Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-10-10
The Nathan Murder.

The murder of Nathan, that mystery Of
horror and darkness, which more thar
two years ago thrilled the nerves of hu-
manity with terror more dreadful than
that inspired by any former deed in the
annals of crime, has recently been raised
like some i'll omened ghost from the
shadows of oblivion in which it was almost
lost to public view, and is once more the
subject of tragicl conjectures among all
classes of people.
The story of the bloody butchery of the
wealthy Jewish banker is wildly imprint
ed on almost every mind, and its impres,
sion can scarcely be dissipated until at
length the assassin shall be brought to
justice and its strange mystery explained,
if that may ever be. On the morning OF
the Goth of July, 1870, Benjamin Nathan
was fouly murdered near his bed, being
found derobe and cruelty battered on the
head and face until his venerable features
were scarcely recognizably to bis own
sons. At half past six o'clock the cry Of
murder was raised at the door of hia
princely mansion in Twenty-third street,
and young Washington Nathan rushed
upon the sidewalk in his night dress,
frantic with terror. He had come home
at half past twelve, and gone to his couch
to sleep. At the hour of the alarm he
had arisen and gone to his fathers room
to awake him, when he entered upon a
scene of horror which no pen has yet been
able to picture. The gray haired banker
lay stretched upon the floor, between his
library and private drawing room, cover
ed with clotted gore from head to foot,
but cold and stiff, with the rich carpet
under him saturated with the red torrent
of his life blood, which had spattered
every piece of furniture and every wall
and door of the room. There were evil
dences of most fearful struggle, spd it
seemed that the first blow must have been
struck by the desperate murderer while
his victim was quietly sitting at his desk
in the library. The desk was covered
with streaks and miniature pools of blood
and on the floor beneath the chair, which
had been overturned in the terrible con-
flict that ensued, was a mass of gore.
Then there were traces of blood and con
hict from the desk to the door of the
drawing room, near which the body was
found, and here the dreadful deed was
finished the murderer then burst open
the safe, took out papers and valuables
and escaped. All he left behind him
that could throw any light upon the man
ner in which the deed was done was
heavy iron dog"-the tool of a ship
carpenter-which was found in the vesti-
bule of the mansion, covered with blood,
hair and pieces of flesh. During that
night of crime, not sound of danger was
heard by the inmates of that fated house,
and all seemed to repose in peace and
perfect quietude. The servant who slept
in the room next to that occupied by the
banker was ignorant Of the tragedy until
aroused by the cries of the son of his
master. The policeman who had passed
the house shortly after one o'clock, had
then tried the door and found it locked
and secure. He had done the same at
half past four and with the same result.
A six o'clock, when Washington Nathan
came down stairs to give the alarm of
murder the door was open. The deed
must have been done between the hours
OF half past four and half past six in the
morning, when slumbers are heaviest and
life before arousing grows motionless and
quiet as death. In the adjoining house
on Fifth Avenue DR.. Peckham and his
wife, about the same hour heard through
the thick walls heavy sound repeated
several times, and this is supposed to have
been occasioned by the blows inflicted by
the murderer on his helpless victim.