Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1857-03-21
THE NORCROSS MURDER
AT ALTOONA.
THE HISTORY OF THE TRAGEDY

THE HISTORY OF THE TRAGEDY.
The murder Of DIR. Burdell has thrown
the whole country into fever of excite.
ment for several weeks past, and all other
cases where human life has been sacrificed
they have not been few in number
seemed to have palod before the absorbing
interest that has conferred in the house 81
Bond street, and have almost been forgot
ten. The Norcross murder, however,
equals in respect of atrocity and cold
b!ooded design though not perhaps in
mystery, that of Dr. Burdell.
Very near q year ago, young man
named Samuel Y. Norcross, of affablc
manner, kind and generous disposition,
and in every respect perfect gentleman,
left his parents and friends at East Lex.
ington, Massachusetts,, with the intention
of entering upon the practice Of medicine
at Dunleith, opposite Dubuque, on the
Mississippi river. The place Of his desti-
nation was reached in safety, and under
the care and tuition of an NJ. d Mr.. Nor
cross gave every promise Of rising to cmi-
ncnce in his career. But after continuing
for some time in the fulfllment of his pro.
fcssional duties, his health began to fail
An abscess in the side, with which he was
afflicted troubled him exceedingly, and
after q season Of doubt and indecision, he
at length determined, by the advice and
urgent request Of the family at home, to
return, He prepared to leave Dunlcith.-
Then came one Of those circumstances
that inexplicablc and strange, sometimes
induce weak minds TO assert sovereign
principle Of fatality. A very short time
before he started for home, he became ac-
quainted with an outlaw from society--a
villain, named David Stringor MKim. -
This man wormcd himself into his conf
dencc. lie fell into snare, and the two
became very friendly. At Dunlicth they
were always together. Nay moro-so
kind and 50 much interest did NJ Kim take
in his friend, that he resolved to accompa-
ny him to the East, and on account Of his
illness, to sec him home in safety.
In the early part of January, the twain,
in company, left Dunloith, the passage OF
both having been p id by Norcross, with
his accustomed generosity. In his posses
sion, at the time of departure, as near as
can be ascertained, wee between fifteen
and twenty-five hundred dollars, in notes
and gold, together with two bonds of $500
each, and gold watch, trinkcts, &c. All
these were on lis person. Ni'kim had alb
solutcly nothing But at this point we
must explain that NJ Kim, in order the
better to carry cut his designs, was passing
the alias Of Daniel S. M'Kinney, and as
such had introduced himself to Dr. Nor
| cross,
Pittsburg was reached on the night of
January l4th, 1857, and the couple pro-
ceedod to the Eagle Hotel, and engaged a
double-bedded room. Now mark the ac-
tions of M'Kinney! Before retiring to
rest, he went 10 the landlord Of the hotel
and told him til It his friend (Norcross)
was very eccentric, and was accustomed to
make much nose during the night, by
screaming, walking around, and uttering
frightful cries. He (the landlord) must
not be alarmed if Norcross should do so
that night. What does this indicate, but
that it was the intention of Mckinney to
murder his friend at night, and prevent
any alarm being communicated to the
household. But yet from some cause, the
crime was not committed, and the victim
was suffered to live while longer. On
the morning Of the 18th inst, the party
left Pitsburg for Philadelphia their two
trunks being checked through, and the
checks taken in charge by M'Kinney.-
Norcross, all this time, be it borne in mind,
was p'ying every expense incurred by his
friend. Before daybreak, on the 10th
inst, the cars arrived at Altoona, and
Norcrcss and M'Kinney got cut and stood
for time upon the platform of the station
The dead tell no tales, and we cannot say
VIII It excuse the villain invented to induce
the poor enfeebled Norcross to walk with
him up the railroad track towards the east
for the distance Of about mile. Perhaps
he told him they would 90 to the house Of
a friend, and remain until the departure
Of the next train and rest themselves -
Certain it is they were seen to walk along
in company, by two men who were going
to work in the fields. They passed from
all mortal eyes, and beneath the canopy
of heaven, at spot where no ear couid
hear the cry of agony, no hand assist the
suffering, the victim was tellel to the earth
by the man upon whom he had bestowed
the kindest feeling oil his heart. The in
strument of murder was that of Cain, a
billet Of wood, and with this, by repeated
blows upon the head, NJ Kim or M'Kin,
ney murdered S, T. Norcross in cold blood
But he did not instantly die, and NJ Kim
with devilish forethought, drew the body
across the rails of the track, so that il
would be run over, and the belief induced
when it was found, that the indiyidu i had
been run over by the cars, Not satisfied
with this, he, with razor, cut the throat
of the victim, and threw the instrument be
side him, in order to make it appear, il
the body was discovered before the passage
OF any train, that suicide had been commit
ted. Yet the victim was not dead, strang,
to say. MKim then rihed the poc,e o
the man of every valuable, inc uding thu
money and bonds, and secrctod himself il
the neishborhood, probably impelled b,
that awful feeling that appears TO be inhe
rent in those who lift their hand agains