The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-05-06
The Norcross Murder..rrlal of mcKim.

IN January last, commenced at Holidays
burg, the county town Of Blair, on last Thurs
day evening. The usual difficulty in obtain
ing jury was experienced, ard il was no
until Friday afternoon that the case was
opened by the District Attorney. The laItei
gave history oil The case, which Il is no.
necessary here 10 repeat, as most, if not all
our readers are familiar with it, The fact.
in brief, are that Norcross started from fill
nois TO return to his home in New England
He had several thousand dollars in his pos.
session, and being in delicate health, he had
accepted the proaered service of McKim 70
attend 10 his vans. ...;..
The two got out of the cars at Altoona, and
walked up The road together on the I6lh Of
January. Soon afer Norcross was found ly.
| ing upon The railroad track, in dying con-
dition. His throat was cut and his skull was
fractured by blows with club. The mur.
derei man died without being able to speak.
McKim fed, and his trunk came on 10 this
city, but he never appeared 10 claim il. Az.
Ter The lapse of considerable interval, the
fugitive. was arrested at desolale place in
| the interior OF the State. .r.,
Alter the District Attorney had concluded his
opening remarks, the first witness, John Cal.
latlsn, was caRed.
John Callahan sworn--I live in Log an
township, two ahd baf miles above
Altoona; on the morning of the 18th Of Janu-
aty last, as was going 10 work about seven
O'Clock, when got into this cut, saw man
in The ditch on bis knees he was on his two
knees, wavefing back and forward with his
back 10 Altoona; before reached him tho \
it might be our watchmsn, when got close
found his cap off his head; it was kind of
skin cap; he was nlterng some words, but |
do not know what he meant to say; saw,
as he was raising his head, the cut across his
,hloa' passed but few remarks; 1t was a
pretty large cut, pretty near clear around the
throat; under his ear, about his jaw there
were cuts, but do not know whether one or
two, did not remark which side OF the head
they were on; Mr.. McKenna and his men
informed of what had seen, and my fore.
man and his men came up; locomotive
came along, and we took the body to Alloo.
ma, and party of us remained at the scene;
one oil Them found razor and club upon
the ground a!Ier The razor was found they
wanted ME 10 go TO Ahoana aud take the ra.
zor; did so, aud gave il TO some one;
there was a travelling bag found also upon
IA. 81, al t, ,t,ilh
green cover on il do not know what else
was found. (The razor found by Norcross'
body was shown witness, and he remarked
'l,a, it looked like the one he had seen. The
club, stick about Two inches in thickness
and four Zee, in length, the witness also
thought was the same. The carpet bag aud
fiddle bag, 10 the best of lis opinion, he
thought the same; also shawl that had been
around Norcross.
Cross.examined,- one went with me
10 Altoona with the razor. Ii was between
one aud two hours after saw The body that
the razor was found. cannot say that tha,
is the club.
Thomas McKernau sworn-I am the fore,
man of a gang of men on the Pennsylvania
Railroad on The 10Th of January last got
VOID that man was dead on the railroad !;
called on my assistants 10 see 10 The place,
ard on my way called upon Valentine Dill
Ion 10 go along wo found the man about two
miles above Altoona his throat was cut; il
was a very large cut-nearly all around. |
think ii was on the chin, one over the eye,
and think one on the iehl side OF The face;
his eye was broken in. When | first saw
his man he was trying to get on his knees,
bu, he either fell OIL his face o; side, and then
turned, and kept turning and exer,ing him
sell until We got him on the engine. Upon
The ground in The neighborhood of the man
saw the largest portion of razor scabbard,
black carpe, sack, green baize violin bag
and club about half an hour after this time
we found razor about fifty or sixty feet
above where we found The body, (Wilness
was shown razor, and, 10 the best of his be-
lief, thought il 10 be The same article. He
also believed the other articles 10 belize same
that were found, including The club.) Nor
cross was put on an engine for Altoona;
recognize the vest [vesi shown him] as hav-
ing been upon the person of the wounded
man. 1t was a very cold fleeing morning
There was blood on the rails forty or fiily feel
above the murdered man, it was frozen and
had in it part Of the wool Of red comforter,
Ike this now before me. lRed scarf oil Nor.
cross shown him. .9.
Cross-examined.-tbc believe all the articles
before me 10 be the same from their gener-
al appearance; am sure il was blood saw
upon the rail; picked up the club and ex-
amined ii; put il back where it came from;
I have not seen the articles since until this
week; recognize the vesl by the color and
the stuff; recpgnize the razor by its color
and the blood upon H. (Razor shown him }
think il is still blood upon il. (Wituess
described dress of Norcross) The shawl
was upon the man, across his breast, and
ciasped in front; his boots never saw, un.
less I saw them on Norcross; Norcross
should Judge to have been about five fee,