The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-12-27

sPIRlr-aREAr ExcIrEMEsT.
(fron the New Haven Courier, Deo. IS
The city thrown into considerable excitement
by the announcement OF another murder yesterday.
Ii III hoped thai this II the last shall be
PEELED TO chronicle in the year ls55-as three have
already taken place In New Haven since last April.
IL seems that there EXITS in the upper part OF the
city peculiar religious sect known al the Wake.
m mites" who have made their doctrinea known BY
holding meetings nj The house OF u Mr. S,mnel Sly,
who lsscs IN a lane or alley between bixweIl And
This Mr. Sly has no wife or family bui has wo-
man living IN the house with him, named Hhodi
Waterman, who il the founder OF the sect called the
Wakemanites.' This woman afirns that ssc
was murdered about thirty years ago, and went 20
heaven and Tor some reason. which ahe does not
state came back on earth and founded the sect
already alluded 70. She breaches and prays, aud
hoids meetings at her houso, giving to those who
assemble 70 hear her peculiar stories, her views
about the Bible and her experience in the spiritual
world. Among her believers and followers are many
families who live in Handcn and they are In the
habit OF coming down to her house every Sunday TO
attend meeting She held meeting at her house
last Sunday evening, and there present al the
meeting Almeron Sanford and his wife Justus Mat
thews. Bctxey Keller. Mrs Davis and a colored
man named J fsiah jackson. They met about tao
o'clock Sunday afternoon aud continued their meet
ing until late hour in the night. About two o'clock
Monday morning, the Widow Wakemsn (tbe pro.
pheless) says that she heard a noise In the room
below. She occupies small room In the attic Of
the houHc. The house IL q common story and half
house, with thin partitions. and noise 10 the lower
story could be easily heard in the rooms above. The
widow says that abe told Bclsey Keller, when sha
heard the noise that she thought all was not right
Although Widow wakeman aIirms that abe
thought ai.was not right below" at O'Clock in
the morning no effort was made by her 10 ascertain
anything concerning the supposed trouble.
About nine o'clock yesterday (sionday) morning a
young son Of Justns Matthews began 10 search Tor
his father, wondering why he had not made his ap
| pcsrance at 30 late an hour in the morning. lie
10 the doer az tho roarn
found IL locked but persisted in breaking open the
door. He looked into the room, and there beheid
his father lying dead upon the 1oor with pools Of
/ blood surrounding his head.
| The boy was almost struck dumb with terror,
and Immediately ran into the street and went to the
next house, aud got Mr. Lewis Dornan 70 come to
| the house and see the body. Mr.. d. did not 20
into the house, but Immediately wont aud notified
Justice Bennett Of the facts. Mr.. Bennett and a
| number Of men repaired immediately 10 the scene
OF blood. They found The body to be that OF Jnstus
Matthews who is pistol maker and works at
| Whitneyvile, but lives Ia Hamden. He was one OF
me individuals present ut the meeting held at the
house Sunday evening When 1rst discovered the
body lay upon the tOor, w 1.-The bead towards bed
in the room; and II found with the face turned
towards he window, lying upon the left side, and
| ny very nearly In the middle of the room Ciottei
blood and hair lay upon the door around him, and
several pools OF blood were found near his head Ii
was truly 0n awful scene 20 witness The throat
Was cut nearly from 10 ear and his head seemed
| to le nearly severed from his body. II u oydrn!
| from tie nature az the wounds. They were doubt.
| csa made by hetchct or some ingtrnment heavier
| and more powerful than u knife or razor small
| rope was found on the floor. and marks Of 4 rope
| were discovered bis wrists aud It was evil
dent that the wrists bad been bound by this rope,
| jury OF Inquest was summoned, Who visited The
| houte aud viewed the body, and then adjourned 70
| o'clock lat evening. post fnotcm cxamina'
ton was held At o'clock yesterday Afternoon. The
| body examined and the wounds probed gll
cleaned by Drs. Knight Jewe,t and paggcH
i While the post norton examination Was beug
held, and also throughout the day, crowds Of people
assembled in front OF the house 10 learn the facts
| and particulars concerning the murder; but lev
! persons, however, were admitted Into the house.
