The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-31
The Mysteries of Murder.

Inere is an old proVerD tnat murder VIII
out" and so no doubt it will if the requisite
skill and diligence be used IN tracing it. But
certain late occurrences have reminded us that
either our detective system is very loose one,
or criminals in the United States have a won
derful knack of battling discovery, and avoid
ing the fate which in other lands is pretty sure
to follow the evil doer. 1t would be a strangely
suggestive work ii one were to search through
the police returns of the last ten years, and
make catalogue of the murders whose perpe-
traitors have never been discovered. How many
assassins, we wonder, are now walking about,
unsupported, in this city alone? How many
persons have been quietly put out Of the world
by the thrust Of a knife, or a stealhy blow,
ard nave found no avenger, and LETT no record
OF their tate except the brief chronicle of a
| my sterious dIsappearanceW How many of
the daily cases OF "found dIo Wned" have dark
| deed OF violence behind them, which the law
| never sees, and none but God ever Furnishes?
| Look at the celebrated Burdell murder in this
city. 1t seems almost incredible that the CIR
cumstanU. of that crime should never be dis
| covered; but to this day we know not whose
hand struck that guilty blow, and probably we
never shall know. Ten or eleven years ago. in
a little village OF Litchfeld county, Connecticut,
a gambler named Foot was found dead, with his
skull crushed, in the hOrse-shed attached to
church. The circumstances of the case were
| such that a detective OF moderate acutenesS
could hardly have failed to getat the bottom of
it; yet it still remains mystery, though one
man was tried three times for the murder, and
was finally released. About two years ego, pOr-
tons OF human body we're washed ashore at
various points on the Brooklyn side of the
East river. The remains were never identified,
and it never was known where they came
from. Many supposed that they had been
thrown out from some dssecting-room;
but when the head was washed ashore, q
bullet-hoe was found in the skull In June,
1865, two little children, brother and sister,
named Joyce, we're murdered while gathering
wild-flowers in the woods at RoXbury, Massa-
Chusetts. The perpetrator OF the hendish out
rage never has been discovered; but a few
weeks ago the skeleton OF man was found
near the scene of the crime, and was popularity
supposed-we know not on what grounds-to
be that OF the criminal. A year and half ago
an Italian named Dodat was shot near the out
skirts OF Brooklyn. 1t is supposed that he was
assassinated by gang of counterieiters because
he knew too many OF their secrets, but no
proof was ever obtained, and the murderers still
20 unwhipped OF justice. Many of our readers,
no doubt, remember the painful sensation
which was created not very long when young
MIR. Embury, of New York, was murdered at
Flshkill. His body was found by the wayside,
with bayOnet-wound in the back. He had no
enemies. so far as known; he was gentleman
Of singularly frank and upright character; and
he was not killed Tor purposes OF robbery, since
his watch and money were found upon his per-
son. To this day his fate remains mystery.
A very remarkable murder was committed at
a house in Magazine street, New Orleans, on
the night of December l4.l5, 1866, and, except
on the principle that public eXcitements are
governed good deal by the public caprice, ii
is not easy to understand why it has not created
as great a stir as the memorable Burdell case.
The occupants of the house in question were q
Mr.. and Mrs. McLin, and a girl of sixteen
named Dorah Hennerchs, who lived with them
as q friend and companion. She was q young
woman of excellent character, plain in her ap.
pearauce, retiring in her habits, and great
iayorite with the McLns, who purposed adopt
ing her. She had, as far as any one knew, nc
an1-What OprlaDg imnOrt.
ant-no lovers, On the night of the l4th tie
family sat up late with some guests. Dora wen
to bed just before II o'clock; Mrs. McLin, being
sick, retired earlier; Mr.. McLin sat up until l.
, HIS room was separated from Dora's only by
very thin partition. He heard no disturbance
, either before OF after retiring. In the morning
Dora did not appear at the usual hour, and hel
l room, after some delay, was broken open. Sh'
was discovered lying in q corner, with teartu
2 wound in the back Of the head, appa~entl,
made with blunt instrument. A smoothing
. iron with blood on it was found in the room
There was blood on the pillow, rs II the girl hat
8 been struck while in bed and, strange to say
: feather bed had been removed from the bed
. stead and dragged to the corner where Dor
j was lying. Otherwise there were no mark
!, of disorder; there were no indications of
4 struggle, and apparently no attempt had bee
d made upon the GIRLS person. She was still
I brea5hing but unconscious. She died in tn
course OF an hour or two.
J. 1t is equally difficult to conjecture the motiv
and the perpetrator of this deed. A few article
1 of undeTclothing we're missing but they Wer
IS of too trihing a value to have tempted any on
IS TO murder even admitting that they were stolen
2 and, besdes therewere other things in the rooI
y which burglar woHld have been much NOR
Il likely to take. The traces left by the murdere
e seem to complicate the mystery. These trace
e were a handkerchief, marked with certain unr
: cognized initials and footprints stained in re
y brick-dust The prints were found on tt
e window-sin, and ON the fence separatln
{. McIin's yard from that of his next neigbb0
IS Mr.. Well aud they were tracked again in We'll
| nd xuha XVat hriok-0uSt had hPpn
u cleaning the pavement. The foot-marks wei
)r evidently those of a a0OmGn; but IL Is not eal
lie to imagine how woman could, without assis
N ance, have climbed the fence, which was qui