Smyrna times., 1866-06-06
The Armstrong Murder.

Allddletown, and second Inquest was held
(the first one, held by his deputy being unsatis-
tactOry) We append the testimony oP tbe
more important witnesses:
Mrs. Sarah Il. Houston, sworn.-I was RI
ding past the house OF Andrew p Armstrono
ON the evening OF the 10Th of May, about IS
0 clock, in company with Miss Mary Gottee. =
Andrew 7. Armstrong and his wife were in the
road, IN front of the house; he was dragging
her by the arms into the house, and She wa,
resisting all she could by pulling back. Arm,
strong said she should not go away; She said
she should not stay there that night, for she
was afraid he would kill her if she did ;-thi,
was addressed to him; he dragged her into the
house and shut the door, and then came out
INTO the yard she then ran out of the back
door OF the house; he got over the steps, took
hold OF her as before and dragged her into the
house heard neither Of them say anything al
tins time; we were distant from them about
llteen yards, and had stopped the carriage;
called TO Nr. Armstrong twice, what he wa.
uoll%' put he gave me no answer he seemed
to be angry with his wife; heard Mrs. A. cry
murder before we came in sight Of them.
Mary II. GOttee ) testimony was similar to
the above
thomas L. Armstrong, sworn-I am the OIL
dest son OF Andrew =. and Caroline Armstrong;
ON Saturday night week my mother was whin-
ping the black girl, Jane my mother was car
rylil8 plate OF butter up out of the cellar, and
whcn on the pavement father kicked her halt
a dozen times, but he did not strike her with
MS haluS; ne asked her what she was whip
ping Jane about? | do not remember her re-
Ply she ran out into the road, and he went af-
ter her and dragged her into the house: she
Sald that he would murder her if she STAYED
there that night, and She would 90 to New
Castle, II she did not get there for a month
after getting her into the house he held her by
thG Wrists about five minutes and kept talking
10 hef she then went up to bed father and
mother did not sleep in the same room: she
sept IN one room with the TWO babies. and
rather IN another with brother Lambert and
my sister Ella, one next to mothers: | WAS
Wakenrd up about one o clock in the morning.
| by my father who was standing in the entry
he sad mother had gone away. and told me to
get up and help tend the babies; they were
crying and walked with them up and down
tiic entry while father went down and brought
them cup OF water; then went to the bed
mother had left with one of the babies: father
took the other with him; on Sunday morning
ne ne. SAID to us that mother had gone to Mr..
I4ilaSOn or somewhere else, and he must trv
] 49, me lIOI hlICII VIC went 10 Dcu on INdtUf-
day night the hogs were not in the pen: father
was fixing the pigpen on Tuesday or Wednes.
day afternoon OF last week he ripped up one
end OF the plank and looked under it; he told
me to 20 to the house for pistol to shoot the
rat with after came back with the pistol he
nailed the plank down with spikes; after moth
Gr came out of the cellar when he kicked her
he smut her up i'll the meal room; She knocked
at the door and cried to let her out. when he
let her out he asked her if she would stay
She had before this said she had been at New
Castle, and could have him arrested for abus-
ing her, but all She wanted was peace on Fri
day or Saturday morning Mrs Houston show
cd me blood on the floor of the meal room
father sald 1t came there from chickens Jane
llad Killed and laid there there were spots of
blood IN mother room, and on the stairs, and
through the house to the kitchen door
EDenezcr Ellason, Sworn.-Mrs. Caroline
Armstrong was my half sister: She did not live
happily with her husband ON Saturday night
the 10Th OF May, | went to Andrew Armstronr
ana asked HIM if he knew where She went =
ne sad he did not know; he had not heard
from her | asked him what he thought had
become OF her; he replied that on Sunday he
had preSentment that she had gone to the
canal, and drowned herself; and if so his pray
erS were answered. | said Peterson that is
pretty hard language | think that to morrow
morning We should make search for her. and
should commence with the canal as YOU say
she Is there he replied, all folly for the Eric
sons boats have taken her into the Delaware
river; Armstrong said that on Saturday he had
returned from Mlddletown and his wife beat
the black girl, when he told her She should not
90 50; she then called him a drunken black
devil, who would sooner take black girl ; part
t1, Il
murder, and he caught her gently by the wrist.
took her into the house. and locked her nm in
the pantry he afterwards let her out. when
she went to bed with the little girls. and he
also went to bed and soon after his wife rot
up and went to the kitchen chamber door and
called Tor Jane, who did not answer, but Caro-
Ilhe made pretended answer of no, and then
went down stairs; he followed after and found
her IN the back yard; she said you have little
10 40 To DC following me out at night: they
then both went up to bed some time after he
was aroused by the children crying, and he
went IN and found their mother gone he call
ed up John, gave him one of the babies and
TOOK the other himself to get them to >lerp at
that time he looked at the clock and it wanted
a quarter OF eleven; the next morning he tried
TO track her on the road, but as it was Satur-
day night SO many people had been walking
by he could not track her; asked him if She
went away IN her night clothes he said no,
that on examination he missed brown meri
no dress made by Mrs Lake, at Middletown:
large red shawl with a deep fringe, blue
bonnet and pair Of shoes she had worn but
TWO or three times; on Monday morning
number OF nelghbOrS went to Armstrong; to
take search all went out of the stable except
Samuel Boggs and myself; Mr.. Armstrong
came into the stable | was moving the ma
nurc with a fork and sounded the earth, and
found that near the sill it was soft the first
iorkiull was mixture of grass manure and
loan; then attempted to dig again, when
Andrew T. Armstrong took hold Of the fork
and sad EbcncZer it is not worth while to look
here; this is hole filled up last week to keen
the water away from the horses | said moth
ing but took the fork and commenced digging
again | dug two or three f0rkfulls, when a
second time he took the fork and repeated the
former remark; took the fork and went TO
digging and a third time he took the fork and
smoothing the ground said, filled this hole mn
last week with sod | got from the hedge along
there, to keep the water away from the horses.
Mr. Bo1ggs brought me a shovel with which /
cleaned out the hole, and finding somnthina
unnatural there, brought out the clothes nroo
duccd here; he seemed to be trembling. tnrn-
ed round and caught him by the collar and
Sald' here are the clothes you said your w,fa
wore away; she Is murdered woman, and Won