Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-04-17
THE PHILADELPHIA BUTClIERY
The Full Particulars.

ticulars Of the horrible murders COMMITTEES
in that city, ofwhich the Telegraph has made
mention
The late hour on Wednesday night at
which we received full report of the fright
full massacre of the bearing family, at the
lower end of this city, compelled the exclu-
sion Of a number of interesting facts con-
nected with the monstrous crime. Murder,
the greatest Of all crimes, is in the majority
Of cases recorded in our local history, either
in some way with habitual lives OF dissipa-
ton, or traceable to that which is often con-
sidered mitigating provocation. In the
horrible affair which yesterday startled the
entire community the murderer is presented
in his most foul and diabolical character.
Deliberation, memorable fury and unparal-
leled inhumanity attended the demoniacal
spirit in the accomplishment of its bloody
work, and for plumber only left behind apile
of dead and mutilated bodies. 1t can
scarcely be believed that any number Of per-
sons could be found who would engage in
deed so black and desperate, and yet more
than one man must have been concerned in
the butchery of large family. A visit to
the place where the respected and innocent
victims were so brutality slain, adds to the
awful impressions Of the terrible crime.
A nice thriving farm, on which stands a
comfortable old-fashioned two-story frame
house, having near by the barn and stable
necessary 10 complete the rural homestead,
form the scene of the great atrocity. Its
location is on Jones road, withi5 several
hundred yards Of the place where formerly
stood the old Point House, and about three
miles below the Navy-yard. There the
principal of the unfortunate family, Chris
topher bearing, took up his abode about
twelve years ago, and by industry and en-
ergy surrounded himself with all the re-
quirements Of good and happy home. His
children gave promise of usefulness, but the
progress of the bright household has met
destruction at the hands of some deep and
savage monster That section of the "neck"
is within the limits of the First ward, but at
this time Of year is perhaps one of the most
retired localities in the city. For miles
around immense tracks of meadow land are
used chiefly for grazing purposes, the num-
Der of farm houses being few and far distant
apart. The family of Mr.. bearing con-
sisted of himself and wife, five children,
Mrs. Elizabeth Dolan, a neice; Cornelius
Carey, a bound boy; and German named
Anthony or Antoine, who was employed
about the place. An elderly lady, relative
of the family, resided with them up to
Wednesday last, at which time she left.
The eldest son, William Dearing, aged ten
years, has been staying with his grandfather,
William Duffy, who resides in West Phila-
delphia, and fortunately escaped the fate of
the other members of the family. At first
the sudden disappearance of the lad Corne-
Illus, and the German laborer Anthony, was
looked upon with suspicion, but the work of
the police yesterday morning, the bound
boy, was found near hay stock, partly COW
cred with some loose hay and lying in a sort
of hollow, which had been made to receive
the body. He was as brutality murdered as
the others. His skull was crushed in sew
eral places, frightful cash had been made
in his throat, and pitckfork forced deep
into his breast. The wounds in his head
were no doubt made by blows with a ham
mer, which was found in the stable, as upon
part which fitted the openings in the skull
of the lad were clots hair and blood. Up to
this time. the terrible murder includes the
lives of eight human beings or the entire
bearing household except the German,
following is list of the persons murdered {:
Mr.. Christopher bearing, aged 81 years /;
Mrs. Julia bearing, aged A years John
bearing, years; Thomas bearing, aged 4
years Annie bearing, aged years Emma
bearing, aged II months; Mrs. Elizabeth
Dolen, aged 50 years aud Cornelius Carey,
aged II years.
The exact time of the murders is not
known, but as Mr.. bearing was last seen on
Saturday morning, since which time all has
appeared quiet about his place, the terrible
work is supposed to have been done on that
day. For several hours in the early part of
Saturday, Mr. bearing was in this city to
transact business with Mr.. Theodore Mitch
ell, residing at 1859 Arch street, who is
owner of the estate lately occupied by the
murdered man. Sometimes Mr.. bearing
had in his possession large sums of money,
the proceeds of the sale of cattle in which he
was quite large dealer His transactions
with his landlord, Mr.. Mitchell, were such
that it is thought the money in the keeping
Of the unfortunate man on the fatal day
could not have been a large amount.
Plumber seems to have been the object of
the series of murders, but what was attained
by the arch-fend is not known. Every part
of the house seems TO have been ransacked,
but strange to say there is nothing about
any of the rooms to show that a struggle had
taken place. How such number of persons
could be totally destroyed without an i'm
mediate detection of the murderer or muir
derers is most wonderful. 1t is supposed
that whoever is guilty of the wholesale muir
der, first induced Mrs. bearing TO 60 to the
barn, or awaited an opportunity of seeing
her there, and upon her entering at once
killed her with the stroke of an axe. Upon
the mother being missed from the house,
one child after the other, perhaps, went to
the barn after her and were dispatched by
the horrible murderer as they entered the
door. Mr.. bearing and his niece, Mrs. Do
Ian, were no doubt absent from the place
when Mrs. bearing and the children were
slaughtered 1t is known that the visit of
Mr.. bearing to this city on Saturday was
partly to meet his niece, Mrs. Dolan, who
was then to return from attending funeral
at Burlington.
How the murderer, after his appalling
work with mother and innocent children,
could have persisted in his hellish design and
hide in wait for the expected members of
the family is almost inconceiyable. But so
he seems to have done, and as Mr.. bearing
and his niece successfully tried to look up
the mother and children, they also were
struck down and Joined the others in death.
The clothes in which Mrs Dolan was found,
show that she might have at once started in
search of those whom she expected TO meet
upon her return home. The bonnet, shaw,
and fur tippet had been taken off in the
house, but no other change in her dress had
been made. Her undergarments were not
soiled, and around her neck was a string of
beads TO which was attached Jet crucifx.
Mr.. bearing must have been allowed time
TO put away his horse and wagon before the
murderer attacked him. When found he
was dressed as though he had Just reached
his house He had on pair of dark kid
gloves, but his boots and hat were missing.
Mrs, bearing and her children were dres-
sed in their every day attire, giving rise to
the supposition that the terrible heart-rend-
ing deed was committed during the day
time, or at all events during the early part
of the evening. The harmless little baby,
Emma, was probably taken from its cradle
to the barn and murdered, or it may have
been in the arms of its mother when the IA
tai blows were dealt her.
Mr. bearing Is spoken Of as man who
confined himself closely to his own affairs,
or had he been more associated with per-
sons living near him, the massacre might
have been sooner discovered. The chief
weapon used by the murderer was an axe,
nearly new, which has been so cleaned as TO
leave but little blood upon it,
Mrs, Dolan, the mother of the murdered
Elizabeth Dolan, states that the German
who was in the employ of Mr., bearing
was a ouarrelsome customer Mrs Dnlan