The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-12-29
THE DAILY DISPATCH.
THE HORRIBLE SPIRTTUALIST MURDER
ssi IN NEW HAVEN, -

" AsSs' INV
we nave mentioned by telegraph the fact of the
horrible murder in New Haven, ON Christmas eve
oi 'us'us Matthews pistol maker, aud member
OF society called "wakemanites The Sa,.,
havsn Courier of tho 18th gives an account of tho
horrible AFFAIR, which appears TO have been the
says o"a1ier
The city was thrown into considerable exc,,s.
-, neu ny the announcement of another murder
monday. Ii seems that there exists In tbe unner
part OF the city peculiar religious sect KNOWN AZ
the Wakemanites," who have made their doe.
'ises m known ey holding meetings at the house of
d Mr. samuel Sly. This Mr. Sly has no wife or
family. but has woman living In the house W tb
MN, named Rhoda Wakeman who ia ths fou ndar
ot inc sect called the Wakemauites" Tbis
"oihah ainrhs that abe was murdered about 30
years ago, and went to Heaven, and for soma rea
son which she does not state came back ON earth
and founded the sect already alluded to She
breaches and prays, and holds meetings at her
house, giving TO those who assemble to hear her
peculiar stories, her views about the Bible and her
experience in the spiritual world. Among her
believers and followers arc many families who
1--we In Hamden, and they are in the habit of com
ing down TO her house on every Sunday to attend
meeting. She held 4 meeting at her house last
sunday evening, and there were present at the
meeting Almeron Sanford and his WIFE, Justus
Matthews, Betsy Kceler, a Mrs. Davis, and q color
cd man named Josiah Johnson They met about
O'Clock Sunday afternoon, and continued their
meeting until late hour in the night About
O'Clock Monday morning, the Widow Wakeman
Vhe prophctess) says she heard noise in the room
below. She occupies a small room in the attic of
the house. The house il common story and
nail house. with thin partitions, and noise in the
lower story could be easily heard in the rooms
above The widow says that she told Betsy keeler
When she heard the noise, that slio thought "al
was not right below"
Although widow Wakeman aliiems that she
thought all was not right beioH" at clock in the
morning, no effort was mado by her to ascertain
myihins concerning the supposed trouble.
ABOUT o'clock yesterday Alond4y) morning a
young son OF JEstus Matthews began to search for
LIS lAtler wondering why he had not made his ap-
pcaIancs al so late an hour in the morning lie
Went to the door OF one of the front and found
II locked, but persisted in breaking open the door
lie looked into tho room aud there behold his father
lying dead apon the iioor, with pools OF blood sur
rounding his head.
When first discovered the BODY Law unon the floor
with the head towards a bed in the room; and il
was found with the face turned towards the win.
dow lying upon the left side, and lay very nearly
IN the middle OF the loom. Clotted blood and hair
lay upon the iioor around him, and several pools
OF blood were found near his head II was truly
an awful scene TO witness. The throat was cut
nearly from ear to ear, and his head seemed to be
nearly severed from his body. 1t Is evident that
ne could not have committed the deed himself from
the nature ofthe wound Theywere doubtless made
Oy hatchct or some instrument heavier and more
powerful than knife razor. A small rope was
found on the floor and marks of a rope were dis
covered Oh his wrists, and it was evident that the
wrists had been bound by this rope
The large wound upon the neck was of such q
nature that 1t was impossible for him to make the
wound himself. My own impression is that the
wound was not inflicted by himself The wounds
were doubtless made by large or heavy knife
The inside of the fore finger was cut off (from the
hand, which piece was found on tho floor near
him.
A post mortem examination was held at two
O'Clock yesterday afternoon. The body was eX-
amined and the wounds Erobed and cleansed by
Drs knight, Jewett and Daggett
While the post mortem examination was being
held, and also throughout the day, crowds of peo-
pie assembled i'll front of the house to learn the
facts and particulars concerning the murder; but
few persons, however, were admitted into the
house.
The house was thoroughly searched, and bloody
clothes were found, and marks of blood upon both
sides of the door leading to the in which the
body was discovered. A common butcher-knife
was found in a box or small chest, well sharped
and having the appearance of being used recently,
but no hatchet was found except one go dull and
rusty that could be made of it.
The following persons were arrested during the
afternoon and lodged In Jail, charged with commit
ting or i'll some way being accessory to the crime
Israel Wooding, Almeron Sanford and wife. Abb
gail Sables, Thankful S. Hersey the widow Wake
man, (the prophetess,) Samuel Sly, and colored
man named Josiah Jackson.
AT the coroner's inquest nearly all the persons
belonging to the society of ''Wakemanites," were
examined. Almeron Sanford one of the most
prominent, in his testimony said:
j went TO the house of Mr. Sly with nv wife
about dark, on Sunday evening-got to the house
about two hours after We started. We got there
aud found Josiah Jackson, Wooding, Miss Hersey,
Miss Abby and Samuel Sly there. Justus Mat
thews ID my wife's brother. 1 found them in the
chamber singing and praying. About IL o'clock
Matthews came to the house. Widow Wakeman
said she was hunted by Matthew'S the IMAM of
power" with an evil spirit When Matthews came
he went into the front room, where there was a
fire. Rhoda Wakeman wanted Matthews to come
to the meeting, SO went to see him, and he SEEM
ed willing TO come. When he came my wife tied
handkerchief over his forehead and they tied his
hands behind him, the same as they would the
devil told him he had a bad spirit and he want
ed to give il up jackson and Wooding W ere with
him, and he talked with him about the evil spirit
Widow Wakeman said he drawing terrible
power over her. Mir Wooding told Matthews that
he ought to be killed, and Matthews said he was
willing to die to quench the evil spirit. Woodng
and jackson said Matthews MUST be put out of the
way. They told him he must die 1t was about
O'Clock when heard noise. Wooding, Sly and
Miss Hersey were up stairs praying with us but
lodged down stairs, and soon heard them say,
down below, hes killing the messenger; he's kill
ing the messenger
l heard noise, and several blows follow and
started towards the door; but they pulled me
back saying IF he's killing himself, he'll be rails
ed" heard girgling noise, and cries of ''Oh
oh Oh" then went up stairs to sing and pray.
When reached the door, found it fastened and
something braced against inside. / could not get
into the room below. This occurred about IL
O'Clock, and left the house twenty minutes past
four. l walked home to Hamden, about miles.
last night. | have not changed my clothes since
the murder.
AS Wooding and Sly lodged out in such man
ner think they might have helped to kill Mat
thews. l think Matthews was willing to die
After heard the noise and cries below, Sly came
running up stairs and kneeled down and seemed
to be praying. l thought he could not pray much,
for thought he would not feel like it then. They
believed that if widow Wakernan the prophetess)
should die the scorid acoald be destroyed l should
think that, from appearance, he did kill himself
If they OYoodng and sly killed Matthews it was
to keep him from enchanting widow Wakeman,
who was disturbed by his evil spirit
colored member Of the Society named Josiah
Jackson, testified to his belief that the widow
Wakeman was a prophecies and had risen from
the dead for the purpose of teaching people the
way to Heaven.
Samuel Sly. one of the association, has since con
fessed to being the murderer of the deiudcd vic
A.. A. 81