Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1870-08-04
THE NATHAN MURDER.
Suspicion Directed Again to the Son
OF the Murdered Man.

There is no abatement in the excite ment
attending the murder of Mr.. BENJAMIN Nathan
on Thursday last New York. In the mean
nIne certain Of the New York journals, unawed
by the severe reproofs administered by their
more cautious contemporaries, are throwing ont
daring hints that point to some member of MIR.
Nathan's family as the murderer. The Herald
says:
The ship carpenters dog. 50 apparently
unaccounted for in the residence of Mr.
Nathan-the weapon in fact with which the foul
murder Was efected-has been recognized "a
having been in the stable OF -Nsthsn's house for
a year or more. II this statement OF the builder
OF the house be true-and he seems 10 have been
constant and familiar visitor to the premises
one cloud of mystery, and that not small one.
would seem to be removed. III this story can be
verified il will be another evidence in favor of
the theory that the murderer did not come from
IN, not GS,s,ee and that, N all Probseility he did
The Sun copies long article from the Brook
Ign Eagle, in which the following occurs:
The stories that naval depots, tool stores
hardwar shops, and ship yards are being
secured for a dog" are Inventions The deed
was done with the 7" dog" found near the front
door. That .'dog" was for weeks kicked around
TO the front door with two designs one, to pro-
tect the murderer, when. after committing the
deed, he came TO see il the coast Oh sd street
side was clear; two, the ''dOg" was left there rs
blind. 1t has been sscertafned about to a GER
tainty that the murderer did not escape by the
front door. Policeman Munger had tried the
door repeatedly that night. IL remained locked
on the inside. not merely with a deadlock, but
with knob-loch, every hour between one and
i've m. The key was in the knob lock when
the ofhcers arrived in the morning. The son
himself swearS that he found it locked when he
came down In the morning-locked on the in
side. The murderer did not escape by that
door. He left the "dog" there for a blind. He
had come TO the door. had unlocked it, looked
4 MIL thn GvAt -In b,l
left the "dog" there to deceive subsequent in
yestigaiion. He then retraced his steps, and 10
ore came 10 tie door till Washington Nathan
came down and made An alarm.
Mr.. Nathan retired about ten O'Clock. At
about one in the morning rome one entered his
room. ut has been ascertaned that MIR. Ma
and AIorristown, during this hot weother.) The
person who entered room knew the place where
he kept the safe keys, and Also knew how to use
them as TO that safe. The old gentleman was a
light sleeper, although an old man TO whom
sleep was sweet" The murderer either awoke
MIR. Nathan in getting the keys, or he aYoke
him In the act Of applying the KEYS to the safe.
The latter suppositiOn is most supported. The
murderer was (let say as we were told) on his
knees applying the keys. Mr. Nathan awoke.
and it seems undeniable that he recognized who
was tampering with his deposits. He certainly
got out OF bed, for midway between the bed and
safe he was first knocked in the face with the
first OF the murderer, who then picked up =" the
dog and subsequently applied it with such sig
nitc2nt sSvagery, even after death had followed
the original fatal blow on the temporal artery.
Alter the old man was dead the murderer
cleansed himself, obseured as far as possible the
traces, and rhen accomplished his original OBJ
ject of riting the safe OF what it was his object
10 get
THEMUEDEEED Man ESEw THE MURDERER DIS
TISOTLY.
This Is now the unanimous conclusion of the
authorities. Mr.. Nathan knew, or thought he
knew the depredator 50 well that he could rec
Ognize him merely By his form in a dsrkened
r, ON at miini, hf. The old man. of course did
rot 90 TO sleep with his spectacles on. When he
awoke he was without them. lie then. by out
lire, described a form at the safe. He probably
was able to make ont who it was, tor he un-
GOCbte1Iy arose and made for the safe. feeling
sure that if his impIessi was correct, his au-
thoritative word would be sufficient TO protect
his property. Both that authority and the old
man very considerable strength. for lie was q
very viry, muscular. tenacious man, were suff-
Gent 10 withstand the iron weapon with which
he was encountered. Undoubtedly (say the
authOritiesl both knew the other, and the
murderer felt II necessary, not in seif-defence,
bat in selfsecurity for all the future to kill the
old man beyond remedy. Then it that
frenzy of fear or of passion came into play, and
that accounts for the extraordinary violence
wreaked- The pshce have found no recesses,
wardrobes, closets, or inches in the house that
bear evidence OF occupation during that night.
1t was q starry night-was Thursday-and Mr..
Nathan's open window let in stream OF quali-
fed but not very obscure light into the room.
The safe was in line with the light from a win
dow That was kept open Tor ar. The door was
in line with the same window, so as to get a
draueht alongside of, but not over the sleeping
man.
THE MOTIVE.
The motive was not a bold robbery. No pro-
fessiOnal burglar would have done so much to
secure a watch set OF studs and a poke t. book.
Nor would = professional burglar have known
the walls were deadened, nor would he have
used "dog." Whoever murdered Mr.. Nathan
took Off the spoiis in order TO give a semblance
OF robbery to the affair. The safe did not con-
tain any yalusbles, except papers, some OF
which are missing. y burglar would not have
know n how TO use the KEYS on the safe. A person
familiar with Mr.. NGthan's accommodation
table, and who knew that papers OF a certain
Kind were in the safe committed the murder.
The motive of the depreciation was to get pos
session Of q certain paper. The motive of the
murder was TO destroy the only witness to the
attempted feloDiOus abstraction of the paper.
What was that paper? We are not at liberty to
say. II it should prove to have been a last will
and testament annulling former will and tesla
ment, that would make the explanation OF the
motive apparent, If a legatee under the former
viii knew that by later will he had been cut
off.
We are perfectly aware Of the gravity of the
impressions which these words produce. The
Eagle s rot in the habit OF arousing conclusions
wherein il does not feel sure both Of tho evil
Gence and the consequences.