The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-08-18
ALBERT I. sTARKwEATHER.

Albert L starkweather. the mattcide, was executed
Of Hartford Conn, yesterday. There b nothing
m the annals OF crime on this continent,
not even excepting the Aend Probst, that exceeds
IN cold blooded atrocty unnatural hearlessness and
dabolical ingenuity the murder OF MrA Benjamin
starkweather and her little daughter Ella by him who
was bound 70 them By natures strongest ties Tho
Deering tragedy loses hah It's horrors before the scene
enacted in the little cottage 1t Oakland year ago. The
plunging the butcher knit, into the bosom from
which he derived his first nourshment and ON which,
when infant he slumbered tho brother bending over
his little sister with the murdcrous axe dripping with
the blood Of their parent spectacle at which
Lucifer himself would shudder. For the murderer no
adequate punishment in this life can be found
MURDER.
On the FIRST Of August 1885, the family Of Mr. Horace
White residing tho village OF Oakland in the town Of
Manchester about nine miles from this city, aroused
four O'Clock in the morning by lond rafting al the
door, The voice Of Albert starkweather, who lived with
his mother and sister Ia cottage by, alarmed Mr.
White with the startling announcement, ''Get up-ges
up! Come over TO our house. don't know but our
folks are all killed, and the house is on fre." Mr.. White
arose instantly and the house OF the Stark
wcathers, followed by Albert, sobbng ana crying, and
some neighbors The first room they entered was A.
berts and they found the bed on fire. Throwing tho
smoking mattress and burning bcdclohes out OF the wn
dow Mr. White went mp stairs to the room In which Mrs
Starkweather and her daughter slept Bursting open
the door he beheld sight which transAxed him with
horror A volume Of black smoke rolled out from the
roo the light Of the blazing bed he saw the mother
living on 1t covered with blood her head crushed into
shapeless mass and tho floor her daughter present
Ing nss sun % osss'nS h ed up Ella
he found her, stll alive, although In her dying agony
As he lifted her bloody axe slipped on the bed upon
the floor He raised the window 70 let the smoke out,
got Mrs. Sarkweaiher on tho burning bed and, finding
her dead placed her on the floor whc he rolled mp the
~ r,.f nf tbA md N
meantime paced hurcdy up and down ono OF the lower
rooms, manifes.ng the utmost agitation The appear
OF the bodesfor the daughter breathed only few
moments--was sickening. Tho mothers face was cut
| in two with powerful blow from the axe. which
| entirely across crushing through The bones OF the
upper jaw and cheeks Over the RIGHT eye was
another cash from the axe sinking through te ssI
back Of the head, and there was also great cash near
the tight temple Besides ,hsee wounds there . Were
par, OF the chn the bladc penetrating deep into the
throat one deep into the right breast and one in thc
MS each blow from the axe almost crushed the skull
through and tho butcher knife had been plunged into
her breast, coming out through her ribs
ARREST CONFESSION OF IHr sos,
Tho son was nj once arrested, and sse ,. most
w %as aunS IN @
| from his bureau was taken u quantity OF money
maSnr p sore peobesn. and @nasory
Of tho murder he was induced 70 confess on the DAY
traitor Of the awful deed The confession MAIDS to
james Campbell Of Manchester, the father OF gil
whom he sS- 70 D. a Sc had
his mother and sister with the axe, aud Een 10 make
certain OF tho hcudsh job be had repeatedly punscd
his butcher knife into their Threats ard bosos, winding
up the decd Of horror by setting their bed ON fire. ana
then his bed down stairs y did IL" ne said, .Mr
Campbell, OF love for your daughter and nothing
else felt must have that money for without : she
| wolidn', marry me; and got the money Tho money
he referred TO tue possession Of hts mother and
lie committed the double crime OF malricide and scror
ode TO obtain it he planned tho murder dehb.
| heartlcss calculation OF mend, making sure
| Of the awful work Of his axe by tho added
over aran into the bosouis OF the mother that bore
him and the lo sister with whom nc had often played
IN childhood Other crimes bearing analogy U ihls
have generally been committed by iunatics, ana have
been followed by the suicide OF the rerperator bit no
plea OF insanity could ever be set np In this case
few days before the LIST OF August be went 70 one Of BIO
reghbors and red 30 borrow 500, assuring him ,ha
q nan in Stafford Owed him si,loo. SO far from tho
latter gentleman owing young Starkwcs.her anything "
| was found tina, he was his creditor 10 worry large
amount From simlar transactions IL was evident thai
the unhappy young man hesitsted ~ no'hirs N ne ds
| frlinaiion to get property.
| SKETCH ~ MURDERER.
