The New York herald., 1870-07-30
BENJAMIN Nathan, the Wealthy
Broker, Battered to Death
In His Library.
The Safe Blown Open and Plum
dered by the Murderers.
~ narrowing Spectacle
of Blood.
Police R1Imors and Clues---Escape
Of the Miscreants.

At nm cary hour yesterday a tragedy was enacted
IN the house No. IL West Twenty-third street. near
Fifth avenue, OF such @ charace that those whose
professional duties compelled them 10 witness the
results VIII even bear it In unpleasant recollection.
IL was an utterly unexpected event. Any one
uf the rullans--these hghtegSed scoundrels igno.
rant and debased-who swagger through the
street just as n snipe flies, staggering from
side to side with impudent leer and chuckle.
head, conscious OF their impertincnce against
dccency their very presence created, knows that
stabbing ARRAY q shooting match between rival
'Ngin sings" is no uncommon affair. The tragedy
which has now 10 be noted ana Which VIII probably
occupy the pubic mind for many days. was more
carefully planned tnan any Of those which delight
plug uglles OF the warlike wards.
No fouler murder ever chiiled the blood OF
quiet citizens or excited the enthusiasm OF ban
uit OF the desert. than that which was announced
yesterday morning. About half-past six O'Clock,
as Is reported by gentleman stopping at the Fifth
Avenue hotel, loud cies OF 'Aurder Police ~
repeated again and agan, were heard In Twenty
third street. The gentleman question hastily LEFT
his beo. and, looking nom his window, saw
TWO YoU,:G MEN IN THEIR NIGHT CLOTHING
standing on the stoop Of the house No. II, shouting
Justify; an In few moments a large number OF
cirzens and q few policemen. attracted by their
young men, subs ,quently proved to be the sons OF
Che victim OF the deed thoy thus startlingly pro-
claimed. Gloom shaded the faces OF loungers
who haunted the corridors OF the Fifth Avenue
Hotel, melancholy seized upon the people in
the neighborhood Of the tragedy. In an apart
ment OF the second door rumor located the scene
OF bloody deed. few policemen walked up to
the door OF the house and were admitted. The ofll-
GERS Immediately took possession, searched the
house and On the second noor had disclosed TO them
one OF
THE BLoODIEsT VIEWS
that ever afrghtcd mortal eyes. Clotted with gore
nom head to heel, gashed in the face, Cut IN the
head in number of places whose dark
flowing gore prevented counting Of the wounds,
corpse OF an old gentleman lay stretched
cold ard stiff. The vctiim. Mr.. Benjamin Nathan
. well'known Broad street broker, brother
inaw of Judge Cardozo, lay between his
horary and his drawing room, surrounded by pools
OF dark and clottcd blood, his hands clenchcd his
head thrown back, his chest distorted his night
dress stin with the red juice OF l.ie and his arms
body legs and the soles Of his feet were marked
win the saDguinary 1uid. Deep in the forehead
and lead, 1ightiu gashes under the cranium told OF
tie murderous assault; while ON the door Of the
rooms between which the body lay and the sides OF
the dividing wall were spattered plentiful
STREAMS LIFE FLUID
IN such manner as indicated prot-actcd and
frightful struggle. Those who first saw IT in the
hight which shone dlnly through the gathered
binds beheld not only the most narrowing scene
which ever smOtc the wondering eye, but behell the
blo0diest picture IN the book OF time.
From the different accounts carefully gathered !
and compared the following statement OF the
CIRCUMSTANCES OF THE MURDER
may be considered correct:-At twenty minutes
past nine O'Clock Wednesday night Mr.. Benjamin
Nathan, the murdered man, entered his house and
repaired 10 MS bedroom on the second floor in the
front Of the spacious dwelling. Later his two sons
spoke to him as they came In and bade him good
ngnt as they retired. These slept on the floor
aDove-one IN the front and the other In
the rear. AT SIX O'Clock yesterday morn
ing Mr.. Washington Nathan, one Of the sons.
went down 10 Lis fathers room to call him.
He found him stretched in the sleep OF death,
lying IN the position described. Horrned at
the sight he called for assistance, and then wit
messed scene, spectacle OF domestic agony pain.
full to behold and almost impossible to describe.
Even to the loving and experienced eyes OF the dis.
tracted young man the frighrful corpse on the floor
was indescribably horrible The head, beaten black
and blue, the floor surrounding hun and the rich
carpet under the body saturated with blood and
brains, gave abundant evidence that The old gentle
man had parted with his life only after
A FRIGHTFUL STRUGGLE.
When the officers entered the house they took the
usual precautions prevent any disturbance OF the
body or the furniture In its immediate neighbor-
hood. Questioning lengthily the domestics, who
stood In the hail they entered, they assembled the
broad stairs and walked into the chamber OF the
second floor. This contained bed. which had been
occupied during the night by one OF Mr.. Nathan's
Dat
sageway, or intermediate room, arranged as
wash room; another room, devoted to the
same purpose the opposite side OF the partition
communicating with the drawing room In the 'front.'
or which was the library or studio OF Mr. Nathan
bed was placed In the centre OF each room but the
library was furnished with small centre table O
desk, chair ana sofa only. The chair was, when
found overturned near the door leading 20 the oner
room.
THE SAFE WAS OPEN
and the desk leaf was down. There was nothing in
the safe; the desk had only q few papers upon Its
open leaf; but the chair bore the marks of a
struggle. The bottom, which faced the desk, was
dyed with blood and streaked with hair: and near
by, on the carpet, were red marks OF
blood. Within few feet OF the char were
unequfvocal marks OF murderous struggle, when
the feet OF the murdered man protruded one
stretched out at full length and the other crooked in
agony The door and doorsides were abundanty
splattered with blood, while round about tho body
clotted gore showed its hdeous marks.
THE BODY LAY
between the library and the outer room, on its
back, with raised chest and depressed head, the
most horrible sight that ever mortal gazed upon.
Judging from the evidence OF blood such terrible
murder was ever committed In this city before.
Near the open desk was small tin box full Of pa
pers apparently untouched and back Of 1t the iron
'afe. Pictures OF eminent public men OrDamented
he wallis To the right OF the feet OF the corpse,
which, as already stated, protruded into tho larger
'oom was bed of four mattresses, overaid with
Iheet Near II was another Mattress evidently su-
pernumerary. There was an appearance OF disturb
lnce in the bed. but struggle might have occurred
Ind yet not be noticed owing to the soldity OF the