Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1859-04-21
& gtory 1T Rsal Gife.
THE ASSAsSlN'S TRACK.
A Sketch from he Portfolio Of a Re
= t4i'ii tiffd Detectire.

In a certain month IN the veal
!. lS43, the. city of New York was
Startled by the, discovery Of fou
and brutal murder, that had been
committed opon the bodies Of an
aged couple, residing in
street, near the "Fiye Points. -.
The murdered pair had lived in that
neigbborhood for many years, and
were generally esteemed by the in
habitants Of that vicility, for their
quiet and inoffensiye conduct. They
were of German extraction, and
kept small tailoring establishment,
from which they derived comforta-
bic subsistence. It was binted by
many of. the neigkbors that, owing
to theirfrugaliiy, they had amassed
a very large sum of money, upon
the interest of, which they intended
to retire from business, in the course
Of the following year. Indeed, the
old. man bad frequently hiuted words
to that effect in presence of his neigh
bors, bat his wife had as frequently
contradicted the assertion.
They were childless; nor was it
known with any degree of certainty,
whether they had any relatives al
though young man-supposed to
be either a-loye-child or a godson--
was frequently known to visit them.
He was said to be favorite with the
aged couple; yet, at times, high
words had been heard to pass be-
tween him and the old msp; and it
was supposed that these quarrels
took place in consequence Of the
old man refusing him money when
he had applied for it.
The house in which the fatal deed
was perpetrated, constituted one in a
row of small dilapidated frame tene-
ments, occupied by venders Of retail
articles, suited to the immediate
wants of the surrounding inAabi-
tants, that, for the most part, lived
in squalid misery and crime. A low
'groggery, a marine store, butchers
she'd a small bakery, a gloomy
pawnbroker's shop, we're the princi-
pie houses in that wretched group,
while the filthy brick tenements in
the immediate vicinity, Inhabited by
various races-including Negroes.
Chinese, Irishmen, Italians, etc.
were falling into rapid decay, as
were apparently their inhabitants,
crowding the various riekety stoops
of these dwellings,, and the, dark
alley.ways at all hours Of, the day,
inbalng the foul and reeking atmos-
phere of tha. poisonous district, which
appeared then-vas it does now to
consist of an independent section OF
this great commercial city, a.s
At eight o'clock on the Saturday
evening wbereon the murder was
perpetla,ed, the young man already
alluded TO, as the supposed love-
child of the ill.lated man and weman,
entered butchers shop, situated a
few doors from the fatal tenement,
and borrowed lsug sharp knife, for
the purpose---as he ailsged-of di-
viding quarter Of bacon which bad
been purchased that afternoon by
his aged friends. Mir, the pro-
prietor of the butchers shop, no.
ticed that bis couutenance WAS flush
ed, and considerably sgitated; but,
as be had seen him in that condition
ON numerous occasions--when he
was supposed to have quarrelled
! With the oil | man-he imagined his
! trepidation to proceed from a similar
cause, and, consequently, took nu
immediate notice of the circum:
stance; and as he bad furthermore,
lent him the knife for q similar pur.
pose on previous occasions. be did
not imagine for moment, that i
! was to ted.mployed in foHl and re.
voting deed o glsdl
i Oa the Mouday morning following
i this Occurrences. the neighbors were
somewhat surprised at behoIding tbt
store of the oiditailor closed at al
unusual late hour, for it had beer
: noted that both he and bis wife wer'
early risers; but, Us the upper par
Of the dwelling was known to be oc
cupied by dodgers, that must hav'