The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-08-07

FNSt IueOftcs Si tue tTtnfe.
The murderer, t was said, probably spent but little
time the house after the lelion or bis terrible
work. Exchanging ms own ciohInS Tor some OF the
murdered mans, incluling even he boots VIII Oh he
wore, was q matter OF absolute necessity, for the
murderer own clothes were bo0dstained 10 de-
gree which must have attracted attention. Should
the man arrested at Reading prove To nc the muir
derer this clothing, win The TACT or ONE one hay
ing seen MIN at UxDridge, or In the neighborhood,
WIN lobaDy constitute the chief evl ence against
HIM. 1t Ii therefore curious TO remark how easily
every trace OF his guilt might nave been got rid VI.
by covering with sacks the only body when could
have been visible from the outside OF the premises,
the murderer had In fact secured iortyeight hours
clear START OF the law, and In fortyelgh hours what
cannot be done? Speculation upon mystery
winch viii probably be soon completely cleared up
would DC Idle; but 10 Is worth no Ing that
there are numerous evidences against the supp)-
sition OF generalization which naturally finds Tor
The present most favor In the neighb0rnood. All
WHO have paid the asst attention 10 criminal cases
must be aware TnaI a series OF savage murders or
this KIND Is generally attributed 1t first TO motives
OF vengeance. In this case there seems to be no
douot that the murdered man had given evidence in
January last against some men who We're thereupUn
convicted and sentenced 10 some short term Of I'M
prsonnent. But revenge Is after all u weak motive
Tor entering upon crimes tremendous ana full
Of rsk and then there ~ the important TACT that the
murderer, whoever he may have been, appears at
least to have come wholly unprepared for his terrible
work. All the weapons-the sedge hammer, the
Ratchet evidently the chief INSTRUMENT cmployedl
and the broken poker--were the property OF the
murdered people. Probabilities are in favor OF the
view that the original Intention was 10 murder the
| man only who was found dead In the smithy.
The appearance of the wife, who probably called
| to her husband, before descending, from the open
| window, which commands II sdeway view Of the
smIJny-the alarm or the sister, and nnay or the
grandmother and the rest OF the household, then
cessitated fresh crimes. Indeed, having once en-
tered on the bloody work. II was obviously npOssi-
bic to stop short OF completing IL without certainty
or detection Tor even the youngest OF the children,
If he had left it alive. could nave escaped from the
house. and by alarming the neghDorina cottage nave
raised a hue ana cry which would speedily nave led
To the muracrcr's arrest.
This ~ evidently the explanation OF what appears
ut first sight the needless horrors OF the slaughter OF
the young people. But what was the motive OF the
original murderY The hint dropped by the MUIR
dercd man Of an intention to take the law into Ills
own hands in the OF tramps found tres
passing again in his Clubhouse might suggest
struggle between him and some such In
truder, In which the man lost his lie; but
looking to the wounds inflicted ON the unfortunate
household, are found on the back OF the head, II Is
evident that he was attacked unawares, and If so.
the motive was probably robbery. smith at
work at his forge ut daylight IN the morning would
not 1t is trne, be likely to have much upon him. An
Old fashioned watch, purse with n tribe Of money,
| and the boots which he wore seem Indeed To nave
been the only SPOTS Of the original crime series
OF brutal murders committed for snCh objects would
| indeed be Incredible but assuming that the first
murder the only one intended, there Is nothing
improbable In IL. Single murders have again and
again been uintted Tor motives az rliiing and II
| appears worth noting that the murderer appears
| evidently from the clothes he left behind him-a
corduroy jacket and waistcoat q Stop, and red and
white common plaid neckciolh-to have been man
| Vi the poorest cass.