The New York herald., 1870-08-28
THE NATHAN MURDER.
Narrative Of Parallel Case in Dublin Fourteen
Years Ago-A Dog Concerned-Final
Discovery Of the Murdsrcr-Intarest-
ing "Reminiscences Of Crime.

About fourteen years ago murder was committed
NJ the Broadsrone Railway termnus in Dublin,
which had many features OF resemblance To the
Natnan Tragedy, ana which stirred up the most pro-
found interest not alone In Dublin but ali over Ire
land. After months upon months OF unwearied and
unavailing search the murderer was finally made
known by his wife, who, aware OF her husband hav-
ing committed the deed and drcading every night
saal termination 10 her life, gave rest 10 her
conscience anu her fears by informing the au.hori-
ties OF what she knew. gentleman sends us the
following
NARRATIVE or THE MURDER.
The Broadstonc murder which was committed IN
dublin In 1854 was remarkably Ike IN circum-
stances the Nathan case. Mr.. Little, cashier to
the Midland Railway Company OF Ireland. was
found murdered In his Office at the Broadstone ter
minus in October o1 tho year mentioned. His family
having missed him. naturally came to his Oficc and
were astonjshed to find the lights burning In II,
although the door was locked. Upon breaking open
the door his corpse presented itself, moBged In the
most frglhfnl manner No knife or similar instru-
ment was used, bur ihc wou,sis AMI fractures werc
innumerahle. ana seemed 10 haye been inflicted by
n heavy bludgcon. Upon examination or the room
"dog,r or shipwrigngs manner, was found in q
corner, and 1his carefully treasured by the pO
lice. The once was visiaed during Inc Gay by all
the employees OF the cOsapany, has none OF them
could give the least clue 10 .he perpetrators OF inc
murder. MI. LiiIlc. IL seems very rarely remained
IN his ofce affsr six ococE IN she evening; so that
the wounds and orsisls ha,l been Gs less airocous
nature, suyplciaa w0GEd aave posassd 10 suicide
Even as maflers wars u runor OF sllrs sors prs,-
vailed for a short sinna eMEEsd wg5h aEezel dela.
cations in his acc.unas. Ths railway company
promptly Tepndtared ants cmarye. and the coroner s
inquest discloseS 10 AL tllA1 worads SUCH as were
tnNtc lad
suicide. They we're rnaDIcSiy tas .asa@s Of .ne
hammer fcrnd in rae 0sls.
TaE 'tD1G- Il CONSPICUOUS ExAFrrG
The dog became rMs c2zasrs "a zaaealh,p i.
was Lhe only tans 10 Tine srwrs.ser. Eus noqss CT
discovery dtn not fa 10 alaErate Ire xnGa xr,ry Cd
detectives VINO night Ana day @rusecnred sfser III
vestigarans, Though xIdh@Er ANY eccr- livery car
penter in Dnh1n every I.rsoi1 in ahsE cEny vino az
ever engaged in carpnn1gSp E1rin evcn svr al ncur
inspected tine -1dn" /" aMc 1zlA rhe ssag neGlg
bite only, md not hal.l- II Iexssal,N nnenAn: AL
tradesmen, hyWsx4I, 1s.rcsEs.l fhaS VT wea OH
not used for mny y3ns rIstt by 2ay eseriptictn ca
carpentsrs xs II had been Sugerssassa fy zsaas Cd
more handy nafurn. Sn:n Mstrvunras ns ins s.esy
III aHeslinnv hUsaeSsT. hEa hcGm usesz anlxgsSsaliy
about txeuy Cir rwsntt54z yaans prrx5gGsly- Ii
was stan TuJ sruss n&nr nane a sIan anyIsssas vino
inspected tue day cBaM ra1ma.naGsr iaar aAey asd
nor many years r sza. ssEa Tay uynA eracaiy Nxa IT,
mnch less the 1dsni5,l msGTMm.u1. SnsIncann hnr-
ing nothing 10 build hpUn n1It shIs dog Iranr9aly
pointed 10 Tue trAdeSIngl working ora Is pzs1aasss
OF the coulrany- Thssc I'LL exnra nsl rnd faaSr
houses searched, hui rr4ne or sny1alg in inc
nature OF murder could he discovered aarony n4a1
IL wGs nj lasr remembered by Some OF l- eaayrsul-
tiers searched by tne ds.incMyes thas ~, Lilc nad
Lscsay ry eIiEiaye1 slcAage workInen io Pain and
nsse Alter so1ns s1S unir as nr raSns aosa5 o5
were were discorsrei- bpt ahry fDrntsled no
in fact no regular frSdGsmanL rsey had br.n
mercy Hmtewasaisg ihc csIling OF NJ Liiilcs
was an unusually hnndy l,aar was doing s. li,ilc
amateur decoration among nsTnrsS al the ci,s-.
for AR Little ana had not been his ONCE ior
some days before The rnnrdcr. None Of them pTp-
Jessed i0 know anything aD0uI The nanmsr.
