The New York herald., 1869-11-23
THE LATEST HORROR.
The Triple Murder at Pleasant Grove,
Ps.-Vislt to the Scene Of the Ira
gedy-Full Details OF the Crime
Statements Of the Mnrderers-
Their History and Per.
sonal Appearance.

| The Philadelphia Press OF the 22d publishes the
following detsls d the terrible tragedy at PIeasan,
Grove, Huntingdon county. Pennsylvania. ON Wednes
! day last
The muroer was one OF tho most deliberate and
atrocious In the criminal annals OF the state Hunt
ingdon county has had nothing Ike 1t since 1870,
when whole family was butchereu by man named
McCoDaughey. la the number OF It's victims 1t is
exceeded by the Probst murder In Philadelphia IN
1856 but In the hendIsh manner In which the mur-
der OF the Peghtal family WAS planned and executed
IL equals that of the Deerina family.
Peig6sal aged sxt, live; bis wife Sarah, aged about
sixty and an orphan boy, named Scott Garner, aged
about twelve, VINO lived with the family. Tue Pelgh-
tails bore an excellent reputation In the neighbor-
hood, being regular attendants ~ church. MIR. p.
possessed good, kind heart, as his treatment t
hlm shows. The motive was undoubtedly
plunder Bonner, one Of tue prisoners, when he
nj wea nsa6a sns slorss mss n 9s
habit of bringing his produce TO Huntingdon market,
ana as II was generally known ne never banked any
Kept very large sum OF money In his house.
THE INCEPTION OF THE CRIME.
Bonner has been living at Altoona lately, where ne
became acquainted with Bodenburg, to whom no
doubt he communicated the knowledge OF Peightal's
wealth, and the two resolved TO roo nim. Vita tnls
intention they came to Huntingdon about two weeks
ago and loitered for several days IN the neighbor
hood OF r3Ightals house. Finding that they could
not ro- the old man, they then determined to XIII
hun and the whole family. II necessary. Intent on
this, the two men, Bohner and BodenburQ came to
huntingdon from Altoona on Monday last and
walked out to Peightals place. They loltered
around the station ut Pleasant Grove until dark
when they went to the house Of Pegptal and
their supper and allowed them TO sleep
IN the barn. Ia the morning they left the
house. but fingered In the vicinity. Gong over to
the railroad they engaged In conversation with the
laborers WORKING upon It.. On Tuesday night they
again went TO the house OF Pelgnta, who gave them
their suppers, and according to one Of the prls
oners, allowed them TO sleep In the house. In the
morning he gave them their breakfast. when they
again went away, and did not return until evening,
when the murder was committed.
The Peghtas were IN the habit OF eating supper at
a rather late hour for the neighbornood In winch
they lived. On Wednesday night last they were eat
ing supper In the kitchen Of the bouse at The usual
time all unconscious OF their Impending doom. The
poured out, while Mrs. peightal was en-
gagged IN pouring out her own. A dish OF
potatoes boiled with the skins on, was upon the
table; the old man mad just taken one on his plate
when the report Of pistol broke the silence and the
old man fell dead. Then another. and the boy was
usnered into eternlty. Mira. Peightal must have
Jumped up and endeavored 10 escape ana been cut
down win hatchet and afterwards snot when the
pistol had been reloaded. The work OF blood being
accomplished the murderers began their search for
plunder.
Tney AT frst broke open a chest and then bureau
which stood in the parlor, adjoining the Kitchen In
this bureau they are supposed TO have found the
money some $1,000 in all, about 81, 600 OF which
once divided and portion or the coin. A muslin
bag was found on the door which bore very plainly
the Impression OF the money. Ine coin, TO nave
done this, must have been packed in very closely.
