New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-15
THE NEW-JERSEY MCRDERERS
TRIAL OF WILLIAM DICKEY AND DAVID ECKER
SON.

SON.
Tn the Bergen County Court OF oyer ana
Termner Judge Bede presiding Monday, the tral OF
william Dickey for the murder of his wife and her al
legged paramoHr, was commenced, but an ad)ournmehI
was had in consequence OF the absence OF Witnesses ana
the case was set down for 10 a. M tomorrow.
The case against David D. Eckerson r for the murder
ut Pascack ~ j. in October last, Of a companion named
Peter Stolum was called Counsel both sides were
ready Jury was called and the trial was commenced
Peter stokum was an oyster basket maker, employed
by Peter Worendyke at Pascack On the 10th OF Octo
Der he and Eckerson met in saloon Kept by
Wortepdyke in the house in which he resided. They
drank together frequently and at about sundoWn went
away Their way lay over fOotpath leading to the
main road This they pursued, watched by Mrs Worten
dyke from her kitchen window until they had walked
out OF her sight. Stokum raterwaTd seen ave
couple of little girls crossing vacant lot through
which the footpath led one hour aferward observed
violently Kicking some object lying upon the ground,
and early on the following morning the eess Dody OF
stokum found at that place swollen, cut ana
bruised almost beyond recognition.
Eckerson suspected Of having been concerned In
morning. of the clothes line in the yard attached to his
premises portion of Stokums clothing found hang
ing there dry, after having been washed He was ar
rested, and few days subsequently, confessed that ne
confession stumbled and fallen EckersOn made an
effort lift him, but not able Thinking that the
endeavored to kick him into consciousness. When he
found that kicks not sufficient he seized Stokum Dy
the and beat his head against the sharp edge OF
protruding rock This proving no more ellectNe tna
the kicks Ecerson gave MP the task OF waking ana wenI
home This the substance of the statement made Dy
EckersoD, TO the manner In which stoku CAME W LIS
The little court room in which the trial is held was
filled Yesterday with attentive auditors In the MIDST OF
these sat the prisoner apparently interested IN
oncnjnS he shells of peanuts which he was eating. and
in scanning the features and dresses OF inc women VINO
clustered in one corner OF the room, than IN his own SIT
uaon-a circumstance generally attributed to MS weak
After the prosecuting attorney had delivered his open
N (atlaTiue WOrtendYke
sworn, and testified follows: My husband Keeps d
saloon i'm part of the house in which live SOlum came
10 my house Thursday, the lih OF October at about
the afternoon with cOored man named BIZ Mlatsi
he renamed till Saturday, the 10th, at m; on Satur-
day EckeTsOn there with others; he had come there
at noon about he away IN westerly dlrectl9n
recton in which they went though can't say whether
they followed it not; am not able to say whether at
the time he went he was noyicated observed hothlhS
of the way about him StOkum looked as though ne
was rntoxcaed; the deceased had lived with us LOT
through the fence which surrounds our premises
George H. Jones testified: knew Peter stokum my
self and my brother and my br0theIinaw were or our
early Sunday morning the lth OF OCTOBER 10 sec
the building OF the new railroad went on our way d
field lying near James Van Ordeh house anu &
path running through it; looked down the PAIN anu
as crossed 1t and observed an object lying over H.
thought that it drunken man; walked ittle
distance down the PATH and came to the BODY OF
he lay upon his back with his feet toward me- one OF my
boys went by the face and said 1t was pee sok2 td
toes Of deceased turned little out the heaC
was cenched the arms turned up toward the head;
there pair of panaloons partly under ms Iegs;
blouse torn into two pieces hanging bush just out
side of the path body lay about 80 rods from Wor-
tendykes there blood the sharp edge OF stone,
and pool OF blood the ground three OF Tour eet from
the stone ,-,- ,
went into my baFTOOm Saturday the 10th OF October;
StOkum came in afterwaTd they took drinks to-
gether and then sat down together; ECkersOn com
menced oOng" with StOkum; he tried 10 get his hand
into Stokums pocket; StOkuIn got away but EckersOn
went TO him again. took from his pocket box con
tanning S. in money; we had drinks ont OF IT, btOKum
went out of the aeTward but returned again
and demanded his money; did not see EckersOn give
hack the money! ECkeson paid for StQkum; StOkum
not angry when he demanded his mopey nor was Ecker
SON. The witness some facts OF those
given by his wife, and then continued: On bupSaS QE
me VhhS returning from chestnut eNcuTegn Hdu the
bodv ponted ont TO in the field where ~ lay by some
persons who had Just discovered ~ u was almost NAKED
and covered 1t with shirt; II lay upon the back the
legs were drawn up the lower part OF the stomach was
brused head lay lower than the feet the snfJ hau
been torn IT, the collar too, the pantalOonS pG me-
cap with the peak out lay over the zoe or MS DoO
the sleeve of his blouse was torn OUT there was DOOu
upou stone and blood upon the ground about IT. there
was also over his eye scar and upon the throat there
were finger prints; the Coroner summoned and the
body removed 10 my barn. ,
Henry s. Meyers sworn, testified: held the inquest
the remains OF StOkum on sunday; EckefsOn was
present that day. and brought forward as Witness
on Monday he again before my jury under arrest
after Sundays inquest, myself and constable went 10
his home and asked the clothing he had worn on
the previous Saturday; he showed them 10 us without
objection; Monday morning went 10 his house ana
saw clothes which had been worn by the deceased hang
ing "a line 20 dry; they had been washed ~hen Ol1
That he was the person last in the company OF
stokum he said that he sorry because that Wuud
lead people to suppose he had murdered him. rather
than murder man, he added, he would nave nTst DONn
his own brains out
AT p H.. the Court adjourned.