New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-30
HORRIBLE MURDER.
MIDNIGHT ASSASSINATION OF A WELL
KNOWN CITIZEN.


Yesterday In the premises No 10 West Twenythirdst,
directly opposite the Fifth Avenue Hotel IN one OF
the most public places in the city, the victim Dehg
the head OF the household, the wellknown broker
BENJAMIN Nathan. The circumstances connected with
the affair notwithstanding the efforts Of the police thus
far are still enveloped in mystery. On Thursday Mr.
Nathan, instead OF Joining his wife and the younger
members OF his family at their country seat az MOTIFS
town. " j. proceeded TO their house In West twenty
thrdst temporary bed, consisting OF three mattress
es and other clothing had been made up in the reception
room on the second floor Soon after II m Mr. Nathan
who was aman very regular habits retired to bed HIS
elder son. Frederick, who with younger brother wash
ington occupied rooms the third floor returned home
about III D. m, calling at his fathers room, ana
asked him IL Washington had returned from
call on friends, having left home early IN
the evening for that purpose. Mr.. Nathan replied IN
the negative and Frederick then babe him good night
and went to his the floor above. The other son.
Washington, in between ~ and l. and, az was his
CUSTOM called at his fathers room TO bid him good
night. He called to his father and receiving no
response believed his parent to be asleep and not wish
ing to awaken him, went TO his room on the floor
above adjoining that of his brother, and retired The
only persons in the house beside Mr. Nathan and his
sons were Mrs Ann Kelly, the housekeeper elderly
lady, and her william, of rs years. Mrs. Kelly
slept on the rear OF the second floor and her on the
fourth floor.
Yesterday was the anniversary Of the death OF Mr.
BENJAMIN
eepts Of the Jewish faith, Mr. Nathan and his sons in
tended I'm the morning TO visit the Nneteenhst Syna-
gog,ie and commemorate the event by offering mp
prayers the repose of her SOUL 1t was for this pur
pose that Mr.. Nathan remained in town, instead of
Joining his wife and family at Morrisown. Shortly be-
fore a. m Washington Nathan descended tOIhs fathers
room to awaken him, thinking he had oversight himself,
and to remind him that it time to go to the syna
goge On crossing the threshold of the room, the son
was Mortified 10 his father lying on the floor in
pool Of blood and with all the evidence Of fearful
struggle around him. The examined his father found
him be dead, and then an alarm, arousing the
other members of the household He soon joined by
his brother and together they left the house. Seeing
Officer John Mangum Of the Twenty-nlnth Precinct
short distance away they called 70 him. and he immedi-
atey to them On being told that murder had been
committed the officer gave alarm rap, called to his
aid another officer and they began search or the house
Just inside the front door, in the hallway, Officer Man
gumsfound a shp-carpenter's "dog," an iron nstrIl
ment about IS inches in length, half hammer half pick
With this instrument, which could be used either as
hammer for smashing lock- or as Jimmy to pry open
a drawer q terrible blow could be dealt any one who
should attempt to interfere with the person welding IT,
This weapon had been dropped undoubtedly, by the
murderer in his fight. Officer Mangvm examined it
closely and found spots Of blood on it, These were found
to be quite dry, showing that the attack Mr. Nathan
had been made with it several hours previously Wash
ngton Nathan then recoeced that when he came down
stairs TO give the alarm he found the front hau door
unfastened although closed Nevertheless, the house
thoroughly searched from garnet to basement but
the murderers could not be found.
Strangely enough, although Mrs. Kelly slept on the
floor as the murdered man, and the most OF the
doors were open, she heard nothing of the ARRAY al
though 1t evident that desperate struggle had
taken place.
On visiting the where Mr. Nathan lay, the officers
found him lying just outside the door leading from the
main room into a smaller office. He had nothing but
an under-shrt and a nght-shirt Both these garments
were saturated with blood The body also lay in pool
OF blood and the walls either side Of the doorway lead
ing into the Office were marked and despatched with
blood The carpet also, was soaked with blood. Evil
IDENTIFY desperate struggle had taken place before MI
Nathan was overpowered and slain.
In one corner of the office mentioned was small safe
This had been opened with key obtained from
the pantaloons pocket OF the deceased. tin
box lay the floor The papers which IL had con-
tanned were srewn the Oor also all the rest of
the contents Of the safe The clothing Of Mr. Nathan lay
on the chairs where he had placed them the previous
night. An examination Of them showed that Mr.. Ma
than's watch and diamond studs had been stolen 1t
evident that the deceased had been awakened by
the noise made by the thief in rummagng the SAFE and
springng from bed had seized him. The thief with the
"dog" mentioned, had dealt him number Of blows on
the hand and head the latter crushing in the skull
Dr. Armstrong of the Fifth Avenue Hotel was called
IN and after carefully examining the body, gave it as
his opinion that Mr. Nathan had been dead from three to
four hours. In his opinion, the attack was made be-
tween the hours OF l and O'Clock. Deah must have
almost instantaneous after receiving the blows on
the head
OFFICIAL INVESTIGATIONS.
The news Of the affair telegraphed to Superntend
ent Jourdan, Who in company with Capt Kelso and De-
tectve Farley visited the house, and carefully inyest
gated the circumstances connected with the affair The
sons we're 80 terribly excited that they could not for
time give any information, but gradually became camer
and gave such information as they were possessed Of
which indeed was very ttle and helped in manner
to give the detectives clew to the murderer.
Officer Mangum questioned closely by supertn-
tendent Jourdan He stated that he tried the front and
basement doors Of the house at $780, aud again at O
M and at eaeh time both doors fast He had tried
It third time but minute or two before the OF Mr.
Nathan called 10 him that their father had been muir
dered certain that the door closed all these
hours; whoever committed the murder had closed the
door by which he made his exit.
several days previous two carpenters had been en-
gagged making repairs to the house. They VIM.
Smith of No $50 West Forticth-s, and Philip Lehmester
OF No. GIG Hudson-st They were sent for and
questioned. The only information they could
impart that they passing in and out Of the
Basement door several times during the day. and II was
occasionally left open 1t would have been an easy mat
for thief to slip in this door and secrete himself in
the house.
The clothes Of Mr.. Nathan then examined There
slight stain OF blood the collar OF the white Mar
settles vest and another the Shirt but this was dose
by the elder brother in examining the clothing Of his
father after attempting raise the corpse IL was GER
tain that the thief had taken the watch and studs from
the clothing and took the key OF the SAFE Why he
did not take the wallet which contained small sum OF
money and some papers, does not appear.
Mr. Nathan very near-sighted much so that he
read by night and without the aid OF glasses could
not see across the One Of the blows received by
the hack NJ he Of
which are smashed 1t believed that this the first
blow struck by the thief and done for the purpose
OF breaking the grasp of Mr. Nathan. At the time
the thief struggled To free himself. Finding that