The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-07-16
hSfen'oh III Sul!saB CcGGty Of Noah Eisslaw
ier Tie MarAtr Of bis Niece.
Details Of the Murder and Sketch Of
the Criminal.
THE SCENE AT THE 6ALLOWS.

work as long as he could manage TO live from hand
10 mouth ut the expense OF his neighbOrs. lie had
wife and three children who looked to him for sup
porr, but they Of course seldom or never got the
price of single loaf from him. and had to depend in
great measure for their livelihood the generosity
OF their friends and relatives. Bigelow whenever
he did take 1t into his head to work. which was moi
often hired himself ont by the day to the farmers in
h,s immediate neighborhood. and ided his way as
best he could through Whatever general work they
saw Mt TO give HIM. In fact his repntationlwas that
OF lazy scoandrei, who cared no more for his
family than If they had been utter strangers and he
was avoided consequently by everybody IN the vii
lage who was not particularly anxious to be cassed
as one OF his intimate friends. He was not how
ever, regarded as bad man at heart nor could
anybody VINO had known him from boyhood have
accused him. before the time above mentioned, OF a
single act that could have been construed into an
Onence punishable by law. Such was the estimation
In which the man was held by his nelghbors and ac
Guan'ances up to the month Of September 1868
when niece OF his, named cynthia Seager a girl Of
ten years, was found murdered in the woods adjon.
ing North Branch and he was proven to be the
murderer.
ORIGIN OF THE MURDER.
The father and mother OF little Cynthia il would
seem, lived in the same village with Bigeow and
the latter often used 10 visit them, although II was
generally understood that for reasons best known
to himself he did not entertain any very friendly
feeling for his brotherin-law's family. In fact he
somehow or other got the impression that has wife,
before her marriage with him, had been more init.
mate with Seager than virtuOus woman could be-
although 1t is said by those who know Of what they
airm or at least think they do that he had no just
grounds for his suspicious. BE that as 1t may he
regarded seager IN no friendly light. On the morn
sa the ne
driving her fathers cows INTO the woods short dis
lance from the village itself, and, with his
resolved TO be revenged upon HIM for
his fancied wrongs by running the child. He bided
woods along a beaten pathway, and then, under
some pretence or another, induced her to return
with HIM into the forest. When he had reached u
spot where the thick foliage OF the trees hid them
from the sight OF any person who might happen TO
pass along the pathway he threw The girl down on
her knees and endeayored to take improper libei-
accomplished his vile purpose, but had 10 sooner
loosened his grasp OF the child than the thought
OF what had occurred: HIS resolution WAS made;
and, taking up rough hickory cane, which he had
wa s ne a s sa blow
ieel. The child fell forward on her face without
mead neaa 0O HfR " csss Sa ~ lsr
II mad been made Of parchment. He then dragged
the body further into the wood, placed heavy log
over the crushed head TO lead whoever might find
the village,
49, THE MURDER plscovEREp
About noon Mr.. Seager came home from his work
to get his dinner when his wife told him how
CYNTHIA mad gone out with the cows early in the
morning and had not yet returned. The father at
once set out in search Of Bgeiow, and, Oh finding
him at home asked him 10 go along with him INTO
the woods TO look for the little girl, rs he feared
something had happened TO her. Dlgelow, with APP
parent cheerfulness complied with the request: but
white in the woods studousiy avoided the spot
w her n dead b0ly and "
every arce he could think OF to lead the father from
its vicinity After searching for some time in vain for
what the father considered hls 'lOst" child, BigelOw
strayed on and stealthiy made his way home. 'fhe
search however, was vigorously prosecuted by Mr..
Seager and several OF the villagers who had heard that
the little girl was missing. sister Of the child
finally stumbled across log under which the dead
body or The child was partially hidden and OF course
raised an alarm, which brought to her side all the
other persons engaged IN securing The woods. Sus.
pieion Immediately singled ont Bigelow as the per-
petrator of the crime and several persons went to
his house, one or whom accused HIM openly OF the
crime. lie turned deathly pale az the word "mur-
derer fell from his accusers lips, and burted out
"fOu don't think I'D be such brute as to Kill
my own relative" and then turned away. lntelll-
gence of the murder had meanwhile reached the
village and several men on hearing OF the horrible
event al once hurried to the spot where the body
had been found to see If they could ind any clue
which might put them on the track OF the MUIR
derer In examining the fnarsny ground Where the
log lay, they discovered the imprint Of a shoe or
boot in the mud, and noticed that there were no
heel marks distinct from the main part OF the sole.
house, where on examination they found his boots
had haa no heels, aqd on placing them IN The tracks
them in measurement. They also discovered a
stain OF blood in the crease OF the leather Of OF
the boots and perceived that they had been recently
washed. blood stain was also found on the shirt
sleeve of the suspected man. Not satisfied how
ever, with fbia clrcumstanta evidence, they be.
thought them Of. the eahe Which Bigeiow was &C
He replied that ne did not know; but, after little
search, they found bid IN An out of the way place
in one OF the rooms Of his house. rhe cane had
heavy knob on IT, fas hioned IN size and shape
something after au ordinary door handle" and 1t
appeared TO have been recently scrubbed. On taking
the knob OF, the part which II covered was found
besmeared with blood and brains, commngied with
hair, showing conclusively that the murderer had
done his horrld work with the cane and had
Knocked on The knob while batterlng the poor child's
scul 10 pieces and that he had, in replacing IL, and
washing the weapon, failed to notice that the knob
only partially covered the damning evidence OF his
guilt.
HUNG LIKE DOG.
There was now no doubt IN the peoples mind rs
to who had done the MURDER or to how II had
been done, and the excitement that ensued among
the villagers knew no bounds Bgelow, pale with
terror trembling from head 10 foot and protesting
his innocence with lips that quvered with agOnZing
fear, was dragged from his house by tue cnraged
citizens TO tree which STOOD by itself along the
roadside and rope thrown of the
branches anu the moose put about his neck. IL was
IN VAIN ihat he wept aloud and wrllng his hands In
mortal terror, and called upon AL that holy 70
peat Wl,hess 10 ms innocence. The moose was
ughtened iii his eyes fairly stood out OF their
sOckets, dhu IN IN instant he was dangling between
heaven and earth, yanly clutchng with his hands,
! that we're battered down bs the men who stood
about INN, AT the rope above his head.
fortunately 1or The wretch, Or perhaps
unfortunately. some new discovery relative
| 10 the murder was Just then announced by
| crowd at some distance from where the murderer
was hanging. ami IN the excitement OF the moment
his sell appointed hangmen let 20 the rope and let
him dfOp 10 tDe ground. When he came TO and was
placed under arrest ne made fun Confession of his
! quit ana was placed III confinement IN the county
| jail.
| THE TRIAL AND CONVICTIONS.
| Shortly after his arrest he was indicted by the
Grand Jury for murder In the first degree and on
being brought up for trial during the October term
| OF the Court vi oyer and 1ermner lie pleaded
| guilty" HIS plea was not accepted and The Gaze
was adjourned 70 tue May term On the 2sth OF that
month The trial began, Judge Charles x. ingalls, pre-
| siding. fhe defence made was maj the accused was
insane; but the jury refused TO believe It, and on the
2stn after about a nalf hours deliberation brought
In verdict VI guilty OF murder D the first degree -
On the 3OLh he was sentenced 10 be hung on the 18TH
/ OF this month. Soon amer the sentence had been
| Dasspd "A DpfItlOD the hao u