The New York herald., 1872-11-14

THE SGAFF0LD.
The Desperate Negro Murderer,
Grant, Quieted at Last.
A SPECIMEN ASSASSIN.
History Of the Killing Of Amanda Spence,
His Aunt, at West Chester, Pa.
HIS FEROCITY IN PRISON.
MurderOus Attacks by the DemOni-
acal Captive Upon the Keepers.
IIand-to-IIand Fight with
Four Wardens.
AN lNCOHERENT CONFESSION.
Fast Society, Fast Women and
Hard Drinking His Ruin.
The Culprit Suffers the Last Penalty
Without Murmur.
MurderOus Attacks by the DemOni-
acal Captive Upon the Keepers.
IIand-tO-IIand Fight with
Four WardcnS.
AN lNcoHERENT CONFESSION
Fast Society, Fast Women and
Hard Drinking His Ruin.
The Culprit Suffers the Last Penalty
Without a Murmur.
WEST CHESTER, "a, Nov. 10, 1872.

WEST CHESTER, "a, Nov. 13, 1872.
About year ago this quiet little town was awak-
cncd from its wonted ethargy by the report OF a
brutal assassination within its precincts. The report
upon investigation proved to be true. Weltering
in her blood lay Mrs. Amanda Spence, assassnated
by one George Grant. Both parties were colored,
the murdered woman having lived in the place
since ls4o and was Justly considered respectable
inoffensive person. BY industry and frugality her.
self and husband had gathered together enough
money to go into business for themselves At the
time OF the murder they were keeping an oyster
saloon and restaurant and making very comfort
able living. Grant, the murderer, was a barber
and had married niece Of the Spences. After
the marriage some difficulty arose between Mrs.
Spence and Grant, which eliminated in her death.
THE FATAL SHOT
was fired about nine o'clock on the evening of the
9th OF October, 1871. 1t is very quiet time in
suburban towns, and the report was heard by
several persons, who ran to their doors to ascer-
tain the cause. Following the direction from
which the report seemed to have come, the people
found themselves at Spence's oyster saloon, next
door to the Eagle Hotel on one side ana adjoining
the alley which leads into Parker's coal yard. The
building fronts on Gay street, and is occupied as
barber shop, oyster saloon and residence. The
oyster saloon is in the basement, and Is reached by
descending some fve or six steps from the pave.
ment, and the barber shop Is on the first floor
the saloon. The room Immediately in rear OF the
restaurant, and on the same floor, s used as
kitchen, and the balance of the building as q resi-
dence. The pavement Is on level with the
saloon foor and about three feet below
the surface Of the alley, from which
1t Is divided by close board fence,
IN which are two gates. In the rear of the
building is small piece OF ground planted in cab
bage flowers and shrubbery It was here the mur.
der was committed. At the time OF the murder a
girl, twelve or fourteen years OF age, was in the
Kitchen. She stated 10 the Coroner's jury during
the Investigation that her grandmother Mrs.
Spence) had just returned from visiting some
neighbors and had gone into the yard to close the
shutters. Having closed the shutters she started to
return TO the house, and had just touched the door,
latch when the shot was fired, and the girl heard
her grandmother eyclaim .'Oh ~ She rushed into
the saloon and told her grandfather that "some-
body had hurt grandma" BY this time some people
had arrived on the premises and found Mrs. Spence
lying on her back her feet in the doorway and her
head and body on the paved area. She was imme-
diately taken up and carried into the house. She
said not word, but gasped few times and almost
Immediately expired
SEARCHING FOR THE MURDERER.
The news spread with rapdity. Anxious in.
quires were made as to who could be the murderer
Suspicion pointed to a man named Barrell, as he
had few weeks previously uttered threats against
Mrs. Spence for compelling him to disgorge q ten
dollar note he had stolen from customer In the
barber shop. Barre lived just outside OF the town.
at Bowers mill. Ofllcers Bobb and Lynch took q
carriage at once and proceeded TO Barrell's house.
They found him at home and arrested him. Before
twelve O'Clock he vas lodged in the county jail.
Previous to Barrell's arrest a search was made on
the premises OF the murdered woman for traces OF
the murderer. During the search an old musket
was found under the shrubbery. The musket
barrel had been cut Off to within six eight inches
OF the nipple. The stock had also been sawed or
and whitfield down, the design OF the party who
did 1t evidently being to make horse pistol OF it,
On the steps partially burned and singed piece OF
calico was found, which had been used as wadding.
THE Posr-xoRrEM EXAMINATION
revealed the fact that three balls had been shot
from the weapon into Mrs. Spence's back; one, q
heavy slug, was sticking In the skin under her left
breast; the other two tbucksh0t had passed
through the heart and lungs In the course OF the
examination the pistol was produced, but no one
recognized it, George Grant, the murderer. saw IT,
but "knew nothing or IL or who it belonged to ~
Grant remained In the house all night and as
sisted In various ways. He helped carry the body
up stairs. He also went to o livery stable and got
ahorse and carriage for Mr.. Spence to drive to
Philadelphia to notify the police and In the morn
THE OWNERSHIP OF THE PISTOL
was traced to Grant, and he was arrested. He ad-
mtted having owned It, but said he had lost 1t
field near the town. When shown the pistol the
previous evening he denied having ever seen 1t be-
lore. HIS stories being so contradictory he was
locked up. witnesses were found who remem-
bered he had borrowed ramrod with screw in
it to clean the pistol; that he loaded it with Slug
and shot, the found In the body OF the mur-
dered woman; and the calico wadding found on
the doorstep corresponded with some found in a
drawer house.
was not altogether unsulied, he having spent two
or three terms er in prison; and taking all
ae Gs INTO boS s% IL was as
was believed to be an accompnce. The trial
quickly followed, and ended in Grants conviction
OF murder OF the FIRST degree. The evidence
against him was very strong numerous witnesses
having sworn to seeing the pistol In his possession
on the night OF the murder, the evidence OF Re-
becca Price and Eliza Dennis being especially
CONCLUSIVE TESTIMONY OF GUILT.
:, Rebecca Price, on being sworn, deposed as fol-
lows
O'clock; nx the time by the departure Of the seven
had aRSa' s he 6 my & Ss
&c hesn .pea s n &c afsS had my one
g1sns Grant reached the cupboard, took case case
ssssSsGs scr. somessps dsasser asked What Se
ss sscs saa add rss s psf
@ ne Gesa he sshsG iSTasas e or s
m eayna ,a,Sn nos eS what he was doing he appeared
powder ssr 'se se ep apet iere VSceS %s a
weny sS9g mnes nanra ns alter espYr s s iie
my door and said to my son You lie sre smt n came 70
ahe e steps With the gIS oT about mimic "e sal
murder s sSlHs II ss dIsso yss ass
wnese on ns nw ws wqTss m ae ssssS me Church
he passed me he said 10 himself he id black S. Sh r.
rs hess wsl n@ s d s as he
IA md fnr he one tn bar