The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-01-21

have four children. two sons and two
daughters. The oldest is William, by
whose hand they received their death
wound. Their second son is married and
lives near the homestead, and one of the
daughters is married to geLtltnan id
East Hamilton, and is lady of marked
respect aud esteem. The old people bad
attained the age Of nearly three score
years and ten, and were living in lite
cottage with their Oldest son.
Their house is about q miles south Of
Poolville, and fifty rods east of Thomp-
sons Mills. 1t is story and half bull
ding, boarded up with rough boards-
Here Mr.. Comstock and bis wife have
lived for the past four years. There is bus
one room on the ground floor, and here
the horrid deed was committed. The
room is about 1920 feet, and is Dot plas-
tered. The walls are pasted With 'Bap-
list Rex sisters" and "Ncw- York Ledgers.
There were FIVE chairs, stand contain
ing crockery, an old-fashioDed clock, and
other household utensils in the room.
APPEARANCE OF THE ROOM.
The first person who discovered the
awful crime was a neighbor, who looked
through the winGow of the house and saw
the bodies of Mr. and Mrs. Comstock "
ing upon the floor, and the psrricads Sit
ting quietly between them. The old gen.
tleman lay upon his back On his left
breast vas wound over six inches in
length; bis heart had been torp from his
body. Mrs Comstock lay short distance
IRON the body of her husband, on her
right side, with q borrid wound over
twelve inches in length on Der left brea-t,
'Iom which the parricide had toTb out her
heart also; her clothes were much torn,
indicating scuffle. The broken skillet,
the knife with which the hearts were cut
out, and The bloody axe were ali remain
iog in the room. In the .tove were the
two paternal hearts, partially roasted, and
portions of each gnawed off, which had
eside ntIy been eaten By the murderer.
The wounds upon both the deceased
were Of the most terrible deseriytion.-
The heads OF both were crushed and mu-
tilatcd. Near the left kidney of Mrs.
Comstock was another terrible cash, as
if Inflicted by the axe The 8oor was
covered with tlood. Before the person
at the window left the spot. the soD Will
liam left the chair, and laid down upon
The lounge the opposite side Of the room.
An alarm was imaediately given, and
the Beikhbors gathered in force sbd se-
cured his arrest. The gentlemen who
first went to the house was attracted there
by remark that the parricde had made
to hi, brother that there were lots of
fresh meat in the house. aud other ex-
presSions which excited sus picion The
discovery was made about ten clock on
Sunday evening. The awful deed was
committed about s o'clock on Sabbath
evening.
WILLIAM COMsTOCK.
Tie pari,ide is a man 81 gears old,
about five feet seven inches In blight
lie had on when arrested, very coarse
brown cost, plaid cassinere pants and
old KossutE hat. His pants were be-
meared With blood. He has always re-
sided in Han tlton. and la, made his
home at his fathers. lie is unmarried.
He has worked for many Of the farmers
10 the rel .hhorboo u nd, wh. sober, is
universally represented as a u aD of mild
disPo ition and placid temper. He has
teen drinking hard fer some weeks past,
and is evidently laboring under the eff
tects of mania q pot~. He cnnyer>ed
coolly in relation to the awful Dc ed-nau-
ifesting no concern for hims elf-spe eaking
OF the manner in which he deprived his
poor old father and Il. .o,her Of life as If
he had been butcheTing hogs. He gave
to Mr. James, Editor of 1.-The Hamilton
Republican, the following:
CONFESSION OF THE TRAGEDY.
For about four or FIVE days, sou Ell ody
seemed 10 tell ne that be must have
number of hearts. This was repeat, to
me many times during the day. He
seemed to live ip Sherhurne, and a wire
came over the hill connecting with the
side of the room, which seemed to say,
II must have lot of heart-." Some
one who lived in SLerburne seemed to
telegraph for them. | would place ny
ear to The side OF the room, and then L
would be told by this voice to get some
hearts. Three OF four days ago, | first
attempted to kill my brother to get his
heart. Yesterday | went again, and
placed an axe in the room, Intending it
could find NY brother and his wife sit
ting down, could Kill then both at once,
1t seemed az thoush | must have thrir
hearts, but | did not find them so situa
ted. About dark | went over to ny faith
err. found my mother sewing, walked
round to the stove, took spider and
struck her over the bead With it and
broke it, She recled aud tell to the 6cor.
My father then sPraug toward ne. and
we had scuffie The old man for q
tive was euou h for ne, but after stri-
king him three or four tunes over the
head With the remsius of the broken spi-
der got hold OF the axe ard killed him-
lie said he got the old mans beaEs out
before be bad done kicking. The old