The New York herald., 1870-07-31
The Shocking Murder In Twenty -third
.. Street.


are the theories as to how the frightful deed
was done, by whom, at what hour and how the
perpetrator got into the house and made his exit.
Sagacious scribes have described the whole
scene. in morning paper, in graphic terms,
from the first conception of the dark thought Of
murder to its final consummation, with such an
apparent accuracy, indeed, as would warrant
the authors being called to the witness stand
If their testimony was credible under oath. 1t
is needless to say that nine out Of ten of all
these speculations are good for nothing. The
facts surrounding the immediate commission
OF the murder-as far as the actual killing of
Mr.. Nathan is concerned-have, we believe,
now been ascertained. To trace the mystery
to the end, to supply the vacant circumstances
which occurred between midnight when the
victim was alive and well, and the hour of six
in the morning, when he was found weltering
in his blood, and to trace the crime to its
source, is the calm and deliberate work now
left to the detective force who have it in
charge. We have heard much of the activity
of our detectives in cases of bond robberles
of property were involved. But in cases Of
murder the unread stories of the taking off Of
Mr.. Rogers and Dr. Burdell stand against
them. However, as they are not without some
strong clues in the present awful tragedy, we
rely upon them to sift the matter to the
bottom. lrl
When murder is committed within doors
it is always well to begin the examination at
home before going abroad in search of theories
or facts. Have the detectives taken note Of
all suspicious circumstances in the house Of
the murdered man before assuming that it was
entered by strangers? There is no evidence
to show that the house was broken into. There
were no 'jimmies" nor other burglars tools
found about the premises. The iron weapon
with which the deed is presumed to have been
done was certainly strange instrument, and
seemed to have no legitimate presence in the
house, as the saw had, which might have been
the property of one of the carpenters at work
during the day; but beyond this there is moth
ing to prove that the crime might not have
been committed without any stranger entering
or leaving the house that night. There was a
servant man sleeping on the premises, and,
while we would hesitate TO point suspicion at
any one, we repeat that it is always the better
plan to commence investigation within doors.
That course was pursued in q remarkably per-
sistent manner in the Burdell case; and, al
though the detectives failed to bring any one to
justice, few people doubted that the true facts
of the tragedy were elected at the Coroners
inquest.
There are many other vital points in connec-
ton with the murder OF Mr.. Nathan which
should be delicately and keenly considered.
What was the character of the papers usually
kept in his private safe? It is most likely
that his bonds would be kept in the Broad
street Office, because they were articles
in immediate use in his business. But
may not the safe in that fatal library have
contained promissory notes, deeds and other
documents worth somebody's while to alb
stract2 Who was interested or was any one
interested in his death? Had he made will,
and if so where is it? These are preliminary
points in the investigation of the mystery
worthy of the first attention. While these are
being solved we may take up the important
clues to the individuality of the murderer
how he entered and departed, and the mys-
terious story of the carriage seen at the rear
of the dwelling nearly all night, and being
driven away at half-past one o'clock in the
morning. If the murderer was in that car
rio ho fhn rtu 70 ~
the house by the front door at five o'clock and
leave the door partially open? The detectives,
it seems, are satisfied that the criminal was
not professional burglar. Their eyes are,
therefore, directed outside the well known
ranks of these gentry, with whose habits and
whose handiwork the police are quite familiar
Science has often something to do in the
detection of murder 1t has been proved in
several cases that the retina of the dead man. 8
eye retains for time the impression Of the
last object seen in life. There seems little
doubt, from the nature of this struggle, that
there was deadly intent to destroy all evil
dence of Identification by slencing the victim
forever. This would imply that the murderer
was known to the unfortunate gentleman
Was the retina Of Mr.. Nathan's eye examined
for traces Of the last visible object, before de-
composition set in, which would, of course,
destroy the impression? If no such examina-
ton was made what claim have Our detectives
to that scientific knowledge-that quickness
of resort to all means for discovering crime
which belongs to their profession?
The police may have thorny path to tread
before they unravel the mystery of this most
foul murder, but we cannot help thinking that
the proper place to begin the scrutiny is
within the dwelling of the murdered man.
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The IRISH REPUBLICANS Of Pennsylvania
are said to be organizing in all the principal
towns of the State to forward men and means