, 1866-05-25

who was a discharged soldier and had
been employed on the farm for about
two months. Being a dealer in cattle,
Mr.. Deering occasionally had large sums
OF money in his possession, and this is
believed to have prompted the terrible
crime | am about to describe. On Sa-
turday, the 18th ofApril, Mr.. Deering was
In the city with his niece and drove home
In a one-horse Wagon. His eldest boy
at the same time went on a visit to a re-
latlve in the city /; a visit which saved
his life. After Saturday Mr.. Decring
was not seen alive. As he lived in a
somewhat isolated section he was not
visited very frequently, and it was not
until late on the afternoon of the follow
ing Wednesday, the 18th of April, that
any one had occasion to 60 to his house.
This casual visitor found all the doors
locked and could not effect an entrance,
but hearing the horses and cattle making
q great noise in a stable and barn near
by, he went to see what was the matter
there. The poor animals having had
nothing 10 eat for five days we've famish-
ed, and in moving about the barn to pro-
cure them food and water The visitor saw
a sight that thrilled hu with horror. On
the barn door, partly covered with hay,
were seven dead bodies. Almost para
lyzed with fright, he managed to summon
people from the neighbouring farms, and
the terrible tragedy was disclosed. Deer.
ing's body was drawn out, the skull
smashed by a heavy blow, and the throat
cut from ear to ear his Wifc's was also
drawn out, her skull smashed and her
throat cut. Then came the corpse o&44le
niece, her skull also smashed and her
throat cut. Then in. quick succession
the four little children were found, all
with skulls broken and throats cut, even
the poor little babe, scarcely a year old,
helpless and incapable of resistance,
having suffered the fate that overWheIm-
ed the others. The deed had been COM
plete, and the family thus heaped to-
gether had apparently died together.
The frightened neighbours ran to the
house, and found that it had been
ransacked from garnet to cellar. Every
place that could possibly have contained
money was broken into. The beds were
ripped open, chests Of drawers stove in
and furniture broken. A complete, and
evidently leisurely search of the house
had been made for plumber, for not a
trace of money or jewels, or trinkets, and
the family had many little keepsakes Of
gold and silver, could be found.
But who did this terrible deed Sus-
picion naturally rested upon the appren-
tice boy and the German labourer. A
further search yesterday, however, dis
closed the dead body of the boy, con-
cealed under a hay stack, about a hun
dred yards from the house. His skull
had been broken by a hammer, which
lay beside the boy, and his throat had
also been cut. He was free from suspi-
cion, and people hoped a further search
would disclose the German. 1t was not
So, however, and belief fastened the crime
upon him. The unexampled atrocity of
a man committing eight murders in cold
blood, one after the other killing four
little. inoffensive children, smashing their
heads and cutting their Threats, was
enough to make all who heard of it anxious
10 ferret out the murderer. The popu
lar solution of his mode of operations was,
that taking advantage of the absence of
Mr.. Deering and his niece, the German
first killed tie apprentice boy to get him