Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1870-03-31
Horrible Murder at Troy. NY.

Between nine and ten o'clock en-
Wednesday evening Mr., Vanderheyden
and his son-in-lsw Edward J. Alexander
left thier house, as was their custom, for the
purpose of going to the barn ten or twelve
rods distant, and bedding the horses. Mr..
Alexander carried with him pail, and
when about midway between the house
and barn stopped at the pump for the
purpose of filling the pail. Mr.. Yender-
heyden continued on his way and reached
the barn. In this barn, it is supposed by
many, at least three men were concealed.
They had probably bid themselves there
in the early part of the evening and were
awaiting bne hour wnen Ine inmates OF
the house would be wrapped in slumber,
when they intended to enter the house
and break open or carry away the safe.
The approach of Mr.. Vanderheyden prob
ably led them to believe that they had
been discovered, and they determined to
preserve their liberty by murder.
AIR. Vanderheyden when he had
reached the barn placed lamp which he
had with him upon the ground, and
pushed the sliding door of the barn open.
He then entered, and just as he stepped
upon the floor a man who had been
erouching in a stall raised to his feet and
felled him to the ground with blow
from an iron pump handle, which crushed
his skull in way sufficient of itself to
cause death. The victim as soon as he
fell received two more blows from the
weapon-each rs deadly as the first.
After the blow first struck, and while the
others were being given, it is thought
that one of the nurderers stamped on the
dying mans legs with such force as to cut
the skin. The blows. as before stated,
crushed in the skull and caused depres-
sions from an inch to an inch and three
quarters in length.
The iron pump-handle used to accom-
plish the murder was brought to the
scene by the burglars, and did not belong
on the premises. 1t is about four feet
long, and weighs ten pounds. While Mr..
Vanderheyden was being murdered, Mr..
Alexander states that he, having filled his
pail, started for the barn. He had heard
the noise which the murder of Mr.. Van
derheyden produced, but supposed that it
was made by the horses.
When he was entering the door he saw
in the dark the form of a man with up
lifted arm and a club or some similar
weapon in his hand almost ready to
strike. He did not have time to retreat,
but involuntarily lifted up his right hand
to ward off the blow which was aimed at
him. The club descended and struck his
arm, fracturing it. Almost at the same
moment his eyes lighted on Mr.. Wander
heyden's lantern, and he Immediately be-
came conscious of the fact that his rela-
tive had suffered violence at the hands of
the men who had assaulted him, but it
did not enter his head that a dsvili.h
murder had been committed. He drep-
ped his pail and turned to retreat to the
house
He was followed by the man who had
| first struck him and blow from some
sharp instrument dealt at his head. A
painful wound was inflicted by this blow
on the back part of his skull. After re.
ceiving this wound he called at the top Of
his voice for help and his pursuer and
| would-be murderer reiterated. Mr.. Alex.
ander reached the house covered with
| blood and almost faint from the pain
| which his wounds caused him. Procur.
| ing pistol and shot gun, he started to &c
| to the barn once more.
But before doing so he despatched the
servant aud the negro boy to alarm the
| neighbors and procure assistance. On his
way to the barn he discharged the fire.
arms for the purpose of frightening the
persons whom he supposed were
there, but the murderer had fed
and when he again entered the barn
there was nothing to be seen but the
PROSTATE form of his relative. HI
stopped down and gazsd at him for mo-
meat, and in that moment no saw that q
murder equalling in brutality any re-.
corded in the annals of crime had been
| perpstrated. Mr.. Vanderheydsn wal