, 1866-10-26
The Hartford Murder.
[EICm Ito Hartford (Conneeticut} Courant

0El. II
Mr. Thompson vas small farmer Of easy
circumstances. living with Ills mother and a
young sister about sixteen years Of aye, un
The read leading to Telcott mountatu, about
fifty yards from the Farmington road. On
Saturday evening between seven nnd eight
O'Clock {his mother says about ha1fpast
seycn). While they we're sitting together In
their Kitchen, some one knocked at the door,
aNd upon Mr.. Thompson opening It, he saw
q young man standing on the steps, and In
quired & him what he wanted. The stran-
ger said that bis wagon had broken down
At The fork Of the roads, and re-
qucsted Mr. Thompson to 70 with him
and help put things to rights again. Mr.. T.
had his shoes OIL at the time, and stopped to
put them on, after which he went with the
1naincd outside and shut the door. lie had
! been gone about thrce-quarters Of an hour,
when lis mother became alarmed, and sus-
| pected that some eril had hctallen him.
| She was too feeble herself to go out in
search Of him, and so sent her yonng daugh-
| ter, telling her to go to the nearest neigbhors
! ard ret help to look for her son. She went
| down the Ialcott mountain road. on which
the house is situated. about tifty rods, where
it intersects with the Farminston road,
ard then proceeded about half O mile down
the latter to the nearest netghbors. At the
under this tree lay the body Of tie murdered
man. The brave young girl passed within
less than twenty feet Of the spot, but did not
imagine that her brother lay there in the
embrace Of death. On returning with the
nei.hbos the body w.'s fuund. lying on the
side Of the road, within few feet OF where
the girl had passed but . few min.
utes before. with I'LL the signs of life extinct
Two or three teams lad driven by tho
same srot after the murder, but only
occupant, suEposin: it was only drunken
man, did not stop to make further cxamiua
ticn. The village was soon alarmed, and tht
se.ectmcn of the town sent for, who held al
inquest on the body. The man was killed by
heavy hloNs on the head and face with ciu9
vcre]y bruised and badly swollen; one cyl
was. arpare,tly closed up, and WIS dizco1
cred and also much swollen then
were also bruises about the face ant
forehead. Tie heaviest blow was civ
en- IN the top Of the head, crosswise
Which the doctors say nrnke his skull, and
vas the one whicl. probably killed hin
They think it WAS done with q large rount
!. stick but the fact that neither the flesh MOI
tho skin vas broken would argue Agains
, this There were c,ots ofblood settled nude
r the skin. and the skull was Greatly deprcss
ID hut there was no wound from which tl
alocd flowed. The police think the bio,
was given with sand club, which has lst cl,
: been introduced into this country from Eng
land. It is made Of cloth in tie shape of
Blows struck with it will CRUST IL,
j. skull into = jelly alnost, without break
!, ing the skin. Mr.. Thompson wore a so!
n felt hat, and possibly that might have save
his head from being cut. The body WI
soon taken to the house, from which it VICE
E Ont but an hour before full Of health ard lii,
;. and was properly cared for. The selpct1nc
: Of Fasm;neton otter reward of 500 "a
: the detection and conviction OF the mu,
; lcrer.
: AIr, Thompson had no money Of an
: amount in the house. He had some GU,
q crnmcnt bonds there few weeks ago, bu1
e on the advice of his mother, lad .lcp,sitc
! them some time since III the Fatuingto
| Bauk