Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1862-08-15
": ID. wABLACH1
THE BoLpEao MURDER.

soout uhder tne nau-rulned snanty on the top
Of the mountain.
"2Ome, Brady" said Colonel Throop. the
ttoryloying, "tell us some moral, entertain.
ing, and instructive story, before We return to
Sschem's Head"
Il will, said the young lawyer, absently,
and stared away to seaward, as If expecting TO
fId his story in the Summer haze that veiled
all the further half Of the Sound, and obscur-
ed even the nearer angular outlines of Falk-
'ners Island. There's a singulsrly command
ing view" at last he added, "from this spot,
IL clear weather"
Go on With your story" said Throop.
"Y0u all remember the 'horrid murder
here In North Gsilford some years ago! No?
II was Of two singular old English people, Mr..
and Mrs. Boldero: / remember the name, be-
cause fancied he might be the senior partner
of the frm Of Boldero, Merrywssther, Besan-
quet, and Lacy, whom Charles Lamb thanks
In The Superannuated Man They lived
alone with niece, on q small, solitary farm
in the woods, Just over hare on the east side OF
Quinebaug Pond; keeping house in q strange,
melancholy way, being known to have and
use considerable quantity of heavy, old
fashioned, English silver plate, but dressing
and eating otherwise on a scale parsimonious
almost TO misery. Their silver, their reserved
and almost seur demeanor, and even the
slightly greater expense Of the dress of their
handsome niece, as well as the lsdy-li man
ners Of that young person, made the neighbors
ell believe that they had been people of i'm
Portsnce at home, and, in spite Of all their
frugality here, were immensely rich still, hay-
ing boards in the cellar or under the hearth
stone, perhaps.
There was also an indistinct rumor of
son or nephew of the old man, whom nobody
had seen, and indeed nobody knew where the
rumor came from, who was said to be despe-
rate brutal sort Of fellow"
Hes the murderer" said Throop.
gsVarv kr,.a safI ha gChuf th
point is, how he was found out"
"Go on, said Throop.
"Woll, all that was known at the time Of
the murder was that the poor old couple had
disappeared. The house WIS 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, sesrched 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 sstu-
rated with blood. Tho niece, Miss Selden,
was known to have departed on a visit.
Searching all over the house and premises, he
found elsewhere not so much as a drop of
blood nor any traces Of the dead, and nothing
whatever to notice, except that all the silver
was gone.
This was all, also, that the authorities
could ascertain and notwithstanding the
rigid and persevering search kept up by the
people of the neighborhood for some days,
these facts remained the sum total of informa-
tiOn in the matter.
1T was about two years after this, while
was practicing in New Haven, that the States
Attorney of New Haven County, Q leading
lawyer there, sont for mo to assist him in try
ing the case Of the State as. Yensen; selecting
me simply because he knew 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 interested upon
entering his office, to hear that he supposed
the marderer Of Mr.. and Mrs. Boldero was
this Yensen, as he called himself, and that he
had been seized on the premises in North
Guiford in the act Of digging up the lost sill
yer; having been captured by North Gull
ford constable and-to my great surprise-by
certain Charley King. Now King WIS
classmate Of mine at college had become a
lieutenant In the navy and had, as / know,
just returned from long voyage in United
States steamer to the Pacific, having been or
dered to her from the Coast Survey on account
OF his skill in photography and drawing. g
''Yensen had been bound over before q
country Justice, one Of Mr. Boldero's nearest
neighbors, on the strength Of the presumption
from the occupation in which he was seized
i inquired Of the attorney how the two meE
NaAuo " nuu lucIo
You knew that King was engaged 10 Mis-
eelden, didn't youP
"'Ho, indeed, / never heard of it,
He WAS, however, the lawyer said, ant
had been, as it would appear, lingering sbou
the house, probably in hopes Of seeing her; fs
old Boldero was 50 queer that he might hay'
been displeased II he had come in. The olC
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 a
the Tontlne, and Iensen at the other public
house just above; namely, the Jail, which is
few doors north Of the old tavern, and also OF
Church street, fronting the green.
Upon inquiring At the TOntine Office
found that King had gone 10 New York, anf
had left note for me. This contained a cor
dial reference TO our old friendship, and in
formed me that he should be in Court on th1
day sppointed for the trial, which would b
in ample season, An official order occasions,
his departure - So
This was rather puzIling treatment
thought, for the niansging attorney Of an i'm
pOrtant criminal case. How was I to prepar
my testimony and to make up my brief
Further consultation with the States Attof
ney did not clear up matters; for the old gen
tlemsn, i thought, rather put me OF, ayoidin
TO give me any inform alton on the plea tha
King was right Tor that so Tar as he 1.-THE at
tOrney) understood, the a.rangsment could b
made s1tsmP9ye, and immediately upon th
rendering Of the testimony, rs we'll ss at al
months notice. With this was perferce con
tent, and waited as we'll ss could, thoug
little confident in my powers Of extemporiIa
ton = a.
The morning. Of the trial came, however
and l entered the courtroom, having beel
put In Communication with the Justice VIII
bound over the prisoner, and the constabl
who helped seize him; having rsceiyed from
my senior the proper formal papers from th
Justices court, and being supplied with Ger
tain other documents and witnesses 20 colfat
ersI facts; but, to my further surprise, Kin
was NOT visible. On my saying 20 20 the State
Attoruey, be remarked that he supposed no,
the morning New York train not arrived quiz
yet At ten o'clock the Court entered, an
the session was opened with the usual absur
shOuthy Mr.. Shsrif. - -
The case was called on and the prisons
srrsigned A stout-baiit, bullst-headet
haIa-fsssursd, ssilOriy person, With light hai