New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-16
ayetp @rlsans $spnbli1a,1.
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE UNITED STATES
OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF NEW ORLEANS
4 MASSACHUSETTS HORROR.
An old Man Murdered

An Old Man Murdered.
A boy fourteen years old named Hall, but
known as Cuffee, because he lived with his
grandfather, Samuel Cuffee, killed an old
man named BENJAMIN Howard, in West
mort fnear Bedford),. Massachusetts, last
week. This is the confession Of the muir
derer:
Hall saws he rose about four o'clock Tues
day morning, took his gun and went to
Howard's house with the intention OF rob-
bling him. Arriving there he made an un-
successful attempt to open the window and
door with cr0wbar, but fearing to alarm
tho old man. gave it up, intending to enter
the house when Howard went to milk. He
hid himself behind the orchard wall, and
the old man soon came out with his milk
nail and went to the barn. Instead Of going
to the house Hall remained behind the wall
waiting for Howard to return. When the
old man returned with his milk-pail in his
hand, and as he reached spot between the
wall and the house, Hall rested the gun on
the wall and fired. The old man said i:
"What are you aboutF' and walked as far
- the front door, when he fell backward on
the doorstep. The boy then struck him
twice ON the head with wooden wash
FOUNDER, which he found near the house,
and killed him. Hall says his victim never
spoke after his first exclamation, and hardly
stirred.
The whole deed-waiting for the old man,
committing the murder and mutilating and
hiding the body-Occupied about three
hours, and shortly after seven o'clock the
boy returned home, lay down on his bed,
and afterward eat breakfast. On the way
wallet, and threw that and the key in the
bushes. The Young criminal does not ap-
pear to realize the danger Of his position, or
the magnitude of the crime which he has
committed. He was perfectly cool during
the recital of the deed, and says he felt
ashamed when he saw the body ON Satur-
day, and was sorry that he murdered How
ard. He says he knew he should tell all
about it some time, and is glad that the
matter is off his mind. The boy talks well,
shows considerable shrewdness, and is by
no means as ignorant and simple as he
sometimes appears.
The circumstances leading to Halls de-
lection are interesting, and exemplify the
power of circumstantial evidence. On Sun
day afternoon Deputy Constables Dunbar
and Hitch and officer Dayton went to the
head of Westp0rt after hearing of the muir
der. Their suspicious were first directed to
Hall on account Of o contradictory state,
ment made before the COr0ner's jury, and
fact Of the money in his possession. Cap
tain Perry arrived on the spot on Monday
afternoon, with Mr. Marston, and Perry and
Dayton took Hall from the school, ostensi-
bly, as guide to the scene of the murder.
Hero his actions were somewhat suspicious,
he evidently avoiding looking upon the in
tended grave, and he was arrested, and
State Constable Durham brought him to
this city. The other proofs were soon OBJ
tanned, and the murderer had no alternative
but full confession of the deed.
After the murder, Hall or Cuffee under
took to dig grave to hide the body in, but
its dimensions were insufficient, and one
leg of the murdered man was sawed of.
The grave not being deep enough, the body
was dragged into the woods, and partially
covered with leaves.
Cuffee worked regularly one day ip a week
at slaughterhouse, and this was supposed
to account for the apparent GOODNESS with
which the body had been mutilated SO
shockingly.
Hall is very large Of his age, and would
be set down at rough guess for eighteen
years old. He belongs to the Westport
tribe of Indians, but Is intermixed with
negro blood to large proportion.