The New York herald., 1871-09-15
fHE HARPER MURDER IN KENTUCKY.
A Brother and Sister Of John Harper, the
Face Horse Owner, Slaughtered
Tkeir


the brother and sister OF old Mr. John bp.lper the
.vner Of LonuIellow. were murdered =. their beds,
~ their residence in wooiford County. just before
s.v,,uht Yesterday morning, VINO did the terrible
sced "a not known. Mr. John Harper and his old
sschelor brother aut maiien sister were the only
vhitc persons who lived on thepace. They were born
rere and had lived there together until the youngest
was over seventy years OF age. 1t was an immense
estate, one OF the largest and the owners The most
wealthy farmers IN Kentucky. It is about three
miles from Midway and fifteen miles from Lexin e.
ton adjoins the great Alexander st ock farm and Is
an the heart OF the Blue Grass region. Mr.. John
Harper was not OF home on the fatal night. lie had
gone 10 the Lexington races, at which the famous
Longellow and several other Of his horses were TO
run. Mr.. Jacob Harper and Miss Betsy Harper were
the only ones at home, except about twenty or
thirty negroes who are employed upon the plantE-
IIon.
DISCOVERY OF THE MURDER.
Judging from appearances the bloody work must
have been committed abont three O'Clock in the
morning. II was not discovered until alter sunup.
MI. Jacob slept IN q room ADJOINING that OF ms
sister, upon the nrsi noor About halEpast i've
o'clock the housekeeper, negro woman, went into
the room OF Miss Betsy but noticed nothing wrong,
but sue remembers OF hearing The Old lady groan
once or twice; but as she was very ieeble and mad
been almost bedridden for long lime no particular
attention was paid TO it. A hall hour alter this
kr. Harper's man servant went IN 10 wake hlm
except he WIS unusually hard to Make lie then
loft the room. The nrst discovery was made
70 waken Miss Betsy, notleed blood upon the
bedcoIhcs, and, upon looking closer found tnai the
old lady's head and lace horribly gashed. aud
tnat she was lying In pool OF blood. The bed was
literally besnearel with gore. The woman ran out
screaming and the alarm was given. Word OF tho
terrible tragedy was sent through the nelghbornood,
anl soon excited people began 10 flock in from all
almost beaten 10 leily anu dead. lie was cold and
stark and stn Miss Betsy was unconscious, but
still living. She was not dead at noon yesterday.
ARRIVAL OF JOHN HARPER.
messenger was sent TO Lexington for Mr.
sohn harper ana ne arrived about n.ne O'Clock,
aged brother and aged and feeble sister the VIC
tins OF crime SO horrid and brutal and bloody
That the snock OF II almost overcame him. The
whole nelgnboruood had assembled and crowded
the rooms and the haiis In mute horror. The ne.
groes stood around Inc doors weeping, and the old
house servant the nurse Of Miss betsy, kneit at
the bedside OF her old mistress, crying as II her
heart would break. what Q reception For the man
criDable. He cried ike u child. IL was terrible
moment and many who had feared the conse-
quences OF bls arrival now believe that he would
Got survive the snOcx.
No time was to be lost, however, and an nveSt-
CATION was Immediately undertaken. The Coroner
arrived about eleven o'clock and proceeded 10 hold
were examined, and, though the evidence had not
Mi been heard at last accounts there was enough TO
sasten tue guilt upon several OF the colored en-
poyes.
IL seems that on Saturday last Mr.. Jacob Harper
vent down 10 Frankfort and, II is thought, drew
Ave hundred or q thousand dollars out OF bauE.
Upon MS return 10 Midway he offered TO bet large
amounts on tue LongIellow race and exhibited
money, ana this came 10 the knowledge Of the as.
sassn. 1t was not the habit OF the family 10 keep
money about the house. Money undoubtedly
the object OF the murder but whether the murdererS
obtained any or not is not Known pockctbOok
shat Mr. Harper generally carried missing from
hls body, though nothing else about the house was
disturbed.
BLOOD ON HIS SHIRT.