Albert L. Starkweathcr born in Hartford on Asfch
T. Is41 and was acntly twenty i've years 81 age
the lime OF his execution. The family lived IN ass
sy until 1854, the father keepng s mes, market on
October Of that yosr Mr. starkweather died and some
time after hs death Mira Starkseatnor moved 90 OAK
land scrI where she puruhn 81 farm al about
sixty eight acres settled down with tcr son and
Ella the latter being then between eight and
/, but little; but irom tho ase !" 'rn wears " -
| his fathers death 1uj ~ npth"ff fcn.fal -
| Manchester he attended one 81 thc psMc schools
! in Hartford. 90 his department OF character dnnns
his school life there = but little % he said H. vas
knowae ague' unauhis ous boz rather shy aud inc'ose
IN disposition not particularly fond Of study, nut
generally school No, well liked by his -rho,i fc
lows nor enjoying the confidence OF his associates, lie
was not known for any positive or manly trails 81 eaa
racter which would mark him among his fellows; ccr
tainy be without anything 10 indicate ',c terrible
capacity for crime which his latter years developed
He then gwen thc general direction OF the farm DID
pretty much as h. pleased and received liberal share
Of the profits derived from the isrm products
About year alter going on the harm no squandered
posed 10y his mother in this step she dccming hazard
Gus he 'ad lis own way and not only usci up money
cattle bur on fast horses and fat ways of ife He
va. Away ,ses''a WIN sca shee,Gn ~ 10 ..s,
/ young man. Next followed The doubls nurdcr which
shocked the people not only Of Connecticut but al who
\ the time Of hcr death and hs sister fourteen Both Of
them always treated him with love and attention
| PRISON iirt.
After ,le coroners inquest starkwcs,hcr
hned the Hartford jail shortly alter he Wa parod
In confinement, he sent Cor Apoos fcnn airr and had
long talk about biz ahsrs closing ~ ~ as tha. ne
expected the estate OF bis mother, Nhon settled, wosd
net m from sl2 900 to $4,000 and that he would give
The whole amosnt 70 him Fennl Il he would be care
less dav, that lac could slip out Then he add
ed, I'm not joking about ibis, neither am insane or
\ and mean VIVA, say Mr. Penn reminded hm that
the less he aid upon that subject the better.
| and h. made no further effort IN that direction
IL customary In all sils 90 select cf the
inmates who in for petty offences 20 take care Of tho
bnIs TO attend 20 calls from coils distribute raops and
perform such other duties may BE- required about the
prensce due prccautcn bong taken In their selection
and proper guards being maintained 20 prevent any
abuse 81 the partial freedom allowed thrnl One OF thee,
named John Leonard nten led the parricdo at first and
the latter made every effort TO gain ~, sympathy oy
conversation and pfescntz Frequently during their
Conversations arkwoather would alnde 90 he chances
Of escape which Leonard assured him wore very dubious
The reason Of kwenther sudden friendship for hn
attendant will be from tho following Interview:
One day In October asi be called 70 Leonard, who
After soma unimporfant conversation he said. Z john
do you know what wantt' NO Can You seepa
secret - ssycs, ir II IL not bad but u rs bad
don't want 20 hear a. y StarkwcathcT iben aid. ~
want 10 get on this In why, for ] know Tee
either eoi 10 be hung 40 70 state Prison for c Mr.
fsnn bfought water 20 the my feet IN ami be
will DO ID again. and I'm all ready tor him this time.