/ The house thoroughly searched and hloody
| clothes we're foUnd and marks Of blood upon both
sides Of tie door leading % the room II which the
body was discovered. common butcher knife
found in box or small chest well s'urpened and
| having tie appearance Of being used recently; bat
| no Ratchet was found. except dull und rusty
| that no use could be made Of II.
| The following persons were arrested during the
| afternoon an logged IN Jail charged With commit
| ting or ~ some way being accessory 70 the crime.
Israel Wedding Almeron Sanford end wife, Abigail
Stables, Thankful iieray, the Widow wakennn.
| Uhe prephe'ess) Samuel siy, and coiored man
| named josiah Jackson
| At7o'cock last evening he jury q aqiess ne,
pursuant 10 adjournment.
| pr. jonathan knight was called and testified lie
TGE called 20 the house ab0u, ~ o'clock III the fore
noon; the body was found lying the eft side upon
the floor; the lef side II the neck there one
wound three inches long an inch below ami begin.
ming an inch behind the ear, forward not quite 20
| the win0pipe another wound found hall IN
| inch below, both parallel with the lover jaw; the
| lower wound was not deep; transverse lnclson
found "a nca long over the tLrtid cartilage, akin
| deep; ragged wound Wa va the upper lip, above
The angle 81 The mouth IN both -ldes passing through
| the lip; there was large wound beginning one
inch forward 81 the spine, and about inch below
the ocC.put, small scale of bone scaled Of the
| occput On the tight side, The wound coming for
wstd cutting 81 even hing q The left side o. The
spine the large wound upon the neck was Of such
nature that Il was lmp0sible lot him ~ make the
wound himSef nv own Impression i that the
wound dot inflicted by himself; The wounds
were doubes- made BY large or heavy auifc. the
inside r the lorehnger cut OF. from the hInd)
ahich piece vas found on DE iioor him
Dr DaQgeit Mas called. aud corr tolerated and con.
cured 10 The entire statement made by Or knight
Or. Jewctt testified thst h. thought Matthews
60 q not have made tle wound upon hi meek him.
| neck
Jo,ilh Jack-oa. colorc5 sworn went = III
| houfe about O'Clock ID ~ evening win the luten
| ton Of going from there 20 4n0thcr meeting:
stayed there until O'Clock ~. m&nng; fund
tiefe Samuel SIS and Miss Abby; aHut 3 O'Clock
Mr and Mr.. Sanford came IN Justus Matthew,
10 the house about ten O'Clock in The escnIBg:
i mtl Wo0dlng was there when Matthew can't;
Matthews WE 10 the room below aud we we're IN the
room W Stairs. Nj and Mr. Sanford, Samuel sly,
Wooding aud mysslf went down aud found Matthews
in the lower room, biindfolded ! toid Matthews
lie was Killing the I'D woman, nDd thai ! wo4i
not let him into my house gG0nor tlJp | would
q mad dog: ! atFed him " De- knew y ia bad
rpfit In him and said that H. ought g. reuOance
ths evil spirit lie aid, ~ tie name n God, D.
would uuounce IL; amos Hunt gaze The I'D lady
widow Wakrinnn) sonc poisonous cakes with ~.
seric n TEEN and wanted "a make way with hcf. I
think Matthews got the evil spirit Iom Afao1 Hunt,
widow " akeman j. woman who profrsscs 70 have
died ard again, and Game earth o. teach iBr
way 70 heaven; believe ihsi heb prophet and
she i what she proic@es the secoDd iine we went
down into the room was about IN honr nftcr We
went down first went down and t0ld Ssa'grd ~
take Matthews away from the house Mr. wake
man would ccttsiuly die | soon heard ugise la
the room and heard Sanford beating the sutsiic
door sanford rnd his wife fhep came up stairs SOD
seemed very much excited. heard some b. them
say that Wooding had gone home. did noi kn1w
until this morning that Ma,ibess wa dad, when
went down The second time Samuel RS sni " -iing
ard Nj ard NJ. sanford nefr With me L..I ~ tha