The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1866-04-18
The latest Philadelphia papers are
full of the particulars of the Deering
family murder. The Aga saws.

part Of the house seems 20 have been ran
sacked, but strange 10 say there is nothing
about any Of the rooms TO show that a strug-
gle had taken place. How such a number
Of persons could be totally destroyed with
out immediate detection of the murderer or
murderers is most wonderful. It is sup
posed that whoever is guilty Of the whole
sale murder, first induced Mrs. Deering 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 az.
Upon the mother being missed from the
house, one child after another, perhaps,
| went 10 the barn after her, and were dis
patched by the horrible murderer as they
entered the door. Mr.. Deering and his
niece, Mrs. DOlan, were no doubt absent
from the place when Mrs. Deering and the
children were slaughtered. It is known
that the visit of Mr.. Deering to this city on
Saturday was partly 70 meet his niece, Mrs
| Dolau, who was then to return from attend
/ ing funeral at Burlington. How the MUIR
derer, after his appalling work with moth
er and innocent children, could have per-
sisted in his hellish work, and hide in wait
| for the expected members Of the family, is
almost inconceivable. But so he seems to
| have done, and as Mr.. Dsering and his
niece successfully tried TO look up the moth
er 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, shawl and fur
| tippet had been taken of in the house, but
no other change in the dress was made.
/ Her undergarments were not sOiied, and
Eround her neck was a string of black beads,
to which was attached JET cruciix. Mr..
DeeEing 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. Deering and her children wero
dressed in their every day attire, giving
rise to the supposition that the terrible
| heartrending deed was committed during
the daytime, or, at all events, very early il
| 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
fatal blows were dealt her.
Mr.. Deering is spoken of as q man who
confined himself closely to his own affairs,
for, 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 ak,
nearly new, which has been so cleaned as
| 70 ledNe Out ltLLle DlOOQ upon lts
The Press hiss the following:
Up 10 late hour the prevailing opinion
was that the German VINO was in the en-
ploy Of Mr.. Deering committed the deed.
There is still some doubt connected with
his general appearance. A number Of per-
sons were examined on this point yester-
day, by Chief Detective Franklin, and al
though they had frequently seen the person
IN question, yet they varied somewhat in
their descriptions of him. After a careful
consideration of the different statements,
the following description Of the murderer
has been concluded upon: He is a Ger
man, aged from IS 10 IS years, and weigh
| ing from l75 10 $50 pounds. Speaks very
broken. Has no whiskers, but light mus
taehe, curled up slightly at the ends. Hair
is light and cut short. Has a downcast
| look. Is round shOUldered, bony, loosely
made, and slow in motion. 1t was in evi-
| dence at first that he had lost his right
/ thumb, but as it could not be confirmed by
/ others, il was not believed. Further devei-
| Opments, however, have proved TO q GER
tainty that the right thumb of the murder
or was really gone-a point which will
/ greatly assist in his capture.
There is some doubt hanging over the
story Of his being discharged soldier, al
| though 1t is said that some time since one
Of the children in the family picked up his
| discharge paper, which he had dropped
while laying upon some hay in the barn,
and gave it to him.
THIS German is said to have been noted
for one great peculiarity whilo in the en-
| plOy Of Mr.. Deering, that was the wearing
| Of his cap at all times, He would not even
remove 1t while taking his meals with the
family.
Various means were devised 10 make him
remove it, but all were futile. For instance,
one Of the boys was made TO take a seat al
the table with his cap on, which act, of
course, was censured by the mother in no
|. very pleasant terms. The scOlding was
done in the presence of the German, but il
did not disturb him in the least, es he con
tinued to stick 10 his popularity.
While on this point we may mention an
other fact tending to an explanation of this
popularity, On one day some weeks since,
a boy who happened 70 stop at the place
saw the German leaning against the side
Of the stable. His head was inclined for
ward. While he was ia that position the
boy was struck with the shortness Of his
HAIR behind. He seems TO think that the
German had wig on. If such is the case,
| it no doubt accounts for his determination
in keeping his cap upon his head, even
when taking his meals.
We have ascertained other facts IS to the
| whereabouts Of MIR. Deering on Saturday
morning, the day be was last seen. Detec-
/ tive Tryon visited the Wharton market on
| Mayomensing avenue yesterday, 10 find out
the person from whom Mr.. Deerng pur
| CHASED his meat. This was soon ascertained
10 be Mrs. 6reenWill, who, upon being
| questioned, stated that Mr.. Deering came to
her stall on Saturday morning, and bought
six pounds of beef at e teen cents per pound;
that while she was attending 20 him, he
| pulled out asplendid gold watch and chain;
| after looking at It, he said il was about
! o'clock, aud be had 20 stop at Mr.. MitchelPs
and then be at the steamboat landing by II
to meet his cousin, who was coming down
| from Burlington. She did not see him az
| terward. This lady seemed quite certain
/ about his having q gold watch and chain
/ with HIM, These articles were not found
| upon his body nor in. the house. Nj.
/ Mitchell cOrrOb0rGtes the evidence as 10
| Mr.. Deering having stopped az his house on
| Saturday morning. No one has yet been
/ found who saw HIM after he left Nj. Mitch
| ell. in regard to the muddy shoes found in
| the house, they belong 10 Mr.. Deering in
I stead of the German, as was at first suppos-
| ed. Several persons to whom they were
shown al once said they were "Cnrissy's
clogs"
DISTRICT ATTORNEY MANN VISITS THE SCENE.
| District Attorney Manu- visited the scene
OF the murder yesterday. aud made a care
| iul and thorough examination Of the pre-
misses. While listening 10 everything said,
advising with the public officials, and Civ
/ ing every attention 20 the details Of the
/ case, the Commonwealth officer is reticent
as 10 his theories Of it.
At the time be reached the house in the
afternoon there were quite q number Of per-
sons present, The largest portion being fe-
males. The police keep strict vigil over
the house, but the barn is open for all who
/ desire 70 visit it.
u is singular that The children Of the
neirhbOrhood know 50 little about the sup
posed murderer. In a conversation with
| bright boy, about IA years Of age, he said
he knew The wretch when he lived at she
house last fall, and since his return 10 live
| there, but seldom or never heard him speak.
he never heard Of his going 20 taveFns OF
beer shops, but always saw him about the
| farm. On Sundays he always up IN the
barn AMI slept during the day. This boy
was over az the house on Easter Sunday,
and u seemed that the nnigkbors only Wis
lied ne honse on holiday OF Of long inter
walls.
To rs the house did not exhibit the indi-
cations Of nhtness that sre usual where the
heads OF the ismily are fond Of entertaining
company With i've young children, and
the cares that mstrons have devolved upon
/ them al farms, but little time was devoted
20 company; and hence ID i that 90 long a
time elapsed before the neirhbors we're
aware Of the narrowing occurrence that had
beea perPetrated in their midst.
Amorg the coutribtIt;ons A tha "a