New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-09-15
TIE HARPER MURDER IN KENTUCKY
PARTICULARS OF TIE BUTCIIERY.
From, Tie Louisville Journal l2h.


From The Louisville Journal I'm.
The brother and sister of old Mr.. John Harper,
the of LoDgteOw were murdered in their b Us,
light Monday morning Who did the terrible deed is not
known Mr.. John Harper and his old bachelor brother
on the place They born there and had lived there
together until the youngest was 20 years OF age 1t
was an immense estate-one of the largest-and the
owners the most wealthy farmers in Kentucky. II is
about three miles from Midway and Is miles from Lex
the heart Of the Blue Grass Region. MIR. John Harper
not at home on the fatal night He had gone To the
several other Of his horses were to run. Mr.. Jacob
Harper and Miss Betsy Harper were the only ones at
home. except about 20 OF W negroes VINO arc employed
Judging from appearances, the bloody work must have
been committed about o'clock in the morning 1t was
not discovered until after sunrise Mr.. Jacob slept in
adjoining that Of hio sister, upon the frsl nOor
into the room OF Miss Betsy but noticed nothing wrong
She remembers OF hearing the old lady gr0an onGe OF
9u fsS So ,S Sns t no p"rcuar
paid to it. half hour after this MI Harper5 man,
took hold of the old mans shoulder, but still noticed
nothing except he was unusually hard wdke nc tnsn
servant who, having gone in to wake Miss Betty.
noticed blood upon the bed-cothes and upon ioOIg
rihy gashcd and that sho lying pool OF blood
The bed literally besmearcd with gore The woman
screaming. and the alarm was given Mr. HIr-
per was found with his head almost beaten To Jeiy'
and dead He was cold and nd, stark stark ana SIM d
Miss Betsy unconscious, Dut SUI living ohe "as
not dead ut noon yesterday , ,,o s,o,, ,,,ost
When John Harper arrived home Inc SHOCK almost
oycrcame him. The whole neighbour mood ha'i aa'cmOicu
and crowded the rooms and tine halls III mute horror.
The negroes stood around the DOORS weepns, anu we
Old the OF Miss Betsy knclt at me
bedside Of her old MISTRESS crying as II her heart wouid
break. Old John cried like child. II was terrible
moment and many who had feared the consequences OF
his arrival now believed that he would not survive the
shock No time to DO lost however, and an invesli-
CATION was immediately undertaken The coroher ar
rived about O'Clock and proceeded to hold an inquest
number of the negroes upon the place were examined
and though the evidence had not all been heard
at last accounts, there was enough To faSten
the guilt upon several Of the col9red employees:
IN seems that on Saturday last MI jacob Harper went
down to FRANKFORT and It is thought. drew $500 Or . 600
ont OF bank Upon his return to Midway, he offered 70
be large amounts the Longelow race and exhibited
money and this to the knowledge of the assassns
n was not the OF the family to keep money about
the house. Money was undoubtedly the object OF the
murder but whether the murderers obt1lned any OF
not is not known. pocketboOk that Mr. Harper gen
orally carried missing irom his body though nothins
else about the house was disturbed.
Mr.. Harper On his way home. on hearing OF 1, IND sS
ira gedy met who mad been hired upon tne pSe
oniy lew DAYS before Hc inquired about the ron's
at home WHEN the replied that there was hotD,ng
the matter tina. he had LEI. only an hour beIDle Ia
That ching ali l-a!. lie t.en n''d On "1su