Amador weekly ledger., 1857-11-14
PURSUIT OF THE MURDERERS
The Public Excitement!
OrFIcE OF THE AMADoR LEDGER,

We are called upon to record most hor-
ribe tragedy. Last evening, at nightiall,
this community was startled 10y the an
nounccment that one Of its most worthy and
highly esteemed citizens had been brutally
murdered and his employer robbed OF from
$4,000 to $5, 900 in gold dust and coin.
Martin Van Buren, GriSwod, for several
wears back in the employ of Horace kilham,
proprietor of the celebrated kiham's Or
ched, one mile from this place, is the un-
fortunate victim.
We give below brief statement of facts
and incidents:
Mr.. Kilham, on Tuesday last, started for
Sacramento leaving Mr.. Griswold, as was
his universal custom when from home, in the
full charge of his extensive business-ditch
ownership and attention, gold dust buy
ing, &c.
Mr. Kilham returned on Saturday after
noon last, and was astonished to find his
house empty-Griswold was gone, and also
the China cook. (the only inmates he had
left there He soon made the discovery
that his safe was robbed of its contents, the
amount of which he could not tell, but which
must have been from $4,000 to $4,000.
The matter was speedily communicated to
neichbors, but no great fear for the safety of
Griswold was felt until Sunday afternoon
Search had been made about the premises to
discover his body if he had been murdered
and concealed; but it was not until evening,
when Mr.. Klham and other friends became
seriously alarmed, that the body was found.
We give below the entire testimony taken
before the acting Coroner, Geo. s. Smith,
Esq, J. F., of this place, and also the YER
dict Of the Jury, from which a complete ac-
count Of the tragedy will be CLEANED by the
reader.
There is no question but that the murder
had been in contemplation for at least two
weeks. and perhapes longer; and it is equal
ly certain that the perpetrators of the deed
were the Chinese cook employed at the house,
assisted by two Of his countrymen as conled-
crates who actually assisted in the attack,
and with perhaps an extensive gang or com
pany of Cinnamon to share the profits OF
their horrid crime.
Here follows the testimony and verdict:
Manuel H0orer- Slcora-I am Physi-
clan; was called to visit the body Of the
deceased aud hold an examination upon the
same was called this evening Nov. Sth,
1851, and made a personal examination as to
the cause of his death. | was notified by
Sheriff Paugh. ! assisted DR. Harris 10
make the examination. His death was caus-
ed by confused wounds on the head. His
skull was fractured on the back part of the
head. The parietal bone was broken in by
some blunt instrument, which was sufficient
TO create death. The wound might have
been made by the piece Of lead or slung shot
which is here exhibited. There were three
other confused wounds on the head; the skull
was not fractured except in the instance al
ready stated. These wounds might have
been inflicted by the same instrument. The
cord here exhibited was drawn with two half
hitches around the neck, sufficiently tight to
produce strangulation and death, without
reference to the blows upon the head aud the
fracture of the skull From the entire
appearance of the body the deceased came
to his death from violence of the foulest
character. | recognize the body as that Of
Mr.. Griswold
MANUEL HOOVER, NJ. d.
Z. A. Me1IarfiR- Sr0yn: | reside ut
Hunts Gulch; at about sunset this evening
Nov. sth 1857, | came to the residence of
Horace kilham, where the deceased resided.
They told me at the house that the last they
had seen Of Mr. Griswold, the deceased he
was going up the ditch, yesterday morning;
they told me that his shovel and his rcyol-
vers were here, from which / supposed he
couldn't be very far off; then remarked
that the Chiuamen must have made way
with him. We then commenced search for
Mr.. Griswold, and | passed into the back
room, adjoining the kitchen, and said to be
or have been occupied by the Chinaman en-
ployed at the house as cook aud found the
dead body of Mr. Grswold under the bed
Mr. Loyeridge anG Mr.. James keiser were
present when the body was found; the alb
sence Of the deceased created the suspicion
that all was not right, and We therefore in
sttuted the search and found the dead body
as already stated ] recognize the leaden
slungshot here exhibited as one which saw
the Chinaman employed by Mr.. Kllham as
cook grinding upon griudstone at Mr. Kill
hams about two weeks since and wondered
at the time what he meant to do with such a
piece of lead There was no rope attached
10 it then. had no conversation with tile
Chinaman about it, | think the Chinaman
was about FIVE feet six or seven inches in
height should call him 20 years Of age,
as near as can judge. was acquainted