Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1857-02-12
From the New York Times Feb II,
The Curtain LiGed-Ehs MyaIery of the
Murder DiNpeiIed.

pahy' ADJOURNED.
From the New York fines, Feb II,
The Curtain Lifted-Ehe Mystery of the
Murder DjSPeiIed.
The Bond street drama approaches its close.
Tuesday proceedings at the inquest substan.
italy fastened upon JOHN J. EcKEL and Mrs
CUNNINGHAM the guilt of the bloodiesr and
most awful murder that has startled this city
for many years The parties, of course will be
put upon their trial, and it is possible they
may not, upon that full and final examination,
be convicted. Buta prinaa facie case has been
fully made out against Them, There seems
little reason to doubt that ECKEL did the deed,
aud he cannot be connected with it without
duplicating Mrs. CUNNINGHAM
A remarkable feature of the case is that the
witness by whom this consummation has been
reached, has been entirely unknown aud UNI
heard of until the last moment. An anony-
nous letter was sent to the Coroner, yesterday,
stating rumor that u Mr.. Farrell was in
Bond street on the night of the murder, and
had evidence to give of some importance,
but that he declined to come forward, {" lest
he should be kept from his family and incon-
venienced by appearing as a witness, as he is
poor man." La view of the Coronor's treat
ment of witnesses, it must be confessed he
had some grounds for this apprehension. In
consequence OF this communication, MIR. Far
Iell was summoned to attend, and testified
that he was passing through Bond street at
about IL o'clock on the night in question:
that he sat down upon the steps OF the house
Number 81, to tie hts shoe, when man
with shawl came up the steps aud entered
the house, that not more than minute and
half elapsed before he heard the cry of muir.
der, and then the tall OF a heavy body,-and
that in half minute gtter that a man, in his
shit sleeves, with bnshy hair, opened the
door-looked out-asked him what he was
doing there-shut the door and went back. MIR.
Farrell got up. aud hearing nothing further,
soon after went away.
The witness was then taken by the Coroner
into an upper room, in which the Jury, Re.
porters, Policemen and some ten or fifteen
others had been introduced without his knowl-
edge, and asked if he could identify any per-
SON there present as the man whom he had
seen looking out at the door on the night in
question He looked slowly, carefully and
searchingly into the face of every man pres
ent-his eye ranging round the whole circle
and seemed about to abandon the effort, when
his eye returned to the last man in the circle,
rested for a minute steadily upon his unmoved
countenance, ard he then declared that he
was the man. his man aoGS Eckel And MIR,
Farrell afterwards stated that he had no
doubt whatever to his identity, though he
had never seen him on any other occasion
than when he opened the door on that fatal
Friday night Thus the very precaution
which Eekel took against being observed =
his going to the front door and looking out TO
see If anybody was in the street, proved the
means, and thus far the only means, of his ex-
posurel
The fact thus developed of his going to the
front door, explains the indications which led
US originally to the belief that he murderer
left the house alter the deed was done-the
appearance of blood upon the stairway wall
and the easement of the outer door. Itseems
now almost certain that Eckel was secreted
i'll the Doctors room when he entered, and
that ne dealt him the fatal blow almost imme-
diately after he had come In a d seated him
self at his desk. The rapidity with which the
whole was accomplished, is shown by the
statements OF the witness Farrell that not
more than minute and hall elapsed after
the Doctors entrance before he heard the cry,
and then the fall.-and that within halt
minute after that Eckel came to the door.
Mrs. Cunningham is also identified as having,
in company with gentleman, on Friday pur-
chased sword cane in Broadway.-de
ing the kind desired, and saying they must
have it on that day. This leaves it mp0ssi.
BILE to doubt her completely in the MURDER
or that the whole affair was Deliberately and
systematically planned How far other parties
in the house were implicated, il is impossible
to conjecture Nothing has yet been shown
to connect them witsAthis most shocking af-
fair. Butt will be very difficult to convince
the public that no noise was heard by any of
the inmates on that night, Ii Mrs. Cum
bingham personally had any part in the MUIR
der, her daughters must have sworn falsely
when they testified that she did not leave
her bed after retiring that night. Of this,
however, there is as yet nothing like positive
proof.
1t seems to be established by several wit
nesses that there was noise, that it was
very peculiar, and loud enough to attract at
tention in the street. Eckel was probably in
the front room when Burdell entered the back
room, and on going in to strike the blow, he
would be very likely to leave the door between
the rooms open. AS one of the front windows
was also open, noise might very easily be
heard in the street, without being very audi.
Bile in other parts of the house.
Eckel had probably taken off his coat and
boots, and fully prepared himself for the
bloody deed He must also have LETT the house
that night to dispose of the weapon he had
used, his bloody clothes, aud other mute wit
nesses OF the murder-f these could not all
have been burned, or put out of the way
within the house. What disposition he has
made of them will probably come to light
hereafter.
In spite of the horror that the fastening Of
such crime upon woman must inspire, the
public mind Will experience a feeling of relief
at the discovery of the guilty parties The
prospect that the deed would remain shrouded
in darkness, and its perpetrators enjoy COM
Plete immunity, induced feeling OF alarm
and discomfort. The disclosure of the mystery
will bring corresponding sentiment OF salts
faction.