Delaware State journal and statesman., 1866-04-13
The Most Horrid Murders on
Record.
Seven Persons Drained with an Axe.
Tho phllndolnhin u. s. Gn,ella Of rcalc

Seven Persons Drained with an Axe.
Tho Philadelphia U. S. Gasetio of ycster-
day says;-
A man named Christopher Deering lived
on Jones' lane, above the Penthouse Road,
a locality known as Greenwich Island His
dead body was found yesterday afternoon,
in his barn, with the throat cut. He had
wife, four children, and a female cousin lv
| ing with him. He was drover and grazicr
by occupation, and rented the premises that
he occupied from Mr.. Mitchell, No. 1859
Arch Street He kept forty to fifty head
OF cattle grazing, the place being river
meadow.
On Saturday morning last he was at the
house of Mr.. Mitchell, conyersing upon bust
ness. He went from there to one of the
river steamers, by which he expected fe-
male cousin to arrive. No one saw him since
as is now known. Yesterday afternoon word
was sent to Chief Franklin that series of
horrible murders had evidently been com
mitted upon the premises of Mr.. Deering
Mr.. Franklin Chief Rugges, with a corps
of officers, the Coroner and the reporters,
took carriages and hastily visited the spot
On examining the place the dead bodies of
Mr.. Deering and the female cousin Were
found in the barn. under the hay Their
| feet were protruding from the prOvender
1
tensive outsheds, filled with what is known
as salt hay. 1t was upon the floor of one of
| these sheds that the bodies were found.
Chief Franklin instituted a search through
the out-buldings. 1t resulted in the dis
covery of the bodies of Mrs. Deering and
four of her children. They were all found
with their heads crushed in and their throats
cut. The eldest was about ten years old,
the youngest about ten months. twas evi-
| dent that the deed of murder had been done
with an axe. The heads Of the children
| were crushed in and the indications are that
| all the murders were committed with the
same rough instrument A hound boy six
teen years of age, and a German laborer,
who has been working for Mr.. Deering, are
still missing. 1t is supposed that the body
of the boy will yet be found. The bodies
were found covered with hay. Decompos
tion had already set in, and when the Chief
and assistants removed them the sight was
more than horrifying. Philadelphia never
before saw its like.
Mr.. Deering was dressed in coat and over
coat, and the dead body still wore gloves.
His boots had been removed. 1t is evident
that the murderer took the boots with him.
An axe with blood upon it was found in the
shed adjoining. The axe is in the possession
of the Coroner. 1t had never been used
before.
The house proved 10 be Tansacked from
top to bottom. There was filth upon the
floor. What amount of property was taken
nobody can tell There is not left one soul
to to tell the tale. Seven murders have thus
been done, and it is believed that this Ger
man laborer, employed there at good wages,
and treated with kind consideration, COM
mitted the deed He had served in the army,
and was given employment especially upon
that consideration.
One child alone remains. II is boy, who,
on Easter Monday, went to visit his grand
father, Mr. Duffy, a shoemaker, living on
the Lancaster Turnpike, in the Twenty
fourth Ward. The opinion of Chief Frank
lin is that the wife and children were muir
dered while the husband was absent to bring
his cousin home from the boat, in which she
arrived on Saturday last All the bodies
were dressed in their ordinary wearing ap-
parel. A piece of beef, evidently for Sun
days dinner, was found under a shed, in the
buggy in which the murdered man had
brought home the cousin The meat was
far advanced in decomposition, and this leads
the authorities to believe that the deed was
done on Saturday morning. The house was
found to be locked, but one of the window
shutters was open. The nearest neighboI
was three hundred yards distant. The body
of the cousin was not despoiled. cross
and chain were still around the neck.
f The horses in the barn were in starving
+ condition. They had evidently been with.
: out food or water since last Saturday. There
c were three dogs upon the premises almost
Y furnished The cattle were in the field bit
IS ing at the roots OF the grass for subsistence
e An examination of the premises will be
i made this morning. Detective Webb comei
@ from that locality, and knows every foot o
:. the ground. The land is not farm 1t i!
). simply grazing meadow land. Ii is situate
Q about a mile and IL half below the Navy
e Yard. Jones' lane is bounded by deel
g bitches, which drain the meadows and rem
n der the road traversible. 1t was not unit
Il halfpast four O'Clock on Tuesday Afternoon
e that the horrible affair was made known
-e The boy was indentured to Mr.. Deering BY
le the Guardians of the Poor 1t is feared tina
le he has been murdered by the assassin of tn,
T. family.
$ The premises on which the murders oc
of Cured are directly opposite TO the well
ie known osier plantation of Mr. Springlt
ne There is no police force in that locality
e. Mifilin Street, a mile above, is the loves
II terminus of police patrol.
ID The seven bodies were taken in charge b
e, the Coroner. Mr.. Deerng's pockets wer
r. found turned inside out. The sight was
J.. ghastly one-such a sight as no one want
x to see second time.