The murder wonid seem 10 have been efectcd in
This way:-Mr. Little by accidens happened 10 say
LITER III mis- once Than usual, prrparng accounts
fer meeting OF the railway board, wh,nn Nas about
Ia take place; the burglar, noL e-spectjn. To dad
any one IN the onlce. entered BY window 10 n
INTO LiItle's studio; finding q person there and his
own retreat dangerous without disposng.oT the OBJ
server, he then SET upon lJtle, It supposed and
murdered him. The number OF wounds seemed 10
betoken personal mncc--so that the way parties
came In ior their own share or Obl0Guy, and some
VINO were on duty III the neighbosno0d OF the Office,
were very properly dismissed frOm the compaDy's
service. Upon these suspicion in the last
about to settle, as ordinary vigilance would have
enabled them to hear the resistance which Mr. Lutte
must have offered TO his murderer. The railway
British money was about the amount abstraced
from Mfr. Ltte's office; for 1t IL hardly necessary To
rined. The company were able No guess at the
amount in Mr.. Littie3 once, because he had made
heavy odgcmcnS the same day day in the Bank OF
ireland 10 the credit OF the railway company, ana
his balance in hand conld only be d dag average
receipts at the Broadstone terminus.
MONTHS FLEW BY
and the detectives were snubped and sDeercd at by
the knowing ones in the dangerous classes, and AZ
last the nine days' wonder ceased afford inte-
resting topic discussion. The BrOadstOne tragedy
was consigned 10 The already long catalogue OF un
At last the Dublin morning papers startled the
Inhabitants OF that beautiful but qulescenG city with
The announcement that the wife OF Spoien,
the amateur carpenter, had informed agains;
him, ana corroDoratcd her testimony by
placing the police IN possession Of f2oo
0i the murder. The announcement IN The newspa-
pers tas all such statements are, ought to De)
found 10 be literally correct. Spollens wife had
proved Sponen's commission Of the murder beyond
The reach OF question. and even entlded the mystic
rous "dOg." Her account OF the matter was
fOllows:-Spollen While WcIking iOr Mi. Little, haa
his cupidity excited by Mr.. Ltrles marvellous IA
miariy with the precious metals, which he counted
1aster than printer can distribute ais type. In
poor Little Spollen beIeid Crus,s and so he re-
solved TO prove a Scion himself so far evidence
OF the superiority OF iron TO Sclu were concerned
lie resolved therefore. 10 break into the Office by
ni;ht rumnage the coDtents and to carry OF ali
loose cash. lie did not communicate his design to
any one his discovery TO his wife having been made
only after the commission OF the murder. lie en-
tered by the window, which worked on puleys
and was unlastened; ana on entering the next
room, which was Littles OlAce, was sur
prscd 10 lind lights and the cashier himself
there. 1t was the thought and work OF an
instant 20 murder Little Which SpclleD did III
the most savage manner; one-twentlcih CT the
violence used had sileuced Litue's voice forever.
Spollen then riGed the safes and decanpcd with
somewhat more than G200 This s0ln he hid OH
the line Of railway us he travelled homewara, ana
he actually afraid ever afierWard 10 70 near the
heap OF STONES where he secreted The treasure. HIS
tears were not groundless, Tor the detectives and
railroad oncials straining every nerve to catch
nlIIR rn
the government and railway company FOR inf0rDa.
ton respecting this most mysterious tragedy spoil
lens motive IN telling MS vie OF the commission or
the murder was perhaps wish 10 engage her SER
vices IN recovering the sccreted E20o However.
whether Influenced by n hope or tho great reward
drcadIng that Spoen might murder herself lest
sIe might inform Of him, she soon afIerwald re-
yealed The above facts 10 the police, and SpOileu
found himself 3Iraigned On the charge of having
murdered Mr.. Lltte.