Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-08-18

&&k* 0048. within tho 8Qf0 feR09kS
Sals. % near The nHcy -sea&S g.
Tney shall waE1er no'er again
On the slippery slopes Of pain,
svsr grope, nor tirs, nor stumble in earth's dark
Safe for aye. from Elm and sorrow,
TN the dawn OF some tomorrow,
When, adown the heavenly stream,
We shall greet
he on-coming OF the welcome, and the patter Of
the feet Boston TSGascriDt,
~eN-
The Murder Of Benjamin Nathan.
A prominent broker of New York city,
q highly respected and wealthy citizen,
was murdered at his home directly OPP
posite the New York Fifth Avenue Hotel,
on the night of the a9th Of July, and up
to recent date no satisfactory clue had
been obtained as to who was the murder
er. The New York Tribune gives the
following account Of the affair:
On Thursday, Mr.. Nathan, instead Of
joining his wife and the younger members
of his family ~ their country seat at Nor
ristown, N. J., proceeded to their house in
West Twenty third-st. a temporary bed,
consisting of three mattresses and other
clothing, had been made up in the recep-
ton room on the second floor. Soon after
II 0. m, Mr.. Nathan, who was man OF
very regular habits, retired to bed. His
elder son, Frederick, who, with younger
brother, Washington, occupied rooms on
the third floor, returned home about III n
D. m, calling at his fathers room, and
asked him II Washington had return
ed from q call on some friends, having left
home early in the evening for that pur.
pose. Mr. Nathan replied in the negative,
and Frederick then babe him good night
IL k<. oh
The other son, Washington, came in be.
tween 12 and l, and, as was his custom,
called at his fathers room to bid him good
night. He called to his father, and re-
ceiving no response, believed his parent to
be asleep, and not wishing to awaken him,
went to his own 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 Kel-
", the housekeeper, an elderly lady, and
her son William, man of Is years. Mrs.
Kelly slept on the rear Of the second floor,
and her son on the fourth floor.
Yesterday was the anniversary OF the
death of Mr. Benjamin Nathan's mother,
and according to the precepts Of the
Jewish faith, Mr.. Nathan and his sons in
tended in the morning to visit the Nine
teenth ct. Synagogue and commemorate
the event by offering up prayers for 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
Norristown. Shortly before 8 a. m,
Washington Nathan descended to his
fathers room to awaken him, thinking he
had oversight himself, and to remind him
that 1t was time to 60 to the Synagogue
On crossing the threshold Of the room,
the SON was horrifed to zee his father
living on the floor In pool Of blood, and
with all the evidence of fearful struggle
around him. The son examined his father,
found him to be dead, and then gave an
alarm, arousing the other members Of the
household. He was soon joined by his
brother, and together they left the house.
Seeing officer John Mangum, Of the
TWenty.ninth Precinct, Q short distance
away, they called to him, and he immedi-
ately ran to them. On being told that q
murder1had been committed, the officer
gave an alarm rap, called to his aid
another officer, and they began q search OF
the house. just inside the front door, in
the hallway, Officer Mangum found a
ship carpenters "dog," an iron instru.
ment about eighteen inches in length
half hammer, half pick. With this in
strument, which could be used either as a
hammer for smashing lock, or az a
Jimmy" to pry open drawer, . terrible
blow could be dealt any one who should
attempt to interfere with the person
welding it. This weapon had been drop
ped, undoubtedly, by the murderer in his
flight Officer Mangum examined 1t close.
ly, and found spots of blood on it, These
were found to be quite dry, showing that
the attack on Mr.. Nathan had been made
with 1t several hours previously. Wash
ington Nathan then recollected that when
he came down Stare to give the alarm, he
found the front hall door unfastened, al
though closed. Nevertheless, the house
was thoroughly searched from garnet TO
basement, but the murderers could not y
found.
Strangely enough, although Mrs. Kelly
slept on tho same floor a. the murdered
man, and the most of the doors were
open, she heard nothing Of the affray, al
though 1t was evident that desperate
struggle had taken place.
On visiting the room where Mr.. Nathan
lay, the officers found him lying just out
side the door leading from the main room
into smaller Office. He had on nothing
but an under-shir and might shirt Both
these garments were saturated with blood.
The body also lay in pool Of blood, and
the walls ON either side of the doorway
leading into the Office were marked and
bespattered with blood. The carpet, also,
was soaked with blood. Evidently .
desperate struggle had taken place before
Mr.. Nathan was overpowered and slain.
In one corner of the Office mentioned
was q small safe. his had been opened
with key obtained from the pantaloons
pocket Of the deceased. A tin box lay on
the floor. The papers which Il had con-
tanned were strewn over the door, - also
al the rest OF the contents Of the safe.
The clothing Of Mr.. Nathan lay on the
chairs where he had placed them the pre-
yious night. An examinations Of them
showed that Mr.. Nathan's watch and diar
mond studs had been stolen. 1t was
evident that the deceased had been awak.
ened BY Ne noise msde By the thief in
rummsging the saie, and, spTinging from
bed, had seized him. The Thief, with the
/" dog" mentioned, had dealt him num-
Der Of blows on the hands and head, the
latter crushing In the skull.
"A singular kerosene explosion occur.
"a a. n