The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1870-09-15
The Horrors ot western BrIg.
uull1snl.

hendersOo county 10 ale0 fgifa'ed
at this time with case of peculiar
horror. IL turns out that in the latter
past Of May, 1864. an old mao abou,
sixty years Of age, whose name we are
unable to learn, cr6ssid the ferry from
this city with considerable sum Of
money in his possession. 1t amounted
somewhere from $500 to s., 900. He
had just sold his farm in Missouri.
ADD intended to purchase lsul in
Henry county, Illinois. lie stopped
at the farm house Of White Anderson.
notorious character, who was run
out Of the country during the war
but has since returned. lilo talked
with White awhile, and then went vp
to the farm house Of De Hague with
the intention Of remaining over night.
Thi, Dc Haguo's father settled on
the family place many yea's ago, but
is now dead. lie was a ierocious char
aeter, aud was q pirate on the ocean
for eleven years lilo served under
that fnmous Frenchmau. Laiitte, and
with that redoubtablo chic itain .as
pardoocd at tho request of General
Jackson for heroic conduct at the
battle with tho British at New Or
Ieshs. lie looked the very picture
Of savage fierceness, and was much
dreaded by his nsigbbor. Before
bis death he was considered rather
wealthy, owning foe property, and
being otherwise well established. He
lett several sons. Thi, one seems TO
have Inherited many of his fathers
quaIitics.
Lato in the evening Of which we
speak the present De Hague turned
this old traveller out Of his house and
sent him over to Squire Parks
Parks then sent out for Robert Won
Dan McCuc and one or two others.
De Hague also wont over to his
house. 10 short time aftcrward tho
old mao, who had gone to bed up
stairs by this time, was called up and
brought out to the front yard. A
horse belonging TO Won was foun nd
hitched to the fence with d par off
saddle-bags on it. The old man was
asked If he knew the horse and eauip.
monts. He said he did not, but tha,
he knew the saddle.bsgs, as they
we're hiss lie wao then accused. OF
being horse thief and OF tryinS TO
steal Von's animal. He was taken
out into the orchard and hung twice.
for the purpose Of extorting a copf.s.
sloo. The poor old victim had moth
ing to confess. He was then taken TO
the woods by Won, De Hague and
Squire Parks. Tho balance Of the
party were requested not to follow.
but they heard him being beaten
with rods until his shrisks filled the
air. After that both his hands were
chopped of with hatchct, while he
was still alive, and he was then mur-
dered. His money, il is supposed.
was divided among tho three. There
IL now no sort Of doubt but that De
Hague Is the man who cut bis hands
of. Some girls discovered The body
concealed 10 creek on the following
morning. Tho matter was kept quiet
until evening, when the three murder
ers took the body out to an old half
filled cistsrn on the prairie aud flung it
10. The cistern was afterwards tlled
by the drifting Of the prairie sand |
Some time sso q farmer went to the
old cistern to obtain tho brick with |
which It vas vailed. 10 digging out
the sand q hired mao named William
Cook exhumed the skeleton Of the
murdered mau. 1t was evident that
the hands had been cut off. The en-
tire cisterD was cleared out. but the
skeleton hands could not be found.
This hidoous discovery brought the
whole affair to publicity. It had long
been whispered, but people feared to
speak their minds on tho subject.
DE Hague, now very wealthy. is
under bonds in the sum of $40, 900
to answer the charge Of murder. His
trial will shortly come OF at Oauawka.
Won left Tor Missouri some time ago,
fearing an exposure Of the outrage.
The principal witness against De
Hague is Dan McCus, one Of the par.
ty who met at Parkss house, but
who did Uor actually take part 10 the
murder. 1t 10 reported. however that
he received 500 rs bis share. All
the victims mooey Was in gold. De
Hague and MeCue have long been
fearing and hating each other. They
both carry two revolvers each, snd
are always on their guard. II 10 re-
ported 10 us that De Hague has not
slept iu his house for two years, lest
he should bo murdered. lie eonceals
himself in bis hsys,acks. Wheu he
visits Burlington, hs is never seen
without o carpet bag in his hsnd, and
that contains two large sized navy re-
volvsrs, loaded aud ready for instant
use. To people living about tho ferry
landing his sppessauee is vefy fumiis
lar. Is short time ago, and since De
hague's arrest for murder, McCus one
morning found the water OF bis vel,
lmpregnatsd with arseuic, aud also
fouod arsenic scattered about the curb
stone. lie Immediately asserted tha,
DO Hsgue bsd made an effort to poi
son him, 10 order TO shut OF his ,ssti-
moay 1t the coming trial. Both these
men live ID mortal fssr and apprehsu-
sioa OF ono another. their mutual
dread and hatred making life hell.