, 1866-03-24

H. N. nuTfee+ The Kent County mur.
dcfer discovered aud Arresaed-Hs
'CGnfesses khAt he was Implicated In
The Affair, but Denies The CommfasIol,
of the Crime.
From the Detroit Tribune, aadl
Our readers will recollect terrible murtIe.
which occurred in Kent county, last October.
an account of which We published at H..
time. The name Of the murderer Is q. N.
Durfee, and although every effort was made
to capture him, he was not caughk until
about two weeks since, when he was found In
Wit county, Vest Virginia.
). The murder was committed on the night Of
the SSsd Of October, near Courtland Centre,
IN Kent county, and the name Of the murder
ed woman was Harriet Be1der. On the alter
noon of that day, Du1fee hired horse and
carriage at livery stab1e In Grand Rapit.s.
aud In company with the woman and her
chld, which was about eighteen mouths old,
be drove to Laphamyille, which place he left
alter supper, at about seyen O'Clock, and ar
ricea at Corrtland Centre about three hours
after, alone. The next day he returned the
horse and carriage to the party of whom he
hired It, Nothing peculiar WAS then noticed
about his appearance or actions, and It il be-
Aesed he leit Grand Rapids that same night.
The next dny. droveE, while driving to the
city, in passing through the woods, found the
child, who was insensible, but being kindly
u
bright and healthy infant. The persons who
took possession Of the little wAif, supposed at
the time that 1t had been deserted by It's
mother. and left to die In the woods. The
body of the murdered woman was not discov-
cred for about a month, when 1t was found
What the motives Of the murderer were Is
not certainly known, but 1t Is supposed he
was the father Of the child, and attempted il
this way to rid himself Of the support Of the
two. VIM. E. Thornton, the Sheriff Of Kent
county, Immediately took measures for the
discovery Of Dnrfee, whose detection Il almost
wholly owing to the skill aud taithfalness
OF Mr.. Thornton. The villain Was first heard
OF At Beaver Centre, Pa., where his mother
resides, and from which town he went to
Pittsburgh. Remaining 1T this latter place 4
short time, he left, and the next intelligence
received from him he Was 1T Sharon, in the
Eame State, where he was engaged for few
days Working in the iron works Of that town.
About the hrst Of January be aterted for West
Virginia, and was employed about the oil
wells n Witt county until the 7th inst, when
Sheriff Thornton, who had learned Of his
whereabouts, teEegraphed on to the officers
IN that vicinity and had him arrested. fmme-
diately going to Virginia.. Mr.. Thornton
broueht his prisoner to this city last night,
and this morning they paesed on to Grand Rap-
ids. Durfee has offered no resistance whatever,
and says thnt he supposcs the crime has been
traced to him and BE will have to suffer for
It, but asserts that though implicated in II,
he did not commit the murder. The prisoner
has two brothers who resemble him very
much, and several parties have been arrested,
who were ut the time supposed to be Dnrtce,
but we're afterward discharged, on proof Of
their identity being produced. Durfee il
twenty-five years old, about five feet nine
inches high, and weighs about one hundred
and fifteen pounds He has white hair and
eyebrows, and pink eyes, and would b taken
for IN Albino, so near does he resemble one.
Ills hair and beard were co1ored when he was
captured, and he looks as ifhe WAS capable OF
committing almost any crime. There can be
no doubt of bis guilt. |