckham awake, and had sprung from the
Al - y
to scream and exclam, "Ncholas, don't kun himi don't
XIII him; take what you want in the house. but don
kill himr' Notwithstanding these supplicatIons fos
mercy Nicholas continued to sppB the with the To-
/ roey Of demon, inGctisS wounds Of deadly charac-
ter as almost every blow. No Is than t1snty wounds
visible the face and head Of his victim. Upon
knocking him senseess the aoor IL Is evident he
seized Mrs. wickham by the throat with hand, to
prevent her giving further alarm while he struck her
two successive blows upon the forehead with the
shatterng the skull and distributing the brains about
the She fell to the floor insensble and all
quiet. Mr.. wickham found PROSTATE the floor,
with his head towards the door, and his wife lying
In the opposite direction, with her head towards the
| window, bereft Of all her night clothing
The shreks and cries of Mr.. and Mrs. Wickham
aroused the two servant girls who occupied the attic
bedroom Ellen Holland, the girl whom he had threat
ened, the first who heard the disturbance below
4 cne instantly suspected tnat IL was NICHOLAS, and
aroused her companion, Caharine Dowd go and
the neghbors that murder going down stairs y
They afraid to 60 down stairs and how to escape
they knew not They listened and the beating noise
had ceased, and all appeared quiet and fearing he
would next come up stairs they fled to the garret win
dow and Catharne leaped out Of it to the kitchen
roof then slid down to the roof Of the milk house
Meeting with it, and then to the ground. Ellen soon
after followed her. and both Off screaming across the
meadows TO the residence of Mr. Belts, distance of
| fve or six hundred yards. They alarmed Mr. Belts,
screaming out "For Gods sake go to our house for
murder is being committed" Mr.. Belts at first
thought the girl crazy, and Mrs Belts exclaimed
"Donr let her in, the girl is mad" After while Mr.
Belts concluded to go and about it, and called Doctor
Carpenter, who lived near by and Mr.. Corwn, to 90
with him. They all approached the house together,
and listened for minute to ascertain they could hear
anything Not hearing anything they went to
the house, and found Mr.. wickhsm's bedroom window
open. They listened again, and heard the groaning
sound made by the dying people. They concluded at
once to enter the premises and accordingly they broke
open tho door, procured light and went up stairs
Upon entering the bedroom Dr. Carpenter saw Mr. Wick
ham raising up his hands and knees, and he excaim
ed, go, myi o, dear p and Immediately sank down
again the floor, These we're the last words he ut
tered The Doctor then rendered medical aid and dis
covered that he had less than twenty wounds about
the head. His jaw broken in three places and the
skull broien and completely smashed in behind the
| ears on both sides Of the head.
In addition to these wounds, his head and face we're
literally covered with cuts and bruises. His hands,
arms and body exhibited evidence Of severe contest
with his assailant. In insensible condition he re
NAMED for twenty hours and died at O'Clock on satur-
| day night.
The unfortunate woman, Notwithstanding tho severity
Of the wounda fingered for two hours before she
expired She was not conscious after the arrival Of
her friends The room exhibited the appearance Of q
slaughter house, covered with blood and braas and
| suewn with pieces Of skull.
The colored boy dreadfuliy injured on the head
having received three blows with the axe; one
blow severng his ear and another fracturng his skull
He ea In aata of inaanaihltx and no honaa ara