Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1869-04-07
Horr;hle Murder and Suicide.

day morning man threw himself into the
Delaware and drowned subsequently a
ha ndkerchief was found in the water bear
eng the name of Blackstone. This afternoon
the body was recovered and found to be
Blae kstone, of the firm of Hurston & Black
stone, picture frame makers, 9l2 Market
street. The body was sent to his house IN
the extreme northwestern part OF the city.
Arriving there the parties found another
party of police in possession, and that Black
stone wife and two small children were
dead, chopped to pieces, with an axe. 1t
appears that previous to ocommitting the act,
yesterday, Blackstone wrote a letter to his
father, in Connecticut, saying that he had
killed his wife and children and would kill
himself Parties in Connecticut this p. NJ,
then telegrarhed to the police authorities
here, who went to the house and found the
dead bodies as before stated, and were in
vestigating the case when the dead body of
the father was brought in On Blackstones g
body was found a paper stating that he had
been robbed and was a ruined man, and Civ
ing this the reason for the deed The wife
appears to have been killed while lighting
Ere in a stove, on Monday morning, as the
neig ghborS heard noise about tha, time The
children were killed up stairs, and carried
down stairs and laid at the feet of the moth
er. Blackstone was probably insane.
FURTHER PARIICULARs.-By inquiry of
the proper persons, we ascertained at late
hour last night that the report that the de-
falcatirn Of. Il clerk caused the insanity, muir
der and suicide, is not true. The deficiency
in the cash account was comparative trife.
Besides, the father of Mr. Black stone, who
lives in Madison, Connecticut, is worth
: $40 600 or $50, 600. 1t as Ro,o beliered that
the sole cause of the murder ,ods insanity
BLACK stone lived on the best temrs with his
wife. was very affectionate with his children,
and to everybody kind and liberal. He was
temperate, moral and etrict church member.
But for some weeks he has acted strangely.
though no one seems to have suspected that
his mind was affectei These, at least are
the statements of those who are intimate
with him, and acquainted with his business
t relations. 1t has only been ascertained that
about six o clock on Monday morning a next
door neighbor heard dull, humping sound
in Blackstone kitchen. She thought that
Mrs. Blackstone was moving tubs, and gave
no further thought to the matter. The
bodies of the entire family have been re-
moved to the house of Cyrus Horne, under
taker, Eleventh and Market streets.
The FIcTIMs.-Mrs. Blackstone's maiden
name was Isabella e. Lee. She was born
in Connecticut. December g, 1885, and of a
respectable family. She was in her thirty.
fourth year, and was a good looking and in
telligeht lady. She was married on the
2sth of August, 1857 From Diploms
hanging in the parlor, it appears that Mrs
Blackstone was awarded diploma by the
Collegiate Institute at New Haven, in 1852
for scholarship. 1t was awarded in her
urarrvn uuruO, auu was sIgnen James VI
d Linsley, principal. The names Of the chill
: dreu were Lee Blackstone and Catherine
Lee Blackstone. They were both brigh
$ looking and intellectual children, and ths
little girl was especially pretty, with blue
eyes and light curling hair. The family re
cord. which we were permitted to examine
shows that she was born January %. 1866
and was therefore but three years anC
two months old Lee. the little boy, wa
E born April l6. 1861, and nearly reac he'd his
r ninth year.
The MURDERER R--James L. Blackstone
g the author and one of the victims of thi
monstrous crime, was born OH the oath O
August, 1882, and was in his thirty seventh
year. He was of medium size and build
= and had black hair and tiack eyes. He wa
T. OF an affable disposition and those who wer,
acquainted with him spoke of him in th,
. highest terms The family as we have said
I, were seen on Sunday morning moving abou
: as usual. On Monday morning. in the neigh
borhood OF six O'Clock, a lady residing in tn,
adjoing house heard Mr.. Blackstone and hi
> wife conversing together. She did not no
tice anything unusual, however The mur
der was, it is thought. committed betweeI
It that time aud eight clock After fnishin,
I his work the murderer bowed the kitchel
window and immediately afterwards left tn
d house He was noticed by the Fourth dis
strict police acting strangely in the vicinit,
; of Sixth and Chesnut streets, between nine
and ten o clock on Monday morning. Tb,
: officer took hold of him with the intention
of taking him to the station house, but h
: broke loose and ran, and proceeded at once
to the Delaware, and leaped into the watel
. and was drowned
: This is the history of one of the most re
markable murders in the history of crime.
. Yet it was not a crime if the theory of Mr.
Blackstone insanity be true. 1t was ter
rble and overwhelming misfortune. What
! We have told of it is probably all that will
i be ever known. 1t will remain one of thos.
profound mysteries, never to be unfoldec
< till at the Day of Judgement, when all mel
are summoned to give an account of tn.
: needs done IN the flesh PERT APPS if tb,
fond dreams of thoughtful men and womer
be true, and the spirit of those who knew
and loved each other in this lite meet in
|, stantiy IN the next, the Blackstone family
NAV now be reunited in the Infinite bliss oj
of Heaven, and the terrible vision of murder
| and m maApo.s ha f,rrotfan IN bo ,.a-o.. ~