The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-12
Murder At Germantown. N. Y.

HUDSON, N. Y, March 11.--One of the most
brutal murders ever perpctrated IN TINS Vlclnity
was committed at Germantown, twelve miles
below this city, last Saturday morning. The
victim was the wife of John Welch an itlnerant
Irish laborer of vagrant habits, The mangled
and bruised body Of the murdered woman was
found by the roadside, about mile from the
village of Germantown. 49,
The murder was apparently committed with
a stone or some blunt-like weapon. The de-
tails of the affair are shocking in the extreme
Welch has been arrested as the murderer.
Welch saws he was last employed on the New
Haven Railroad, at Bridgeport, Connecticut.
On Wednesday he and his wife came to this city
from Great harrington, Massachusetts, and he
passed two nights In jail here ior drunkenness.
TIE murdered woman has brother, named
John Ross, employed at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard, and three sisters in New YORK city. The
following rs Welchs statement:-
WAS on my way to Germantown to find the
0verseer OF the Poor; walked there from Hud-
son with my wife, begging our food along the
way; stopped at Germantown, and procured
hquOr in two places and also made application
at the tavern Tor lodging TOR myself and wife;
was told there was no room for our accommo'
datiou; left Germantown Corners, and went in
the directicn OF John p. ROckieller's house, who
Is the Poor Master; when near his nousc, my wife
sat down in the middle Of the road, and refused
TO go further; she asked me for drink of
whisky; / gave the bottle to her, when she
drank, and | took the balance. We both then
laid down in the middle of the road. / kne v
DOC1lng from t0aJ Ulme tlll nearu my Wlle
shout in a loud voice. Murders and then
exclaim, 4 am murdered l sprang to my
feet. and saw two men walking away, whlstling.
Didn't think anything OF it at the time, and did
not think anything was the matter with my
wife. l then proceeded to make fire with
some pieces of rails and other stuff q short dis
tance from where l laid. After kindled the
FIRE / dragged my wife to the light, when
discovered she was dead. then placed the body
parallel with the fire, took large stone
heated it, and placed it near her feet, and re
NAMED with the body till daylight DR.
Near, Of Germantown, examined the body, anC
discovered three large cuts on her head-one
on the top about two inches long, one at the
back of her head and also large cut ovel
the eye, cut down to the bone. Tue face anC
head OF the woman we're considerably burned
and the whole appearance of the body was
iriehttul The verdict OF the jury was "tha
the murdered woman came to her death at the
! hands OF John Welch, her husband" WelCh il
now confined in the Hudson Jail.
| LATER.-I visited Welch this afternoon in hi!
cell, and in reply to my question, he answered
''As God is my judge, l am innocent" It il
now suspected that two vagrants, who had beer
released from the Hudson jail, and who, it cal
be proved, had followed Welch and his wife
! know more of the affair than it was at first sup
posed, and Justice De Witt of Germantown
has already started officers on their track
Welcb tells very straight story, without an!
! appearance of affeCtatiOn whatever, and it i
| possible that he is innocent.