The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1867-06-06
Horrible Murder in ScrantOn-The Nun
derer Still at Large.


Our City was startled yesterday fore
noon by the announcement of the murde
of DR.. John ID. Durkin, a Lung and
Throat Doctor, having his office in John
Zeidler's new building. The Doctor was
found about 10 o'clock a. m in his room
By Mr.. G. Ii. Walters, who has an office
on the same floor When discovered he
was lying on his bed room floor stiff and
cold with little pool of blood near hi.
head. lie was in his night clothes and
seemed to have fallen from the bed to the
floor, or been placed there.
Alderman Jay, acting Coroner, sum
moned the following persons to act as a
Jury of Inquest, viz {: Lorenz Zeidler, Pa
trick Scanlon, Patrick McGovern, Phillip
Fries, A. Sweeney, G. II. Walters.
The past m0rteBs examination was con
ducted by Drs. Squires, Boyde and Mas
ser. The examination was most thorough
and complete. There were found several
bruises about the person of the deceased,
but none that would produce deeth, ex-
cept the confusion on the back part Of
head, which was quite large and the skull
laid bare. a stone, weighing about two
pounds, was found near the bed with a
few drops Of blood on the smallest end
There was no particular evidence of a
struggle to be seen about the room The
blow being on the back of the head, it is
more than probable the wound was made
by person standing behind the Doctor,
aud the blow quite or nearly stunned
him.
The hall door, which Mr. Zeidler HIM
self fastened the night previous had been
opened, the bolt being bent, and the catch
sprung from sts fastening. In order to do
this 1t was necessary to spring the top
and bottom bolts and spring the door in
ward. 1t is supposed that the person
committing the deed had either secreted
himself in the building before the doors
were locked, had key to one of the back
doors, or entered through window in
the lower story; then passing up to the
Doctors room, awakened him, gained ad-
mittauce and then killed him The door
to his Office was unlocked when found and
the key inside.
The murder is supposed to havo been
in the morning, as the little girl sleeping
in an adjoining room who heard the cry of
murder" says 1t was getting light in
her roon at the time. The night hand
on the Register informs us that he left
the office at three o'clock, and he saw a
person with lantern standing in front
of Zeidler's building, and remained there
when he passed into his boarding house
Tho deceased is about 45 to so years
of age ; is spare made and was not of a
robust frame T; quiet and inoffensive in his
habits, and abstemious in his diet. 1t is
supposed he had considerable money about
him, but when discovered his watch (if
he had one, ).and money were missing,
except four cents.
The Doctor, until last Thursday, had
Mr.. John Thornton, living in one of the
upper Wards, as an assistant in his Office
He left him, and on the Monday follow
ing, DR.. Durkin wishing to visit Wilkes
Barre, he requested Mr. James O'Malia,
living in the 3rd Ward, to attend his Office
during his absence, which he did. On
Tuesday afternoon, the Doctor not return
ing, Malta gave the keys to Mr.. Zeid-
Ter, and about five o'clock he started for
his home
The perpetrator of this cold blooded
murder is unknown and at large. Suspi-
cions are directed to certain parties, bat
as yet no arrests have been made.-,Scraa
ton Register.