The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-04-01
The TRAGEDY IN PHILADELPHIA.

| Murder of n Whole Family by the Husband
and Father-The Triple Murderer Commit
| Standardization of the Crime-Harribl'
| Appearance of the Bodies-COroner's In
Quast-An the Deceased their Way q
Connecticut.
| The ''City Of Brotherly Loven may clay that Nat
tering.name no longer to its soul. Its cup OF hor
rors Is filled TO the brim and overnowing The caen
dar OF crime has been rapidly through in that city
and from the lesser to the higher horrors the al
vance was quick. matricide. Twitchell. is 10 b,
hanged there tomorrow, and the condemned muir
derer Is yet In his coll awaiting the hangman3 cal,
and already terrible tragedy resulting in the crmi
nal taking of human life at Grard Hall is recorded
And while the people still shudder at the report OF
this last horrible deed and wonder the increase
OF crime In their midst, they are agaII
startled by deeds OF violence SO horrible tC
relate and so unnatural in sheir nature,
that every heart revOlts ct the recital
and would fain believe the tale an lille fiction ema-
mating from an imaginative brain. That husband
should murder his wife possible, for it has hap.
pened before but that the father should lay violent
hands on his own children and almost literally
butcher them and throw them. like the carcases OF
brutes by the lfeess corpse Of his wife and their
mother, is more than humanity could believe were
the facts not painfully evident. Well that ne has
passed from the vengeance OF the law OF man. may
his soul md mercy for his crime from the Everlast
ing Judge.
Eut to the facts. A short despatch in the HERALD
OF yesterday advised our readers Of the general
features OF the crime committed Philadelphia on
Monday, to the effect that early on Monday morn
ing a man threw himself into the Delaware and
was drowned; that handkerchief bearing The name
OF Blackstone was found on the wharf; that Tues
dav morning the body was recovered and recognized
s ~ .h AZ Oh 1aes l. SacHone, Of ana
his wife and two children were found in the kitchen,
death being the result OF wounds inflicted their
q ri han nUa dftfvnt alal
the following history OF the unfortunate family, ana
the causes which led to chs terrible extinction OF
whole household.
THE BLACKSTONE FAMILY.
About fourteen months ago James L. Blackstone
came to Philadelphia with view of engaging In
business. He had some capital, and very soon joined
as full partner In the gliding ana gilt frame manu-
featuring business with MIR. Funston, the firm name
ness No. 9l2 Market street. where is to this day. Mr..
Blackstone came to Philadelphia Alone saying that
M f ns ne
business prospering Blackstone took lease for one
year OF small house, No. SIS Judson street. small
but pleasant and respectable street, with neat, COM
Portable TWO story brick houses Of the old Phlladel
phi a order on each side, and running from Brown
to Poplar, west OF Twenty-third street. This house
lie caused to DC furnished In homelike style, and
shortly after his family arrived and took charge OF
their little household. The family consisted OF the
following persons:-Janles Lindiey Blackstone the
husba d and father, born August D. 1852, ut Bran.
ford Conn, where mis- father Mr.. Augustus Bran
stole, his wife, born at Madison Conn.,, In 1885, aud
daughter Of Mr.. Selah Lee who Is yet resident of
Tie 18th Of April 1861, and Catharine L. Blackstone
the daughter, born on the 23d OF January. 1866.
THEIR RESIDENCE IN PHILADELPHIA.
From the time the family or the BlackstOnes took
up their residence in Judson street up to within
very lew days previous to the terrible fate which
circle. The business affairs Of the firm OF Funston
d Blackstone prOspered. Blackstone himself was Of
and afectionate father. All his acquaintances say
that he led very exemplary he and seemed to
he exceedingly fond OF his children, seldom q day
passing by but that he brought them some toy
sweetmeat TO render their youthful hours pleasant
at home. Ills wife Is described a very intelligent
woman, thoroughly educated IN all the common
branches Of English education; In fast she had re-
ceived q certificate Of first honor for excellence in
scholarship ana the study Of English COMPOSITION
and algebra in the winter Of 1852 from the Young
Ladies' collegiate Institute OF New Haven, Conn.