PREPARATIONS TO BURN THE BODIES
u Is supposed that as soon as they had secured
the money they made preparations TO burn the
bodies and the building. For this purpose they
gathered all the bedding that was down stairs, to2e
ther with some old clothing. They now went to the
barn and brought TO the house q large quantity OF
straw, which they placed over the bodies, then,
covering the whole with the bedding and clothing,
lighted the mass. They tnen put down the window
blinds TO prevent the hight from being seen; but this
act under the providence OF God. was the means OF
left. supposing no DOUBT that 1t would soon be In
flames. But their precaution keep the light from
being seen outside also prevented the draught from
flaming Ihe flames.
THE FIRE DISCOVERED.
nne s pay OF me
their homes. On seeing the flames and smoke
Issuing from the door tney called TO me family, but
finding that they were locked, supposed the family
to DO absent On visit to some neighbor They then
proceeded 10 force open the doors, which was easily
done, and here terrible sight met their astonshed
gaze Lying on the noor covered with the burning
mass, were the bodies OF the Old man. his wife and
the boy. They raised the alarm and extingushed
the fire.
breast down; the boy was in the same conditon.
Above tue middle OF the body neither was burned.
Mrs. Pelghtal was not burned mucn, but had bled
profuscly. The faces OF all three were considerably
disdgured.
Mr. Peightal was shot directly back Of the LEFT ear,
the ball coming out at the neck The boy Scott
Garner. shot in the head, the ban passing en-
tirely through and lodging in the window Sill back
OF him. Mrs. Peightal appears to have been first
struck with some blunt instrument the hatchet 1t Ii
supposed and then shot In the head.
THR COURSE PURSUED BY THE DISCOvERERS OF THE
MURDER.
At first the men who discovered the bodies had no
idea as to who had done thelkllllng and were at q
loss what to do. On making some inquiries 1t was
discovered that two men had been seen lurking in
the vicinity for two or three days. ana that day
IN particular Suspicion at once fastened on them
as the perpetrators or the crime, and Q messenger
was despatched to Huntington to see If any trace
could be found OF them there lie arrived at Hun
,Ingd0n e. about twenty minutes before i0ur O'Clock
ON making inquiry at the railroad depot at hunt
ingdon il was discovered that two men answering
the description given had taken the train ut half
past three O'CLOCK that morning for the West. Their
conduct At Huntingdon had attracted considerable
attention. They were at the depot hour before
the arrival of the train and seemed very nervous,
asking four or five times how long IL would be before
on the front car and ran through the train to yet
into the sleeping Not having tickets for this,
however, they were prevented from entering.
THE ARREST.
The messenger from Pleasant Grove arrived Just
Ave minutes alter the departure OF the train. tel
AT Altoona TO arrest them. An answer was soon
received that the arres, had been made. Word was
then sent TO the CHEF OF Police bring them TO
Huntingdon by the first train.
The request was compiled with and the prisoners
arrived a. Huntington about noon on Thursday.
crowd OF some 500 or 600 persons were Ia waiting
for them on their arrival.
| when the prisoners alightcd from the car they
were taken In charge by the Sheriff and strong
posse. The largo crowd IN waiting was IN fevcrsh
| state OF excitement Cries OF Lynch them; Lynch
themv resouDded on all sides. The Germans OF tn 0
town, who were very indignant at the taint which
4 the murder would put upon their nationality, were
/ provided with ropes. and nothing but the nrmncss
OF the law officers saved the wretches. In the midst
/ OF all the excitement the two murderers walked
| quietly along with their heads down, not daring TO
meet the gaze OF the violent men who were eager
for their lives The jail Ia situated about 150 yards
from the depot And this fact together with the then
| uncertainty as to their guilt saved them from as q
violent death as that of their victims.
/ AN EXAMINATION.
The two men, giving their names Gottlleb Bohner
/ and Albert Van Bordenberg, were Immediately sub
| jected to an examination. On the person OF Bohner
| were found $40 IN greenbacks and six dollars IN
gold. on being asked where he got the gold from he
at first said he brought IL from Germany and after
wards that he found IL. 1t was American coin. No
| thing was found on Bordenberg, but subsequent
events Will explain whore his share OF the punder
was hid lie was rather retIcent, and did not seem