New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-04-11
lTHE BEVERLY TRAGEDY.
SHOCKING REVELATIONS OF DEPRAWTy.
A SON po1soNs ALL HIS RELATIVES
ARREST OF THE MURDERER
r,ou I'll. Bos.on } journal Of Thursday evening.

r,o,0 The Boston Journal Of Thursdiy evening.
Simon Stsckpole, father of the person now under
arrest on the charge OF the murder OF his sister, ana
OF ne treble attempt to take the lives OF his own
Satber mother, and also second sister, removed
Ssra this city TO that part Of Beverly known as
Nonserat situated about three miles from the pInci
nal village of the place. in the year 1851 He had pre-
onsy been i'll the brokerage business here; but the
conduct of some members of HE family becoming in.
toeraby and uncontrOably bad the parents resolved
shst they should no longer remain where influences
of q depravng character might continue 10 operate
upon them, aud accordingly located In the quiet ana
respectable town where the recent revolving chapter
I'm the annals of crime has just been enacted by the
second OF Mr.. Stsckpoles two sOns At the time OF
the removal alluded 70, the senior StacKpoie WEE
estimated to have been worth $lOOOO or Si%VVV,
though it has since then been reduced somewhat oy
the misconduct of these same sons. Inc family con,
sisted of the father and mother(a couple about oO
years of age), son, Samuel L. StackPoe 70 years OF
ace at present a soldier III the 9Th regiment;
daughter, Mary, Is years; an adopted daughter,
Caroline, years; and the son, Charles Il. Stack
pole, who Is now Il years OF age. Inc parents
aimee their residence at Beverly, though not nti
rnstely known there, have been worthy members OF
aociety and were generally esteemed as such. Mr..
is very respectfully connected In this city. But 10
remarked that the sons have from early years mani
Tested tendencies to improper conduct In various
way, and have repeatedly been involved in trouble
in the nature Of eosecutions for sundry violations
of the law, 81. :,
The del;.ouencies Of the younger boy have finally
eulminat ID in what appears to be, wiaogs eXtenua-
ton criminal act almost unparalleled In the rec
ords a hu,1an depravity.
The Srst positive indication that attempts were
being made to poison the Stackpole family 10 be-
hsved 70 have appeared on FRIDAY, Ms S ~ on
eating Of which made them all sick. Charles, the
pon ate spariDgly Of the soup. aud sad be was un.
well after ward; and the same soup being warmed
and put the dinHerta6le on Sunday, they all par
- him ha
had made him sick once and he would eat no more
of it. Some Of this soup subsequently Analysed
by DIR. Swasey Of Beverly, and arsenic was found
present In large quantities.
The family were taken very i'll after their meal on
Sunday, and on the following Tuesday pDysican
was sent for. the Impression being that both the
daughters were dying. The messenger dispatched
for the doctor the son Charles, VINO, instead OF
procuring a horse the physician resided several
miles away, set out on foot, ana having reached a
uhosmaksrs shop short distance from his fathers,
went in and Sat down, engaging unconcernedly In
conversation on frivolous topics, and, after an ab
aence from home of hour more. returned, tell
ing the agonized family that the doctor would
be in attendance. A long interval elapsing, how
ever, and the physician not making his appearance,
smother person sent for hun, and by this process
be was speedily brought this being the only intma-
zion received by him that his services required
The daughter Caroline died, having endured great
suffering, at about IL o'clock on the following
Wednesday night, and the body was duly entombed.
The other members Of the family gradually recov-
cred their illness until Tuesday Of the present
week, when having sent Charles TO procure some
oatmeal they had some cakes for supper, which
being eaten, produced sickness exactly similar u
chat from which they were then IN process Of re
eovery. Doctors Swssey and TOrrey of Beverly
were summoned TO attend them, and 1t becoming ap
parent there was just ground for suspicion that al
was not right, conference was bad with the town
authorities relative TO the subject and by advice
Coroner Eben Walton, the body Of the dead child
wss exhumed, and an examination thereof was had
BY Doctors Torrey, Swasev, and Sanborn, the stom.
sch with its contents, being sent 10 distinguished
ehemist In this city for analysis
Evidence ascumuaung, meanwhile, under the ju-
dicious system Of investigation pursued by the eth
Gent Chief,of Police Of tue town OF Beverly John
j. Dennis suspicion came TO rest 90 firmly upon the
son, Charles L. Stackpole, that on Tuesday after
moon q complaint, signed by John Meacom, Chair.
snan of the Board OF Selectmen, was lodged with
James HILL Trial Justice for the County of Essex
and warrant was thereupOn issued Tor the appre-
hsnsion Of the supposed murderer. The arrest was
made at the shoemakers shop Of Mr.. Samuel Patch,
On Tuesday, at o'clock p. M, by Officer Israel
1rask, 9Th. Stackpole was told by the officer that
he must 60 with hun. He inquired what tor, and
on being told that he charged with murder said
3 "By c., they We got big thing on me; won.
der what they get up next" lie wanted to get
bis coat and very expressed his regret at being
compelled 70 leave bis parents, with whom he was
expecting to watch that hight. He also alluded to
the death of his young tister, and said be always
loved her. denying his guilt and shedding tearseyi.
IDENTITY at the recollection Of her suffering.
Stackpole was arra gned before Mr.. Justice Hill,
al and was then committed TO Salem Jail 10 await an
examination on Tuesday next at 10 o'clock a. M, at
the Town Hail, Beverly. Since his committal 10
q prison be has at times manifested signs Of being
deeply affected but for the most part has been sod
snd indifferent He has once, however, particularly
requested that all knowledge OF his arrest and con
fpement may be kept FROM his mother and sister;
but has also desired that this information might be
eyed ~ his father, with the request that the
services Of counsel should be procured for his de-
Tense. Through the kindness Of John Dixey, jailer
at Salem, our reporter was allowed an opportunity
90 see the prisoner on Wednesday evening In his
cell. His appearance that OF a some hat hard"
young man, rather short in stature, weighing about
one handred and fifty POUNDS, dark complexion and
no beard His manner was careless, and though
evidently intended by nature for capable and &C.
tive citizen, should judge from indications that
oil this capacity and activity bad long ago ceased TO
promise anything but results disastrous alike TO the
morals and welfare Of society.
There is reason to believe Stackpoe has for weeks,
and perhaps longer, been persistently harboring q
scheme or intention Of poisoning otherwise get
ting rid Of his father and rest Of the family in
order, as 1t is believed that be might enjoy the
property which he supposed would fall to him. Ii
clearly established fact that within three weeks
pc mas bought poison not less than four different
nmes-twice from Mr.. Garduer Barton Of Salem
and twice. also, Of Mr.. A. N. Clark Of Beverly, in
each instance mentioning that the object procur
ing 1t was The destruction OF rats III stable Of bis
fathers When arrested he bad upon his person q
vial partially filled with arsenic, and on reaching
She jail at Salem the druggist Mr.. Barton at once
tdentihed beyond question the bottle, and also the
Enaa who purchased IT, say ing however that there
was so much arsenic In the package aa when IL
was first obtained. ... -
visit was made 10 the house of the stacknola
family on "Wednesday morning by Mr. Dennis. in
accordance with the request Of the prisoner aud the
l. - =. Il 4