Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-04-21
uowRnBLE BUTCnERY.
A Family of Eight Persons Hur-
dered in philadelphia.
Arrest of the Murderer.

terrible CRIME In Tue lower sectlOn Oh
| the city was discovered this afternoon. A
A family of eight persons, consisting OF Mr.
| CHRISTOPHER Deering, his wife, niece and
1--WE children, were found brutally = murdered,
on Mr.. behring's farm, in Jones's lane, about
| half a mile from the Old Point House road,
! in the First Ward. The crime was discov-
ered this afternoon, by finding the bodies
of Deering and his wife in the barn. One
of the victims was baby fourteen months
old Plunder seems to have been the
object as the house exhibited evidences of
having been thoroughly ransacked. The
horses and cattle in the stable were found
in a famishing condition.
The names of the persons murdered are
as follows:
Mr.. Christopher Deering, aged 81 years.
Mrs. Julia Deering, aged A years,
Cornelius Dcering aged II years.
John Deering, aged years.
Thomas Deering, aged years.
Annie Deering, aged years.
Emma Dccring, aged IA months.
Miss Elizabeth Heating, aged 40 years.
The bodies of Deering and his niece were
discovered in q barn, covered with hay, and
the others III corn crib, similarly covered.
1t is supposed that the murders were com
mit.ed last Saturday, by man and boy,
who had been hired by Mr.. Decring, and
vino lived with his family for two months
past. They have been missing since the
murder. Dccring and his niece were from
home on Saturday morning, and it is sup
posed his wife and children were murdered
during his absence, and that he and his
niece were killed on their return. The
bodies presented a horrible appearance,
having been fearfuliy mutiated with q
knife and axe. Only one of the family is
saved, child aged ten years, who is on @
visit to distant relative.
Deering was a cattle dealer, doing busi
ness for Mr.. Mitchell, the owner of the
property. At times Mr. Deering had large
sums of money in his possession, the pro
ceeds of sales of cattle, &c, and which ht
held but temporary possession of. AT the
time of the murder it IS thought that hi
had very little money in his possession, al
though the terrible deed was undoubtedl,
committed with the expectation ofpecuniar!
gain.
His residence is located in the suburbs
, about mile and q half below the Nav.
Yard.
THE PosT-MoRTEM EXAMINATION.
a post mOrtem examination of the bodies
of the deceased was held on Thursday
Miss Elizabeth Dolan was the first acteC
upon. The doctor discovered blood on tn,
right hand, and bruised wound, one anC
half inches long, over the left eye. Th
frontal bone was fractured. There was ais,
a wound on the left side of the head an(
her throat cut
Emma Dearing, aged fourteen months
was then removed from the ice box anC
placed on the table. Her forehead, in,
mediately over the left eye, was mashed in
,,,l,n n%.1 81, l,,ft Il
the neck. Her left arm was broken at tn
joint and another wound was discovered OF
the shoulder.
The wounds of Mrs Julia Dearing wer
next examined. First, the frontal bon
was fractured, apparently having beel
struck twice with the butt end Of the axe
The wound in the neck was similar to th
wounds inflicted on the others, but it ap
pears that a second blow had been deal
her close up to the jaw, but with not s.
much force as the others. The victim Lax
ring on one of her right hand fingers.
John Dearing, aged eight years, wa
| horribly mangled. The head WAS a!mos
severed from the body, and the frontal bon
completely mashed III, as though caused b.
several blows in succession. Annie Dear
ing, aged four years, was no doubt defend
e ing herself, as her wounds indicate. First
her arm was all battered, and one of he
. right fingers chopped off, and another bro
ken. There was also a wound direct
through the head of the shoulder bono
a Her throat was cut in the same manner u
the others
n The wounds of Thomas Dearng, age
. six years, were discovered as follows TIL
" skull was fractured by terrible blow o
. the head another wound, about two inche
J, and half loEg, behind the right car; til
o right side OF the neck severed, and part G
: the jaw chopped off.
u Christopher Dearing received a blow o
e the right side of the head, breaking in tn
, skull and a cash in the left side of tn
e neck, inflicted ny the axe, as in the othc
cases.
ARREST OF TUE ALLEGED MURDERER.
Antoine Ganther, alias Probst, the al
legged murderer of the Dearing family, wa
noticed on Thursday evening on Markt
C street, near the Permanent Bridge, in til
n neighborhood of Twenty-third street. II
- was suspected by officer Dorsey, who wa
= in company with officers Weldon an
= Atkinson, through the long strides he mad
If in walking. Officer Dorsey, stepping up I
him, said-"Iuu are German" to whic
4 the accused replied, II am not-I am
Frenchnan."
T. Ganther alias Probst, was then arreste
y and taken to the Station House, where Il
o was detained. Yesterday morning he W;
J. taken into the private room of the Lieutel
ants at the Central Station, where length
examination took place, the prisoner bein
IS closely questioned by Chief Detective Frani
k lin, in reference to the charges which liza
. been preferred against him.