Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1855-08-02

MURDER AND SUIc1DE.-An incident
of most painful and interesting char
acter has Just been brought to light; the
murder of a sister by the hands of her
own brother, and subsequently bis own
self-destruction. 1t will be remember
ell that on Monday morning we noticed
the fact that young man by the name
of F. T. Blessing was found dead in his
room at Kings hotel, under circumstan-
ces that led conclusively to the belief
that he had committed suicide. Such
turned out to be the fact, and the cir
cumstances connected with it and the
murder which preceded, are of nature
intensely interesting. of
The name of the unfortunate girl was
Emily Blessing, who having no parents.
was left to the guardianship of her
brother and a married sister, who lives
in this city. We do not profess to be
strictly accurate, but are informed that
she was placed in a convent in this city,
from which place she frequently escap-
ed, and gave such evidence of disso-
lutte life as to render her relatives ex-
ceedingly unhappy. Young Blessing,
her brother, was particularly affected
by her behavior, and for some time pre-
vious TO the dreadful occurrence, seemed
at times low spirited. On the after
noon of the fatal day, he got buggy
and proceeded to house on Fourth
street, well known for its bad repute,
and there saw his sister, whom he pre-
vailed upon to take ride with him.
His manner is represented as having
been quiet, and exhibiting no sign of the
terrible resolution he had evidently con-
cealed in his heart.
The brother and sister left that house
together. 1t is known that he went up
to the Bellefontaino road with and re-
turned without her. He came back to
his hotel near dusk, where he was join
ed, we are told, by his brother and
brother-in law, with whom he spent the
evening in his own room, they little
dreaming of the dreadful act he had
committed. His conduct, in fact, ap-
peared rather gay, and he sent for
bottle of champagne, which they drank.
In the meantime he occupied himself
in writing letter. After an hour so
spent, they left, and in the morning, as
before recorded, he was found corpse.
The fact of his having taken his sister
out with him and returning without her,
and his well known sensitive nature,
created a suspicion that he had killed
her as well as himself, and accordingly
search was made in the direction which
they had gone, and yesterday morning
the body of Emily Blessing, his sister,
was found near the Watkins road, in
the woods, in what is known as the low
er Columbia Bottom, about seven miles
from the city. She had on pink mus
lin dress and straw bonnet, and there
were two bullet holes through her head,
one penetrating above the right temple
and the other just below the cheek bone,
the ball passing out through the left
ear. Upon the Coroner's investigation
it was proven by three witnesses that on
the evening in question five successive
pistol shots were heard. There was a
fence near by, and close examination
of the road led to the belief that he had
hitched his horse and taken her a dis
tance of some thirty yards in the woods
where he perpetrated the act. The re-
peated firing can only be accounted for
from the fact that she saw his purpose
too late and resisted, and some of the
barrels missed. The conclusion is clear
to our mind, from his subsequent con-
duct, that he intended killing not only
her but himself there. but his weapon
was exhausted in sacrificing his sister,
and he was compelled to return to the
city without putting his fatal resolution
in regard to his own life, into effect
Certain it is that few hours afterward
with his own hand, his soul was releas-
ed from all earthly troubles, and sent
into that world where the spirit of his
sister had just preceded him.
Let the mantle of mercy fall upon this
brother and sister. None but those
who love and value the honor of sis
ter, can, in common charity, extenuate
his crime. Dreadful as it is, and with
all the consequences it entails, he has
been driven by keen sense of honor
which is entitled at least to respect, to
sacrifice his own life and that of his sis
ter, rather than live to see her disgrace
ed.
Mr.. Blessing was young man, only
about twenty-three years of age, an
engineer on the river, and was much
esteemed by all who knew him. His
sister was but few years his junior.
a- ST. Louis Rep.
A CRow SToRY.-A man in Pawlet,