The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-05-06
The Norcros. MURDER. rrIaI Of a1cKIm.

@hc hirf VI boviu EtttbkOt DlChtul IOF tu6
murder Of Samuel T. Norcross, neat Altoons,
in Jan uary last, commenced at Holidays.
burg, the county town Of Blair, ,on las, Thurs
day evening. The usual difficulty in obtain
ing jury was experienced, ard il was not
until Friday afternoon that the case was
opened by the District Attorney. The latter
gave history oil the case, which Il is not
necessary here 10 repeat, as most, if not all
our readers are familiar with it,. The facts
in brief, are that Norcross started from fill
nois 10 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 proflered service of McKim to
attend 10 his wants.
The two gol out of The cars at Altoona, and
walked up the road together on the. 18th 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.
dered man died without being able to speak.
McKm fed, and his trunk came on TO this
city, but he never appeared 10 claim it. AT.
Ter the lapse of a considerable interval, the
fugitive was arrested at desolale place in
the interior Of the State. KIT,
After The District Attorney had concluded his
opening remarks, the first witness, John Cal.
lahan, was called.
John Callahan swom--T live in Logan
township, two ard half miles above
Altoona; on the morning of the 18th of Janu-
airy last, as was going TO work about seven
O'Clock, when got into this cut, saw man
in the ditch on his knees; he was on bis two
knees, waverins back and forward with his
back 10 Altoona; before reached him tho i
it might be our waichman, when got close
l found his cap off bis head; it was kind of
skin cap; he was ntierng some words, but
do not know what he meant to say; saw,
as he was raising his head, the cut across his
throat; 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 I
informed Of what had seen, and my fore.
man and his men came up; locomotive
came along, and we took the body TO Alloo.
na, and party of Us remained al the scene;
one OF them found rszor and club upon
| the ground; oafer the razor was found they
wanted NE TO go 10 Aloana and take the ra.
zor; | did so, and gave il TO some one;
there was travelling bag found also upon
the ground ; il looked like a fiddle with a
green cover on it; do no, know what else
was found. 1.-THE razor fouEd by Norcross'
| body was shown witness, and he remarked
that il looked like the one he had seen ] The
club, stick about two inches in thickness
and four feet in length, the witness also
thought was the same. The carpet bag and
fiddle bag, to the best of bis opinion, he
thought The same; also shawl that had been
around Norcross. ...
| Cross.examined-- one weEt with me
TO Alo4na with the razor Ii was between
one and two hours after saw The body that
the razor was found. cannot say that that
is the club.
Thomas McKenan sworn-I am The fore.
man of gang of men on the Pennsylvania
Railroad on The 16ih of January last got
word that man was dead on the railroad
| called on my assistants 10 see 10 the place
and on my way called upon Valentine Dill.
lon TO go along; We found the man about two
miles above Altoona his throat was cut; il
was very large cut-nearly all around. |
think il was on The chin, one over the eye,
and think one on the right side of The face;
his eye was broken in. When / first saw
This men he was trying 10 get on his knees,
but he either fell on his face OF side, and then
turned, and kept turning and exerting him.
self until We got him on The engine. Upon
the ground in the neighborhood of the man
| saw the largest portion of q razor scabbard,
black carpet 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. WITNESS
was shown razor, and, TO the best of his be-
lief, thought Il 10 be the same article. He
also believed the other articles TO be The same
that were found, including the club Nor.
cross was put on an engine for Altoona; l
| recognize the vest [vest shown him] as hav.
| ing been upon the person of the wounded
man. II was very cold freezing morning.
There was blood on the rails forty or fifty feet
above the murdered man, il was frozen and
had 10 it part Of The wool of red comforter,
like this now before me. [Red scarf Of Nor
cross shown him.1 .f-. ..... ..a..-l.
Cross-examined.-Ib 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 il; put il back where il came from;
| have not seen the articles since until this
week; recognize the vest by the color and
the stuff; recognize the razor by its color
and the blood upon il. (Razor shown him.
think it is still blood upon il. (Witness
described dress of Noroross) The shawl
was upon The man, across his breast, and
clasped in front; his boots never saw, un-
less I saw them on Norcross; Nofcross
should judge to have been about five feet
seven inches in height.
Valentine DilIer testified to the finding of
I