The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-01-18
The B0yd,s Hill Tragedy---EX-
ecutIOn Of benjamin Bern
hardt NIarSChal and Henry
August Erecke.
THE MURDER OF JOHN HENRY FORESTER AvENoEr
P1TrsBURG, January 13, 1866.


Through the courtesy of Sheriff Stew
art, I was yesterday accorded the privi-
lege of Witnessing the execution of Mar
schall and Frecke, the murderers of young
Forster Every body, l think, has i'm
planted within him certain we'll defined
sentiment of curiosity to see and know
how the last dread sentence of the Law is
carried into effect-to see and know how
man is hanged. This curiosity is con-
veniently Genominated a morbid one by
hum-drum dogmatists, though l am una
bic to understand why 1t should be deemed
unhealthy and unnatural to look upon the
gallows, any more than to gaze at anything
entering upon a discussion Of an abstract
question, l will merely say that, partly
through the promptings of tie curiosity
spoken of, and partly with desire to OBJ
tain full and reliable particulars of the
event, l was present at the execution
yesterday The particulars [ possessed
myself of, with your permission, ] will
now lay before your readers.
THE MURDER.
1t will be remembered that the murder
for which the two men have just suffered
the extreme penalty of the law, was COM
rnitted on the 23d of August last, on
Boyd's Hill, which overlooks the city, at
night. The body was found the next
morning, with the throat cut from ear to
ea-, two staO-woun6s in the back, and
other injuries inflicted. The remains
We're removed to the Mayors Office, and
exposed to public view for considerable
length of time; but, though thousands
| focked to look, no one could identify
them. Photographs were taken of the
| body and distributed all over the country,
in the hope to ascertain who the dead man
was-but in vain. 1t appeared as if the
bloody deed were enwrapped in impene-
trabe mystery, and that the actors in it
man ken. Meantime search was kept up
with the most unwearying assiduity, but
for nearly month not the slightest clue
! to the murderers was found.
THE GUILTY SHALL NOT GO UNPUBLISHED.
When God, in His terrible wrath
emn warning, "Whoso sheddeth mans
blood, by man shall has blood be shed, y
He gave to the world law to last for all
time. This law, from One who hath said
of himself that He "cdnnot Hc," is assu-
rance that though .he guilty may for q
tiwe hide his crime, in the end he shall
surely be found out and punished. The
Goa Of Abraham. Isaac, and Jacob is our
God, aud that He yet takes care that nc
transgressiUn OF His law shall . unpun-
ished is aptIy shown forth by nc discovery
of the murdcrers in TINS ease, an wach
no more direct inte-position Of Prov
dcnce in favor of justice is known.
THE MYSTERY BEGINNING TO CLEAR UP
Early on the morning of the Goth oi
! September, q month within three days
after the murder, burglar was captured
/ by the police on Grant street, while in
the act OF breaking into a house. He
was conveyed to the Tombs, where he
gave the name Of Benjamin Bernhardt
Marschall. Subsequently, the officers
searched his house, which was on Bovd's
Hill, in quest of stolen plunder. would
here mention that previous to this, Mar.
schall had borne comparatively good
character, and was not suspected of being
even a burglar. The search revealed vast
quantities of stolen goods of almost every
conceivable description, the accumulation
of innumerable burglaries. Another
search was had the following day, when q
pair of pantaloons and coat, both covered
with blood, were discovered. A pair ot
boots of peculiar make were also found
and when it was remembered that the
boots of the murdered DaE had been re-
moved from his feet by the assassins, the
suspicion took form-it was only fain
picion-that this burglar might know
something of the murder.
THE HAND OF GOD.
Two days after this, German woman
named Miller was arrested on the charge
of keeping a depot for stolen goods. She
acknowledged the crime, and gave the
valuable information TO the Mayor that
man named Henry August trecke came
to her house early on the morning after
the murder, saying that he had just ar
rived from New York in company with
Marschall and stranger; that the two
latter had quarrelsd, and that he wa
afraid harm would befall the stranger, es
peciaIly as he had large sum of none.
about him, of which fact Marschall wa
coguizant. Not long after, Marschal
came in, nervous and excited, and viii
his clothes stained with blood.
CUT OF DARKNESS CONFETTI LIGHT.
/ On the strength of this information