The New York herald., 1870-04-26
THE BLOOMINGDALE MURDRR.
Commencement Of the Trial Of John J. Nixon
for the Murder Of David Cisco-A Legal In.
formality Adjourns the Case Two Days
The Circumstances Of the Tragedy

About midnight on Saturday, January 20, a trar
gedy occurred In the vicinity Of Carmansvile, near
BloOmingdale, Passaic county, n j., In which man
named David Ssco came to his death. 1t is alleged, at
the hands OF one John ]. Nixon It seems that
about three months previous to the date mentioned
warrant was issued by one OF the country justices
at Bloomingdale for the arrest of SiscO for ILL
treating his WIFE, For some cause It fell to Nixon's
lot 10 serve the instrument, which engendered an
enmity between the two men that resulted in brawls
and fighting almost every time they met.
On Saturday night, January 90 Nixon and Sisco
met at one Of the taverns at Bloomingdale and fell
In with crowd OF men whose object seemed to be a
big drunk Several fights occurred, in which the
whole party participated, and the two belligerents
Nixon and Sisco, were more than once brought
together in antagonistic opposition However, an
explanation seemed to have been satisfactorily
Effected between them and the two, after frst sup
plying themselves with
...r 80 c4,so BOTTLE rrI % OF wnIsKEY nRIs1 In,,n,.
The non-appearance OF Sisc0 up TO sunday morn
ing created an anxiety among his friends and as he
night, some one went to the house OF the lat
ter to make INQUIRIES It is alleged that
NaGn Tas InS oG MS
was instituted, which resulted In finding Ssco's
body, with the skull crushed In and other serious in
side Of the road leading to the house. The blood
stained and torn earth In the road showed the spot
where the deed had evidently been done, and
THE TRAIL OF BLOOD
leading to the bushes plain proof that the body
had been dragged where It was found for
placed in the hands Of the Coroner but
the thought Of arrestng Nixon as being
accessory to the crime, seems to have entered no
ones mind until the inquest had been commenced.
rush was then made to make Nixon prisoner, but
the tary authorities arrived just too late for Nixon
had but shortly previous taken his departure for
parts unknown
AT the inquest Nixon was decided to be the guilty
man. large party OF citizens and O1cials started
In pursuit. and after two days search came upon and
arrested Nixon near the Sterling iron furnace. He
was brought back to Bloomingdale under strong
the funeral where he was brought face to face with,
PLACE HIS HAND UPON THE BODY
OF the murdered man. But no blood flowed from his
wounds, and the interment proceelel Nixon was
shortly brought to Paterson and lOdgel in secure
cell of the jail at that place to await his trial.
On Friday, April 10, the Grand Jury, after full
investigation brought In true bin Of Indictment
The prisoner was at once arralgned before
Judge Bedle and pleaded not guilty to the
charge, and the Court announced that the trial
would be commenced on Monday, April Is.
the prisoner being too poor to employ counsel,
iedged to be two Of the smsrest i7i and most sue
cessful lawyers In Paterson. were appointed by the
Court to conduct Nxon's defence. Mr.. H. H. Will
iams, the Public Prosecutor, represents the State
When the court was opened yesterday morning, at
Paterson presided over by Judge Bed2e and Associ
room was absolutely jammea with spectators, and
when m i
THE PRISONER WAS BROUGHT FOURTH
the most intense interest seemed TO be manifest,
although the most perfect quiet maintained, so
tfat every word might be caught. s0 b
Nxon's appearance is somewhat better than when
first incarcerated, although confinement in a
dark cell hsi ,.. made him i'm quite pale: pale
Of age, short thick set and weighs in
strong and muscular, and everything about him be-
tokens the instincts Of the brute rather than
the rationale e.. Of human human n;.s being Igno, s
stamped his face with the marks Of man
who would be an unpleasant antagonist in Mt OF
frenzy These CHARACTERISTICS SO readable when he
yesterday BY the freshness Of his appearance new
suit Of black clean shirt and visit from the barber
had done much to improve his looks.
After the calling of the witnesses in this case some
thirty in number, Mr.. Henry A. Williams, the Dis.
trict Attorney, called up the case OF The State
Mr. A B. Woodsun, one Of the counsel for Nixon,
oBJscrEp TO THE CASE
proceeding further He said the defendant had not
been served with copy 0f the papers TO which he
was entited-a list Of the jurors copy Of the ndict.
ment &C. Mr. Williams said he had served copies
indictment was not perfect, the caption which the
| original had was not in the copy.
Judge Bedle said the caption was legally part OF
the paper and therefore the copy of the indictments
The District Attorney seemed much abashed, and
| the Court declared itself sorry that such q
! paper must be served upon defendant At
| least two days before the commencement oi
the trial. Judge Bedle announced that there was no
/ thing to do but adjourn the case until Thursday
morning at ten O'Clock, which accordingly done,
| and the prisoner remanded to his CELL The larger
part Of the large audience then took their departure
with disappointment and the Court proceeded WITH
From the large NUMBER s5 witnesses Il 10 lpTmissy