Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1865-02-06
THE MICHIGAN MURDEB,
Additional and Corrected De taiIs.-The
Murderer Not Insane.


The accounted the recent terrible murder
in Michigan, and the arrest of the murder
er in Grafton on Thursday, which appeared
in Saturday mornings LEADER, though cor
rect in its main features, was, as might be
expected from report gathered at second
hand, inaccurate in some of its details.
We have, since its publication, learned some
additional and corrected det sils of the cir
cumstances of the murder and arrest, from
Mr.. Hand, Station Agent at Grafton Station,
and Conductor Tyler, on whose train the
murderer was taken to Toledo, which we
append.
The place of the murder was not Coldws-
ter, as we stated Saturday, but Woodstock,
nine miles from Hudson. The circum
stances were as followsI
The murderer Bivins arrived at Hsndou
on Monday, and hired horse and sleigh
there, with which he drove to the home of
his wife's father, where she was living, and
took her to his own fathers home. He re-
mained there over night, and on Tuesday
returned to Hudson leaving his wife at his
fathers house in Woodstock, and giving
her the impression that he was going ba5k
to Ohio. On his arrival in Hudson he re-
turned the horse and sleigh which he had
been using, and, hiring another establish
ment at another stable, returned in the
evening to Woodstock. His confession
throws light on his actions on arriving
the second time at his fathers house.
He says that Immediately on entering
his father. The cap snapped, he cooked the
pistol again: and taking aim, shot the old
gentleman through the head. He then
shot his mother, who was sitting in q chair.
By this time his wife had stepped up to
him, and plesd that he would not Kill her,
and he says she caught hold of the weapon.
Determined on accomplishing his purpose,
he endeavored to wrench the weapon from
her grasp, but she succeeded in getting it
from him. A scuffls ensued, which ended
in his recovering the weapon and shooting
her through the heart. He then set FIRE to
the premises: got into his buggy, and start
on his return, leaving behind him, in his
agitation, buffalo-robe and strap, which
led to his detection.
The arrest was made. at Grafton Station
on Thursday. Bivins was standing on the
platform of the depot when the train arriv-
ed, which contained the Sheriff and his as
tant, and their first act on jumping off the
train was to arrest and handcuff him. He
took the matter with perfect coolness, not
appearing alarmed even when aparty Of
soldiers who were on the train made an at
tempt to lynch him. He conversed over
the matter with perfect coolness, neither
justifying or condemningit. Hessemed to
be rather proud of the excitement he crea-
ted, and suggested to Conductor Tyler that
he be put in prominent position in the
car, as people might Essnt 10 look at him.
He gave gentleman on the train bullet
similar to that with which he shot his wife,
and freely distributed his autograph, writ
ten: "David F. Bivins, murderer of his
wife, mother and father"
8 TheyOung girl in Grafton to whom he
was engaged, and to whom he was to have
been married within few days, at first re-
fused to believe his guilt, and was with
difficulty restrained from going at once to
see him, when she heard of his arrest.
Bivins says that he went to Michigan
three times with the purpose of commit
ting the murder, but his heart failed him
on each occasion, and he returned.
The age of his murdered father was fifty
seven, of his mother ffty-one, and of his
young wife, who was about to be confined,
twenty. Drv1aS JSE---lc - 4ruaaty tyro
years of age, handsome in face, with a
slim, elegant figure and stylish dress. He
was fastidious and delicate in manner. He
is adeserter from Michigan cavalry regi-
mens. Those who have conversed with
him say that he is perfectly sane in mind
He was well aware Sof the aboli-
tion of capital punishment in Michigan,
and his coolness was doubtless due in great
measure to that fact.