The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-10
n LONG CONCEALED MURDER BROUGHT
TO HIGHT.
prom the Detroit Frse pr.s., ssp.. 81


We gave an several months since Of the dis
coyery Of the remains OF human being in the woods
fifteen miles from this city in the township OF
or The remains consisted of bones which had been
posed TO the weather for such length of time that they
were entirely devoid OF flesh These together with frag
ments of clothing were collected and preserved, The
search being continued valise also found, which.
upon investigation revealed number OF arcaes among
Others quito stock of letters which pubAhed Ia
the Free Press with view to ascertaning possible,
the identity Of the man So far from supposing that the
case involved any mystery it merely thssght that
person. whoever he WAS had wandered oh In ht OF
insanity and died in the woods Facts developed them
selves differently however But short time elapsed be
fore we received letters from friends and relatives II tho
unfortunate man. giving statement which set the mat
ter in light and demanded attention n once BY
these accounts ii ascertaned that the remains were,
beyond doubt, those of Mr. John Hickey, MiiroAd
freight conductor, recently, at the time OF his DEATH
us by his relatives, residing at Milford, Connectcst.
were as follows no left Connecticut In July lb57,
in company with Irshman named John Kennedy,
intending to go to Chicago. He took with him about
81, 500 in gold, the result Of his savings at the
South. Kennedy had no money, and Hickey paid bis
fare for him Nothing more was heard from them until
the following October when Hckey relatives received
letter from Kennedy stating that he had returned 70 New
York. and that Hickey had gone to Ireland He enclosed
the key to Hickey's trunk and stated that when they
got To Detroit Hickey changed his mind and concluded
to go to Ireland leaving his trunk and other personal
property in his hands to be returned to his rcatives
The absurdity of these statements at aroused ss-
pcion but Hickeys friends We're OF the poorer class
of people, no steps taken to arrest Kennedy The
discovery of the remains and publication OF the letters
in the Free Press which signed by the persons from
whom received communications, disclosed the facts
revealing the existence of crime, and
to the friends of the murdered the locality and the
pcpetraor of the murder The latter was known TO be
In Charleston s. c. the time of these Developments
doing nothing and sporting plenty OF money He had
written from that place second letter. rcitcratng bis
former statements, and rendering suspicion stronger
/ Inv the he man
matter of the greatest Importance the letters
were at placed in the hands of Messs Tuttle and
Champ private detectives of this city, and IL was lett ior
them TO prosecute Communication was established With
the police of Charleston s. O. with directions to Arest
| Kennedy Several weeks had elapsed however. and IN
the time the Free Press had found its way there
and Kennedy had become informed of tho discovery OF
his crime The mayor Of Charleston wrote to this city
that Kennedy had decamped few days previous 70 the
receipt by him of directions for his arrest Hc was lost
sight of here. few days afterwards word came rom
Milford that Kennedy had arrived in New York city, and
staying there with relatives Officer Champ at once
started for New York. and with the aid Of exChief Mat
sells independent police agency, after seveis days
SEARCH found that the murderer was again out o reach
having gone west after stay OF day or two in New
York Mr. Matsell at once established system OF espi-
onage which calculated to cnrap him he yentnred
to return communicate with his friends In that city,
and Officer Champ returned The private police agcn-
cies in all the principal cities in the Unon from BOSTON
to New Orleans notified Of the case, and placed ON
their guard These extended efforts soon produced .
A
p Bradley Co. detective police agency In Chicago
These energetic detectives succeeded in tracing tho muir
derer to Joliet Illinois, and sent officer down to ap
prehcnd him. Again the agent of justice too afe
and the mortyng intelligence returned that Ken
ney had received letter three days before from friends
at Charleston Souh Carolina warning him of his dan
GER He at took to fight, and has not since been
heard from. This occurred in June last.
We have here case which does not often occur.
man is murdered robbed and left In the woods, in the
midst Of q swamp. The murder remains secret for
nearly year, and is finally revealed by dog which
brings the skull Of the murdered man to his MASTER hav
ing gnawed itfor his supper The letters found reveal
the of the murdered and the murderer, after
the silence Of months had rested upon the terrible deed
The murderer Is tracked from extremity OF the Union
to the other three times escapes, if by the nerpos
ton of supernatural aid and still remains at liberty
The proofs that can be brought against him over
whelmng aud would result in his conviction If e could
be found. The facts until have been confined to
those first cognizant Of them, but long time having
elapsed the propety of making them public no longer
doubtful The murderer is thought to be somewhere iu
the North probably in Illinois some other western
State Publicity through the medium Of the press mag
reveal his whereabouts which unlikely to be found
in any other Those of our brethren In the pro
ession who will inquire for the whereabouts OF John
Kennedy murderer will the cause OF justice and
! aid in bringing villain to punishment The following
is description of him Twenty five years DID, stout
built rather bowegged, about five feet eight inches In
height dark hair and light beard. Two very large up
| per teeth in the front will mark him conspic-
uousy.
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