The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1866-04-27
The Tragedy in PhiladeypIaia.


that the cattle and horses of Mr.. Daerinr
had not been out of the stable or harm for
several days. He saw them and fed them
IN the morning Both Went 10 the SPOT.
and on making close observation. Il lrlrr
OF a foot was discovered sticking out from
the hay. \ further examination WAS
made. and the body of Mr.. Deerinr WAS
found. his head being Shockinrly mangled.
His breast bone protruded 10 such an ex-
tent that IL was driven into hi neck. Ii
was ghastly. sickening sight. His gloves
We're found upon his hands. Near his
body were the mansled remains OF Miss
Heating. his cousin. She WAS also shock
Ingly cut about the head. We learn that
she had been attending the funeral of a
relative in New Jersey, and that on Sat
urday morning Mr.. Deering stopped AT a
railroad depot 10 take her down 10 his
house. Her dress WAS deep black. indi-
eating that the work of this part of the
tragedy must have been done a. soon aS
the horse was driven 10 the stables. The
hat and boots of Mr.. Deering Were mis-
ing These Were probably taken 10y the
murderer The wagon was alongside OF
the ,iwelling-house- The horse was found
/ in the stall in the stable with the halter
oh him. The animal. I'm the agony of
hunger. had almost hung himself.
1 The belief that the murler WAS COM
miited on Saturday Is strengthened bv the
fact that horse and some cattle which
had been locked up in the stable and barn
were suffering for the want of food and
water when discovered The fact also
that decomposition had he@un l. thought
TO strengthen it The bodies were quite
offensive, Probably a nlore shocking
sight WAS never seen than the mother and
her murdered children. after thev had been
removed from the crib. One uf the chill
lren WAS a mere babe. less than two
years old. whose innocent face WAS sutfi-
cient. one would have thought 10 have
moved even the brutal mur,ierer'S hear1 TO
pity The victims. with their ages, are
as follows: Christopher Deering, 10
wears: Julia. hiS wife. 30 wears; Eliza
beth Dolan, The niece. - years; John
Deering, s wears; Thomas Deering. g
wears: Anna Deering. wears: Emily
Deering. , years
The eldest child. Wm. Deering. Wa
spending a few DAYS with his grandfather
Wm Duffy. in West Philadelphia. Had
he been home there cannot be a doubt but
that he would have shared the fate of the
other members of the family.
The bloody ax used in this case a the
instrument OF death. was found in the ward
in the rear of the house, Ii was New
and sharp a> Il razor. Ii must have been
purchased VERY recently. and somebody
must have ground il since then
1t * strange indeed that there WAS VERY
little or no blood about the bodies of the
victims. nor in the vicinity of the places
where thev were found Diligcnt search
was made by the slrew,leSt officers. Tor
the>c marks. with the view of Ascertain
, ing. ii possible. how or where the murders
I were committed But all efforts tending
= TO this result We're made IN vain and OF
1 course the entire ati;lir l. involved IN deep
: mystery. Ii X thought. however that
! The mother and her children havin" been
I murdered. were conveyed 10 the barn ani
, were thrown into Il heap. a. already >,ai-
ed The murders must have been COM
mittcd outside OF the dwelling-hou>e. and
what blood flowed must have soaked into
the ground. or been washed out or dis-i-
. pated bv the rams which prevailed since
Saturday.
: 1t l. evident that after these murders.
| the helli>h perpetr:,tor of them not being
, able TO find any money in thc hou>c. came
10 the conclusion that Mr.. Deering must
have his funds about him. and therefore
: waited his return. The desperate man
: probably laid in wait in the rear OF the
, house. and commenced the work nf death
, as Mr. Deering and his cousin. Miss keat-
| in". Were getting tut of the WAGON. H.
then irlg.ed them TO the place where
their bodies Were found. ;aS already de-
| >cribed- The piece of meat that Mr.. ID.
a had purchased un Saturday morning WAS
: found in the box. under the front seal OF
| the wagon. Ii WAS partly decompo-,ai.
|. wagon.
g The cattle. between thirty and forty IN
# number. Were in Il pitilhle condition.
= The poor creatures werc raycnou- from
+ thirst and hun@er-
4 Antoine Gunier has been arrested ior
n committing the above mur,l,r>, lie for
y meriv belonged 10 the 9TH Penn Cltalr.-
"a The prisoner STATES that ON Siiur iay.
: about II o'clock. he killed the hor COrmel-
= iuS Cary. while on the HAY stack hui
n another man. .Iaco,, Ionlcr. formerly "i
IS the i lth Penn. Cavalry killed the rest o
ille family
=, The announcement of the arrest of IN.
@ tome Gunter created most intense eNciie
h ment throughout the CITY. anu vengc;,ilc,
4 against the prisoner WAS uttered Oh eyerl
~ >i,l. An immense crowd collected arounl
y the police station al the state house anj
: threatened to lynch the prisoner. \ cou>
ar in of the murdered family wanted 10 tax,
% summary vengeance upon him. The prs
oner WAS finally removed in safety to pris
" OH.
e The supposed aecompliee III the sesen
V fold Philadelphia murder has been arrest
# ed at London. {. W. He gives the maine
4 of Charles McCuilern
o The only discrepancy between the dc
e scription OF the murderer and the appear