Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1869-04-01
THE LATE TERRIBLE TRAGEDY IN
PH1LADELPH1A.
Father Murders his Wife and Tive Chill.
dren. and then browns Himself


We published yesterday brief telegraphic
icIde OF their murderer in Philadelphia- The
following interesting particulars are from the
North 4mericdn OF that city
Two years ago there c1me 10 this city from
the town of East Haven, Conn, man named
James L. Blackstone, with his wife, a sturdy
little toddler Of a boy. and female infant In
its mothers erms. He was a fine looking man,
and he came here with sufficient means TO
sustain himself for a period without business.
He purchased small twO-story brick house,
Nc.Sl5 Judson street, neat little avenue near
23d and Parrish streets, and there resided
Some mo nths ago he entered INTO partners hi y
in the business of lacquering and calsomning
with Abraham & FunstOne, residing al No.
1,e1i Sepviva street, and dong business at No.
9I4 Market street. ne seemed satisfied with
the business for several months, but after that
showed sudden evidences of mental disease.
He wanted for trifie TO dispose of his INT r
est in what really netted q conf mfOrtable living
for both himself and his associate.
There appeared in the daily newspapers of
yesterday an announ cement that a well dress
ed man had jumped from the deck Of a steam
boat moored at Chestnut street pier INTO the
Delaware. A handkerchief, dropped from his
pocket, and bearing the name Of Blackstone y
gave the only clue to his identity. The body
was not found until yesterday afternoon.
Meanwhile citizen of the town OF Madison,
Conn.,, received telegraphic dispatch from
Philadelphia, dated an hour previous to shis
act of suicide, reading Thus:
''SeiaA Lee-l have killed Isabella and the
children. and am now going to kill my self.
JAMES L. BLAcKsToNs."
Mr.. Lee telegraphed to MIR. FuAstone tn II he
had received the above dispatch, and asked for
information concerning it, This was the first
intimation given to Mr.. FunstoEe that mis- part
ner had slang ghtered his family, aud a very
brief conference with Deputy Coroner Fletcher
showed to him that the wretched man had
drowned himself.
establishment Of Cyrus Horne, undertaken ard
Mr.. Fletcher, with Chief Mulh holland- hastened
up to the quiet dwelling In Judson street,
where 1t was believed that the man who
drowned himself in the Delaware had first
butchered his wife and children. The carriage
drew mp at the door, and the occupants alighted.
The door was soon forced. The premises were
neat and tasteful, and gave evidence that a
refined taste had directed them. Upon the
walls OF the parlor, in an out of the way and
unobtrusive place. hung y neat little frame,
inclosing certificate that Isabella Lee had
Eradusted with disriL ction in the highest class
of the New Haven Collegiate Institute, known
as Lrdsay's.
Entering the kitchen, Mr.. Fletcher and Chief
Mulholand met a fearful spectacle. The lady
lay dead upon the hearth before a stove, in
which she was evidently engaged IN kindiing a
hre when the crashing blow Of an Ak hurried
her into eternity. Beside her, with their heads
Just resting on her side lay her two children. q
boy of about five years ana a girl of apparently
two and halt. An AK, CORY with blood, lay
beside them.
Itis evident that the hus band had gone to
the cellar for kiGGling wood early III the morn =
ing, and that Mrs. Blackstone was in the act
OF making fire when her husband coming
from the cellar with an axe III his hand, Glove
her skull asunder. He subseq uently killed his
tile one in the same manner, fled from his
home, stopping at the Continental, telegra ph he'd
to the father Of his murdered wife, rushed to
the river and drowned himself.
The case is the saddest that We have ever
known by actual obser vation. The parties thus
murdered ny a husband. who could not have
been other than a maniac, were refined, gentle,
n a
golden tresses, and teeth that, even amid the
hideous surrounding of an undertakeIs char
nelhouse, were like two rows of pearls, The
hands were smaller than those we have seen
upon girls OF ten years old, and a wedding ring
upon the fourth fD ger OF the left hand was the
only ornament worn ny her. The chill iren
weIe literally beautiful. Many thousands OF
ebiidless parents would divide their fortunes
with any one WHO would confer upon them the
boon Of paternity so precious. No one could
look upon the pretty fnces of the butchsred
babes, upon the delicate features Of that mur-
deled mother without a desire to exclaim,
"From sudden death good Lord deliver u.s.