She Is also said to have been good housewife,
dren and her husband. thus the family Of the
Biackstones lived happy so lar as their friends and
the neighbors could know, through nearly the entire
year.
Recently Mr.. Blackstone told his landlord, Mr..
Couson, that he would give up the house Judsol
stieet "a he was about purchasing q residence ON
Girard avenue. The interview between hin and his
landlord was usual such occasions, ana II WAS
agreed that with the expiration OF the year for which
BLACKSTONE had leased the premises ne would vacae
them. But it was 10 come otherwise. II appears
that the bookKeeper employed by Fuasion
n Blackston had been Keeping the affairs OF
the ilrm In loose condition, and tins being dis
covered, 1t prcyea On'Mr. Blackstone's mind ard
made him very melancholy, as he Ieared-but II APP
pears without just grounds, That he would suffer
much financial embarrassment In consequence.
win these Impressions on hIs mind he again
sought his landlord, Mr.. COuls0n, and Informed MN
then make the purchase he inten led aud would
wish 60 retain tile house IN Judson street for an
Otnor year, whcn was agreed TO by dr. COusCn,
ana Blackstone OF once paid one months rent In al
vance. Since mat time, IL Is sad his whcie nature
had changed, aud he became moros., moody, unso-
cable and appeared Of vciy unhappy frame OF
mind. And yyt-sO, at least. NJ ia aysertnl
late partner, Mr.. Funston-tiIsre no Just cause
ior his fears, ~ the urn were doing well and Back
tone himself, a. wc.i a. ms WIZ, had InJ.ey in
BANK III their own Individual right.
THE SUICIDE oS MONDAY.
Early on Monday morning. TIC was observed by an
ollicer ol tue Ninth 10 district kim down the
street towards tner river SIDE lie aclel strangely
IKE man VINO did not know what % do. ike one
perfectly bewildered and out OF mind that the OIL
Ger spoke to him His replies were strange tone
manner and substance, aud the oliccr concluded to
take him 10 the sutton house. believing him To b.,
sane. Learning that he was 10 be taken to the
station Blackstone broke away from his Gus
todals and dashed down tie street, evading
al pursuit. On he went, now running, now
walking quicaly, until he reached Chestnut street
wharf. Inc sight Of the watersild not stop hm but
tepping on TO the edge OF the wharf, and before
nand could be given to hs rescue, he plunged into
the water TO rise, once twice and then sInS. Os
Inc waarf he left poke handkerchief on when
fne name "Blacss,oneh was stamped Ia indciible
INK, winch ied TO the suspicion that II was It's owner
snO nad sought and iouid death By his own VIII Ia
tne waters vi tue DELAWARE TINS suspicion
nrued wnen hrs body was recovered ON TUESDAY
Afternoon, recognized anu taken to the nearest
police station hoise to await the action OF the
Coroner.
THE DENgUgMEST.
Shortly after three O'Clock yesterday afternoon Mr.
Funston received q telegram from Maaison. conn,
Which, read as foiiows:-
have received letter from James, saying that his wife
md children ae killed. Telegraph ilaa's ialsy,,
Acting upon this telegram he at once pro-
recded to AIR. Blackstone's house. No. SIS Judson
street. AMI endeagored To effect an entrance,
Drt was unable 10 do so. lie then went 10 the
station mousse nc rwentythird AID Grown streets for
police AID, ana policeman Fla y. Newman accom-
panied niIn to tue house. In consequence OF what
was seen by hin WORT com nun lated by tele-
graph 10 TIC Central station Chici OF Police Null.
holland and chef detective Eneu, win detectives
Levy and Gordon, iinlneci ately proceeded TO the
pa:a. Tue room IN which the Dodics we're dis.
covered Is very small; 10 a. rot carpetei; has WIN
dow on the south dc ana q door on the east
SIDE "a the west SIDE OF the ROOM Just to the |
riglt hand The from the blcx uarlor NJ. IN |