New-York tribune., 1870-08-05
FIVE OLD MURDERS.

DETEtTION-TUE DIFFICULTIES OF CONVIC-
TION-THE PoRCE OF CIRCUMsTASriAL EVE
DENCE-TUE DUTIES OF COUNSEL-sohf
STATISTICS OF MURDER.
Murder, as a general thing, IL az unpremedl-
tated that of the Egyptian by Moses No actual mur
der created more widespread "sensaton among
mankind than the fictitious Of the woman Nancy
by Bill Sykes" in Orer Tpist. The secret OF uis wac
in the fact that in this story that wohderiu
limner, Dickens, depicted 70 literally thc psScno
logical features Of the vast majority OF mnrder SCENES
The picture had the necessary and always successful
dramatic element OF absolute fidelity to human ma
ture Another famous, though fictitious murder scene
Is that drawn by In the Mysterious Murders oi
the Rue MOrgue" The story was especially hehueu W
illustrate the wonderful power and ingenuity which may
be displayed in unfolding the details OF mysterious
crimes but even here, is singularly recognized the
necessity Of making the murders seem Ia have been u-
premeditated. so acute observers as Dickens ana roe
filed out such sketches at random The statistics
of support them. Even in the recent fghtiui
slaughter Of respected citizen Benjamin Nathan
there evidences that can scarcely be doubted
that murder not the originai iheehtioh
Of the criminal A man Of mind, with homcidai
intent, would undoubtedly provide himself with
some less awkward instrument than ship carpenters
dog" Besides it plain that in this case the robbery
was begun when Mr.. Nathan and confronted the
OF men who were his SAFE 1t after that that
murder found necessary for escape and conceameh
list of the various weapons used in murders OF ate
years shows that in many such things as happened
TO he convenient hastily seized and used for the
fatal purpose. Simply "unartistc and hot-booded" +"
is the characteristic description very justly applied to
homicda acts generally though OF course there are not
a few exceptions.
1t is this very fact Of unpremeditaton that so often
makes detection difficult and not seldom Impossible.
The broods plan OF murder VIII leave
traces for the discovery of motive and OF some knd Oh
preparation for the crime. But In casual meeting OF
two men, sudden ebullition Of passion fatal blow,
and instant flight how small and few often, are the clues
by which the murderer may be traced Want Of clear in
formation as to the motive Of murder often battles the
detectives. Unpremedtated murder implies a motive
originating within the hour OF the deed ltsef-a mo
tive sometimes born of such frenzy even those most
intimate with the murderer may never have dreamed
him capable of. No wonder. then, that many an un-
known murderer walks secure among his fellow men.
STATISTICS OF MURDER
Edward Crapsey compiled, recently, for The GALAXY
some of the murder statistics Of the thirteen years from
1856 1863 both inclusive and from his report 1t seems
that the Of homcides In New York City during
that period has been fraction one per week These
are the figures: Murders-by persons known, 467; by
persons unknown, 1885, In these numbers are not in
cuded 100 who killed in street riots In 1868 and
1857 But not large per cent OF these homcides by per-
sons known were murders OF them bordcred closely
upon accidents Others killings in self defense
Very few of them ranked legally above manslaughter
The killings by persons unknown were more frequently
wu than in the other class; but, generally 1t Is
shown that the purpose 10 take life often not men
ally formed until the deed had been accomplished.
within the period examined SO wives were slain by their
husbands but even In nearly all these malice
pense 4" was wanting. Eight times in those 10 years
murder arstically done by poison, but IN hve OF
those cases the criminals detected, proving the
Of the popular belief that this seathes mode Is
also the safest.
In this city. in 1866 there were II homicides and
murders with numerous other OF death not cass
fed and which may may not have been murders
Only 80 persons arrested for these crimes The
records OF Courts show that only portion even OF
these persons convicted Among the obstacles to
conviction are technical deficiencies Of evidence per-
sona or political influences popular sympathy or the
appeals counsel operating upon the minds OF the jury
men, Able and unscupulous counsel sometimes succeed
in totally pervertng the judgment or jury Therc IL
one historical instance in which powerful Irish advo-
cate at the English bar 30 impressed jury
with the awful risk they would incur in con-
yictng his client, that, after the man had
as good as made confession, the frightened jury hest
tated for a fun hour and half the only verdict
that il was possible to render It the Of the
trial OF the murderer OF Lord william RUSSELL In 1SO
The counsel Phillips informed by the prisoner OF
his guilt The extraordinary zeal with which, notwith-
standing this disclosure he abored to confuse the minds
".
the time, and generally condemned Lord Broughams
emphatic opinion however sustained him. But the late
James T. Brady laid down better rule for the conduct
OF the bar and which, il is to he regretted not all OF
its members conform to, in the following language
Supposed that Lord BrGpgham definition Of ih, ,, gst. &
that o in the e Of r,sIel Ss1 oa n s Ts~ m,y @ & any s
ho1oab whatever any man who is accused would have Hgh' L"
FIVE TRAGEDIES
Tho s.orios of no uur,lers following have
selected from among great many others, as having
specal interest at time when the public has been 30
profoundly shocked by the details of the Nathan case
The first three OF in which the murderer
never discovered The last is in coincidence with the
theory that been most frequently advanced in the
Nathan casevz.: that the murderer not stranger
W A CASE IN NEw-oRLEAss.
very remarkable murder was committed at q house
in Magazinest New-Oreans on the night OF December
l5 1866 and, except the principle that public ex
ctements governed good deal by the public caprice
il is not easy 10 understand why 1t did not create as
great stir AZ the memorable Burdell The occu
nants of the house in question Mr. and Mrs. Nc
Lin and girl of i6 named Dora Hennerichs, who lived
with them a friend and companion. She was young
woman of excellent character plain in her appearance
retiring habits, and great favorite with the Me-
Ins who purposed adopting her She had as far as any
one knew enemies, and-what is perhaps not less in
nortant-no lovers On the night OF the l4h the family
sat ND late with guests. Dora went TO bed just be-
fore IL; Mrs McLn, being sck retired earher; Mr.. Nc
Lin sat up until /. His separated from Doras
only by a very thin partition. He heard disturbance
either before after retiring In the morning Dora did
not appear at the usual hour and her room after some
delay was broken open. She discovered lying In
corner with fearful wound in the back Of her head
apparently made with blunt instrument. smoothing
iron with blood it found in the There was
blood on the pillow. If the girl had been struck while
I'm bed and strange 10 say feather bed had been re-
moved from the bedstead and dragged TO the corner
where Dora lying. Otherwise there were no marks