Upon hearing Of the tragedy MT. Harper set out
Immediately from Lexington, aud was driven home
~ his trainer Rolla, co!ored boy whom ne
ND IN IN I'm AhAn
four miles from town they met negro man VINO
baa been hired uPon the place only few days
before. They inquired about The tr0u0le al home,
when ne replied that there nothing the matter:
thar he had leit only an hour be0To. and that every
remarked tnas ne saw blood % on III that ieliows
shtrt." This negro, whose name Is not learned was
afterwards sent after and arrested in Lexington.
Further Developments 20 TO prove undoubtedly that
ne TOOK leading part IN the murder.
HEARD SOMETHING FALL
A Toy named William, who raised by Mr..
Harper. and who is about twenty-five years OF age,
= also suspected. His mother testified before The
Coroners jury that he slept in the upstairs OF her
cabIn, and that he could not get ont without coming
through her room, unless he climbed out the window
and over shed at the side or the cabin. Sometime
during the night she says she heard log sometl ing
~ the side OF the cabin fall Upon examination yes
terday 1t was found that one OF the raiIers or long
poles which laid upon the shed TO hold the boards
70 their places had rolled OF the shed TO the ground.
The rool gave unmlstakabie evidence OF some one
having passed over IL. Several other negroes are
missing and are suspected OF having had hand in
the affair. Three In all had been arrested at last
negro whom Mr. Harper met coming from Lexng-
ton, and he iaed utterly before tie COroner's Jury
now THEY WENT ABOUT 1T.
The window shutters OF the room In which Mr.
harper slept are fastened on the inside with small
drop bolts. On the window sill yesterday as 10 und
common case.knife, aud 1t Is supposed this was
used TO raise the bolts. There was no means OF
telling how many entered the room. They
nsed small haichet which had been lying
so1ana y saa the rstS w0odpe as ,, for long Lime
per's room was entered first, aud from tue arrr...-
snce OF the bed y IS probable that he skened
many times they srILsG him. 1t may be tnat he
up In the q waen hit the nrst time and
and rapid c.1ws OF the hatcnet soon put end to
aim WAS noiseless work, however, and they
rooter with the greatest precision, showing that
ehor work was determined, deliberate and cold.
Then they went through the door opposite the bed
Into Miss Betsy's room. Here their hearts must
aned sge Ur 'eey ne 1ae WORK S
over her head and face: The first blow evidently
stuffed her, ana sne laid UNCONSCIOUS while they
piled the bloody hatchet. They let by the front
door and dropped the hatchet IN the yard. 1t was
found soon after the tragedy was discovered but
before Rola and Mr. Harper recognized il inme-
dtatey upon their arrival.
MISS BErsY's CONDITION.
Miss Betsy's wounds were dressed and she re-
turned 10 consciousness yesterday morning. she
appears perfectly rational in all except thing.
Upon being asked who had been In the house during
the night she replied, Nobody. VINO struck her
Nobody. Who killed Jake-Nobody. She was con-
scious or everything except the terrible deed which
had been SO fatal TO her. Physicians that she
may 1--we Tor eight or ten days yet but that snc IS
Old and feeble that she can hardly recover. Der
skuil IL broken and crushed In upon the brain in
several places. IL was rumored In Lexington last
nignt that sue had died, but 1t Is unlikely.
oMIHoUS EXCITEMENT
The whole Blue Grass region was In u terrible state
Ci excitement yesterday. About ididway and in Lex.
lI2ton people quit work, so greatly was the whole
community appalled, by the horror OF The thing. 1t
IL hoped that there viii be lynchipg Ku klux-
lng out the people are excited aud there Is no tell
tnx wDat may come of II all.
Ar. Harper has teegraphed for several OF the
snrewdest detectives IN the country, 3nd the matter
Ml pe sited 10 the bottom. IL Is as appalling the
famous Nathan murder. and more bloody. The VIC.
Tins are among The most wealthy people In the State
m kentucky, ana the murder, aside from iis cruelty
wil attract attention from the close connection or
gne murdered with man whose name has so re-
gently been in the mouths OF everybody In the
country.
Another AccGulf of the Tragedy.
despatch 10 the Cincinnati commercial con-
faius the following particulars.-