Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1856-01-12
-. .-,s FROM the Nsw-Haven Register, Dec. %.
BLOODY TRAGEDY.
More Wiacherati in Conmecticus--- Murder of
t%He3 - .),ssts.s .Maffhe,ps.

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BLOODY TRAGEDY.
More Wstchcrafs in Observation-Disclosures o.
e#5 J,sstws .Mathews. I
The city was thrown into considerable excite.
ment by the announcement of another muir
der ON Sunday. 1t is hoped that this is the last
one we shall be compelled to chronicle in the
year lS55-as three have already taken place
in New Haven since last April. sT<.
1t seems that there exists in the upper part
of the city peculiar religious sect known as
the "Wakemanites," who have made their doc
trines known by holding meetings at the house
Of MIR. Samuel Sly, who lives in lane OF
alley between DixwelI and Beaver streets.
This MIR. Sly has no wife or family, but has
woman living in the house with him, named
Rhoda Wakeman, who is the founder of the
sect called the "Wakemanites." This woman
affirms that she was murdered about 30 years
ago, and went to heaven. and for some reason
which she does not slate. 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 i'll the spiritual world. Among
her believers and followers are many families
who live in Hamdcn. and they are in the habit
OF coming down 10 her house every Sunday to
attend meeting. She held meeting at her
house last Sunday evening, and there were
present at the meeting Almeron SANFORD and
wife, Justus Matthews, Betsey Keller, Mrs.
| Davis, and coored niau named Josiah jack
son. They met abou. o'clock Sunday after
noon and continued their meeting until late
honr in the night. About 9 o'clock on Mon-
| day morning, the Widow Wakeman (the
prophetesS) says that She heard Il noise in the
room below. She occupies small room in the
| attic OF the house. The house is common
story-and-a-half house, with thin partitions,
and noise in the lower story could be easily
heard in the rooms above. The widow SAYS
that she told Betsey Keeler, when she heard
the noise, that she thought 'all was not right
below"
Although Widow Wakeman affirms that she
thought "al was not right below" at o'clock
in the morning, no effort was made by her to
ascertain anything concerning the supposed
trouble.
About 8 o'clock yesterday (Monday) morn.
ing, young son Of Justus Matthews began to
search Tor his father, wondering why he had not
made his appearance at so late an hour in the
morning.. He went to the door of one of the
front rooms and found it locked, but persisted
in breaking open the door. He looked into
the room, and there beheld his father hing dead
upon the floor, with pools Of blood surrounding
his head!
The boy was struck almost dumb with terror,
and Immediately ran into the street and went
to the next house and got Mr.. Lewis Dorman
to come to the house and see the body. Mr..
u. did not go into the house, but Immediately
went and notified Justice Bennett of the facts
Mr.. Bennett and number of men repaired
immediately to the scene Of blood. They found
the body to be that of Justus Matthews, WHO'S
pistol maker, and works at Whitneyville, but
lives in Hamden. He was one Of the indivd.
uals present at the meeting held at the house
Sunday evening. When first discovered the
body lay upon the floor. with the head towarda
bed in the room; and it as found with the
face turned toward the window, lying upon the
left side, and lay very nearly in the middle of
the room. Clotted blood and hair lay upon the
floor around him, and several pools of blood
were found near his head. 1t 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 evil
dent that he could not have committed the deed
himself from the nature of the wound. They
er instrument heavier and more powerful than
a knife or razor. A small rope was found on
the floor and marks Of rope were discovered
on his wrists, and it was evident that the wrists
had been bound by this rope.
A Jury Of Inquest was summoned, who Wis
tied the house and viewed the body, and then
adjourned to 6 o'clock on Monday. A post
mortem examination was held at 2 o'clock on
ndov oft Ill, 4
and the wounds probed and cleansed by Drs.
Knight, Jewett, and Daggett.
While the post mortem examination was be-
ing held, and also throughout the day crowds of
people assembled in front of the house to learn
the facts and particulars concerning the MUIR
der; but few persons, however, were admitted
into the house.
The house was thoroughly searched, and
bloody clothes We're found, and marks of blood
upon both sides OF the door leading to the room
in which the body was discovered A common
butcher knife was found in box or small chest,
well sharpened and having the appearance of
being used recently, but no Ratchet was found
except one so dull and rusty that no use could
be made of it.
Inc following persons We're arrested during
the afternoon and lodged in Jail, charged with
committing or in some way being accessory to
the crime: Israel Wedding, Almeron Sanford
and WIFE, Abigail Stables, Thankful S. Hersey,
the widow Wakeman, (the prophetess,) Sam.
uel Sly, and colored man named Josiah Jack
son.
At 2 o'clock Monday evening the jury of
Inquest met pursuant to adjournment
Josiah Jackson, colored, sworn-I went to
the house about g o'clock in the evening" with
the intention Of going from there to another
meeting stayed there until 3 o'clock this
morning; found there Samuel Sly and Miss
Abby; about 8 o'clock Mr. and Mrs. Sanford
came in; Justus Matthews came TO the house
about lO o'clock in the evening; Israel Wood
| ing was there when Matthews came: Mat.
thews was in the room below, and We were in
the room up stairs Mr.. and Mrs. Sanford.
Samuel Sly, Wedding and myself went down
and found Matthews in the lower room, blind.
folded; told Matthews he was killing the old
lady, and that would not let him into nv
house sooner than would mad dog; | ask.
ed him if he knew he had bad spirit in him,
and said that he ought to renounce this evil
spirit; he said i'll the lame of God he would
renounce it; Amos Hunt gave the old lady
(wldow Wakeman) some poisonous cakes,
with arsenic in them, and wanted to make way
with her; think Matthews got the evil spirit
from Amos Hunt; widow Wakeman is wo-