Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-08-15
w. ID. WALLACHl
THE BoLDERO MURDER.


We had dined, and were sitting comfortably
about under the half-ruinsd shanty on the top
of the mountain.
''Come, Brady" said Colonel Throop, the
stofy-loying, "tell US some moral, entertain.
ing and instructive story, before We return to
81 will !" said the young lawyer, absently,
and stared away to seaward, as II expecting to
hnd his story in the Summer haze that yelled
all the further half Of the Sound, and obscur-
ed even the nearer angular outlines Of Falk-
ner's Island. There's q ingularly command
ing view" at last he added, ''from this spot,
In clear weather"
go on With your story" said Throop.
"You all remember the 'horrid murder
here In North Gailford some years ago? No?
1t was Of two singular old English people, Mr..
and Mrs. Boldero: I remember the name, be-
cause / fsncied he might be the senior partner
Of the firm Of Boldero, Merrywsather, Besan-
qust, and Lacy, whom Charles Lamb thanks
10 The Superannuated Man. They lived
alone with niece, on a small, solitary farm
In the woods, Just over here on the east side Of
Quinebaug Pond; keeping house in Q strange,
melancholy way, being known to have and
use q considerable quantity of heavy, old
fashioned, English silver plate, but dressing
and eating otherwise on q scale parsimonious
almost to misery. Their silver, their reserved
and almost sour demeanor, and even the
slightly greater expense of the dress Of their
ners Of that young person, made the neighbors
all believe that they had been people Of i'm
portanoe at home, and, in spite Of all their
frugality here, were immensely rich still, hav-
ing boards in the cellar or under the hearth
etone, perhaps.
'There was also an indistinct rumor of
Son or nephew Of the aid man, whom nobody
lad seen, and indeed nobody knew whore the
rumor came from, who was said to be despe-
rate brutal sort Of fellow"
''He's the murderer" said Throop.
every true" said the lawyer; "but the
point is, how he was found out"
''Go on, F" said Throop.
''Well, all that was known at the time Of
the murder was that the poor old couple had
disappeared. The house was found uninhabit-
ed, one pleasant Summer morning, by neigh
Dor, who came on some small country errand
Of barter or borrowing. Not finding the old
lady at any Of her usual avocations under the
back stoop,' or in the kitchen, he knocked,
then walked In, searched all the rooms, enter
ing their bedroom, on the ground floor last
Here he found the bed-clothes turned down,
and the only, but sufficient signs Of the crime
namely, the bed-clOthes and bed all satu-
rated with blood. The niece, Miss Selden,
was known to have departed on q visit.
Searching all over the house and premises, he
found elsewhere rot 90 much as q drop Of
blood nor any traces of the dead, and nothing
whatever to notice, except that all the silver
vas gone.
This was all, also, that the authorities
could ascertain; and notwithstanding the
rigid and perssvering search kept up BY the
people Of the neighborhood for some days,
these facts remained the sum total Of informa.
ton in the matter.
cit was about two years after this, while
was practicing in New Haven, that the State g
Attorney Of New Haven County, q leading
lawyer there, sent for me to assist him in try
ing the case Of the State Us. Yensen; selecting
me simply because he knew I needed even
the small fees which would be forthcoming
and because he knew my father and myself
His brief business note said nothing of the de-
tails; and was surprised and inter ested ,upor
the murderer of Mr.. and Mrs. Boldero VA
this Yensen, as he called himself, and tiat b,
had been seised on the premises in NORTH
Guilford in the act Of digging up the lost sill
yer; having been captured By North Gull
ford constable ae andV.o my great surpri,e.b!
elassmste Of mine at college had become q
lieutenant in the navy; and had, as knew
just returned from q long voyage In Q United
States steamer to the Pacific, having been or
dered to her from the Coast Survey on accoun
of hi, skill in hydrosraPhy and drswins,
country justice, one of Mr. Boldero's neares
neighbors, on the strength Of the presumption
from the occupation in which he was seised
inquired Of the attorney how the two me,
came 70 md him there. .. r.sz
You kns. that King was engaged to Mis-
"'No, indeed, never heard of it.
He was, however, the lawyer said, ant
had been, Is IL would appear, lingering sbou
the house, probably in hopes Of seeing her; 70
old Boldero was 30 queer that he might hav
been displeased if he had come In The oil
gentleman, however, excused himself from
giving details, being full of business; and re
marked that he should let me manage the case
and that King would undoubtedly communi
cate with me upon il, he seized some paper
and hurried Of, telling me that King was q
the Tontine, and Yensen ut the other publ
few doors north Of the old tavern, and also Of
Church street, fronting the green.
upon inquiring ut the Tontine Office
found that King had gone to New York, An,
had LETT q note for mo; This contained COZ
dial reference to our old friendship, and In
formed me that he should be in Court on th
day appointed for the trial, which would b
In ample season. An official order ocessions
his departure. -
.'Thfs was rather pushing treatment
thought, for the managing attorney Of an i'm
my testimony and 70 make up my brief
Further consultation with the States Alto,
ney did not clear up matters; for the old ger
tleman, / thought, rather put me Of, ayoidin
TO give me any information On the plea thu
tOrneyl understood, the arrangement could b
made sztsmpore, and Immediately upon th
rendering Of the testimony, a. well ~ at 81
months notice. With this WAS perforce cor
tent, and waited a. well as I could, thong
little confident In my powers Of extsmporisa
ton.
"The morning. Of the trial came, howevs
and entersd the courtroom, having bee
Put In communication with tho justice WI
bound over the prisoner, and the constabl
who hslped seize him; having received froI
my ss1ior the proper formal papers from th
justise's court, and being supplied with Gel
t44other documents and witnesses TO collat
efk facts bat, TO my further surprise, Kin
was not visible. On my saying % TO the State
Attorney, he remarked that he supposed no
the morning New York train not arrived quit
yet. At ten o'clock the Court entered, an
the session uas opened with the usual sbsur
shout by Mr.. Sheriff.
"fhs case was called on and the prisons
arraigned. A stoutbuilt, bullet hesdsS
hard-featured, sailorly person, with light ha