The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-04-19
The Late Murder in Philadelphia-The Coro-
ner's Inquest--Important Testimony
From the Ledger, 18th

inc ehllfe inNeStlpatlOn, ana ull not manifest
the slightest feeling from first To last. Not
even when the bloody instruments with which
the horrible murders were committed were
exhibited, and the terrible wounds inflicted
We're described, did he move 4 muscle. For
four hours he sat with his hands together OH
his lap, and kept his eyes constantly on the
witnesses, yet he never uttered a word, except
when Chief Franklin held gold plated watch
before him, and asked him if that was the
property of the bearings, and he replied that
1t was Up TO yesterday he had declared that
this watch had been taken by his companion
in crime, yet it was distinctly proved that he,
Probst, had sold it, the jewellcr who bought
ii clearly identifying him. The inycStiga ton
Yesterday drew Il large number of persons 10
the prison, and a general desire was manifest
ed 10 get Il sight OF the confessed murderer.
Mrs. Dolan, the mother of Elizabeth and
William Duffy, the father of Mrs. bearing,
We're present also, the only surviving men,
Der of the bearing family, the son William,
ten years old.
Elizabeth Dolan was first examined, and
testified under state of feeling which at
times oyercame her. Sh" said that she had
lived much of the time at the house of Chris
tophcr bearing. The prisoner was there last
fall, and came there again about six weeks
ago. When asked if she knew Probst, she
looked towards him and said "Oh yes ; he
is the murderer of my daughter She stated
that she left bearings house on Wednesday
last, in company with her daughter, to 20 10
Burlington her daughter left 10 return TO
i ~,
and that was the last she saw of her alive; the
next she saw of her WAS III the ice box. She
then Identified her daughters effects, some of
which We're found In or traced 10 the posses
sion of the prisoner. The witness had desired
Mr.. bearing TO discharge Probst, as she was
fearful he would do some harm to the family.
When he left last fall, he was discharged for
refusing TO cut wood Mr.. bearing desired
him to cut the wood, and he refused, and Mr..
bearing then told him 10 20. When he left,
made a witness
that he intended TO do Mr.. bearing harm, if
he met him. The remark she made 10 herself
was, that If PrObst met him in Il lonely place,
he lDearingJ would be q gone sucker. She had
often seen Mr.. bearing count large sums Of
money at night, and the prisoner had often
seen him do the same thing.
Abraham Everett sworn.-I was on my sis
trr's farm on Tuesday, and she said Mr.. Dear
ing had not been there for the papers; | said
il was strange, and if nothing was seen of the
family on the following day, would 90 over
and see about ii: the next day went over, and
found the horses and cattle suffering for the
want of water: | got Il bucket and gave the
horses water: | think dipped up ten buckets
of water, which one of the horses drank; the
other horse drank nearly fifteen minutes;
gave hay TO the horses, ana then walked
through the barn where Mr.. bearing and
cousin were afterwards found only one door
and window We're open that on the north side
of the barn. Mr.. Everett stated that he next
fed the pig and the chickens, and afterwards
rothcr- in law got in 1t the north window,
and found the things III confusion about the
house: both the wagons We're III the wagon
house: the yard did not look rs If Il struggle
had taken place.
John Gould.-I live in JoncS'S lane; knew
bearing: knew probst We'll saw bearing
alive on Friday last, crossing the meadows
the hired man also. The witness visited the
place on Wednesday, and examined the house
and barn, but did not see anything until he
had looked Il second time into the barn, when
he discovered the etockcncd foot of Mr.. Dear
ing protrudmg from under the hay; and after
the hay was removed, the bodies of Mr.. Dear
ing and his cousin were discovered. The
prisoners clothes We're identified by the wit
ness they were found at the house.
Officer Mitchell testified to finding the body
Of the boy, Cornelius Carey, under the hay
stack also to finding IN axe in the ditch-thc
axe which was found on Sunday after the
prisoner had made known 10 Chief Franklin
where he had thrown IL.
John ProS> testified that he knew ProbSt:
was III the same regiment with him, saw him
in The aims. house las winter, ana Hau no seen
him since then.
Charls RouS, employed at Icckfcld's, tcSti-
fed 10 seeing two watches aud two pistols IN
Probst's possession the gold plated watch
was Identified the heavy chain also
Charles Allgier, >wurn.-l saw prisoner last
Wednesday about 10 o'clock. He came to me
and offered watch for sale: said he was hard
up aud wanted to sell the watch. Mr.. Dear.
watch shown ana lutNliIlt1.I L 'Shtil
him how much he wanted for il said five dol
lars for it, ! offered four dollars h. said he
had paid fifteen dollars for ii he offered 10 sell
it tor four and Il half gave him Tour dollars
for it, ii" said he had lost his thumb III front
of Richmond.
fat this point in The examination, William
bearing, the only surviving member OF the
family, was brought in. He identified his
fathers watch, and several other things traced
10 the priS Onrr
Mrs Dolau, recalled. That chain ATTACHED
TO Il gold plated watchl looks very like Mr..
bearings; the watch, should think, was his
also il is like one he carried
William Leckfcld testified that he keeps
boarding house IN New Market street; knows
The defendant: first saw him on Sunday after
dinner; was alone: went away and returned
on Monday morning no one was with nm
then: saw him have Il silver watch; dld not
stay long, but came back on Monday night ana
yed TIL Tuesday III dinner time ; went away
and came back next day; said he did not feel
well, had been on spree on Wednesday even
ing had 4 man with him they Went away to-
gethrr, and | saw him on Thursday; theh
three policemen aud two detectives were there
while he was in the bar room, but no one knew
him then on Sunday afternoon he had Il
travelling bag full of clothes. This was lden-
titled a. Miss Dolau*. Saw big cham 10 ms
watch all the time ne was 1T my house lie had
10 me triH him: one day little fellow came
and inquired for him. This man was ldenil-
fled as John Pross1 One time Probst asked
for the travelling bag, ana 1t was handed 10
him.
Lieutenant Patton testified 10 searching the
prisoner at the Filbert-strect station, and 10
finding Oh him articles which were afterwards
identified as belonging 10 some OF the victims.
Chief Franklin referred 10 the numerous IN
teryi-vs he had with Probst. The story he
first told III respect TO the killing OF the boy
by himself aud Of the others by an accom-
plicr he adhered 10 to the last yet the witness
had asccrtaincd that many OF the stores toid
by him were wholly false; at places where ne
had said his accomplice had been with nm,
the inmates of the houses denied II, ana there
had not been anything found 10 corrobor2te
him He had all along said that the gold-
plated watch of Mr.. bearing had been taken
by the accompice, yet the man VINO bought IL
testified that Probst had sold 1t TO him Inc
Chief repeated the story of the slaughter rs
he had heard it from the prisoner. 1T began,
rs he said about ten o'clock i'll the morning,
he killing the boy first when near the nay"
stack, under which he concealed the BODY
Ills confederate then, he said, killed the
mother and the children, he helping 10 carry
them to their place OF conce1lineht hr.
bearing and his cousin reached the farm ABOUT
| O'Clock on Saturday, and he lProbst hpid the
horse while Mr. bearing got out OF the wagon
his COMPANION then being concealed behlhu
corner of the house. As soon as Mr.. bearing
.Iichted. he was killed his cousin then jumped