Smyrna times., 1872-12-11
THE DOVER HORROR.
A Madman or Fiend Encarnate.
FULL PARTICULARS.

ere this. A terrible mystery has eliminated in q
most terrible murder, and n respected, educated
and upparantly tender hearted gentleman has proved
himself equal to the worst fiend in the land. and
brought down upon his head the worst maledicliOns
Of an outraged community. But to the TepulsIve
recital.
a little after midnight on Thursday morning last,
18th nst.) the Office Of Dr. Isaac &. West, on the
street leading from the depot, in Dover dis
covered TO be fire. Mr.. George w. Benn, whu
lived next door, gave the alarm, he being induced
at the request Of his wife, look the office o
the doctor TO ascertain the cause of the unusual
noises that had arrested her attention. Ry the
timely warning Of Mr.. Benn serious c0nflag tion
was prevented. Citizens assembled and ex
tIngulshed the fiames but Il most horrible sight was
presented in the doctors office. Upon the floor
lay the body of man, minus the head and feet
and every particle of the skin removed from the
liicless trunk. The sight Of the flesh in human
shape filled the people with horror indiscrIbable
The suppOsltl0n at once that the mutilated
corpse that of DIR. West; that in experlmc nting
with gas which he manufactured for the cure OF
pulmonary diseases, he had Overcharged Tet9rt
and caused an explosion, thus blowing himself t.
pieces and setting fire to his office. Such was the
report circulated throug bout the State Thursday
m"rnIng. Although the room not much burned,
The body was badly chaTed. and if to add to the
horrible sight, the entruls were exposed, and tho
RIBS were detached from the breast aoEe ii with
| saw quantity OF pInC wood (plcces Of goods
boH) partially burned, piled around the crispcd
and scorched remains and large goods box was
near by.
After the first excitement of the occasion had
subslded and calmer Judgment prevailed, different
Conclusion came into the minds of the citizens
There was nothing TO carry out the idea of an explu
sion. The body could lot have been disInembered
so smoothly by explosion, and the rctorts were
n"t bursted. West was missing, and also negro
man named COoch Turner. Coroner Cats held an
Ibr- "a, -.
Portlnt was brought out. man answering to
west IN description got on the night train freight
win passenger car attachcd0 which passes Dover
Tor Crlsheld at o'clock in the morning.
Ihus the mystery remained unsoved until Friday
evening, when West returned to Dover in the p. VI
Tram aud gave himself up to the authorities. Many
person were startled when they heard that he was
still alive. Before reaching Dover he telegraphed
I" At'orncy-Genrral Lnre at Wilmington, that he
had Killed negro IN self defence and was on his
way to Dover to surrender himself Mr. Lore i'm.
medately took the evening train for that town. On
reaching there he again convened the coroners
Jury, when West made the following confession:
will be 30 old the 9th May next my name IS Isaac
q West Jr horn IN Su-4x county but have lived in
DoVer aud vicinity for wears; don't pysiciau
o' am an administer Of the disease the
NnE took place Monday night. Dec. End On Monday
ing was taking bucket Of Office but don re
member the exact time. Turner along about this time
and said Boss I'll carry up for you = told him wopti
carry myself but bai some work would do IL
e said he would and hat It was told him
had large box at Capt latels coutin carry il
'he tat ne was cutting meat Tor Mrs Mullen
would do sometime in the afternoon went To Mrs ynleu
about clock on the day some colored me
there who said Turner rot there there
and they didn't know where was about O clock in IN,
afternoon met him on the street he said he ready
carry the box ior he wheebarrow OF MIR COLLISION and
took the box up to for took pocke book
IN my ONCE IN kirons building and paid him 25
then said Boss to b. pretty dush then he wanted
10 kno" wouldn't give him money get drink told
hm would he would down the door; he said
"h after ne got his supper he would back bring
Waterto ill not charge me anything
Ter that as was good him together and
went into the bar below aud paid Tor turner's ink al
svys bar thH when the about half hour high
out together separated we came out Of the
door Turner said Boss will b. about sunset or u
nan hOur me; him again that time and sunset
near the post office he ready to take the water
OUT told him was net ready then up the room
snort time after that met Turner near HoIeck0 StewArt
store on the corner talking with coored man. passed him
ana went on up TO ocv had there unlocked
the door when he up stairs ahead ~ HIM
u ahOsSed tue room door stSirz and In ahead
had taken my Easonser to pieces that intending
small ege hammer TO the the aedEe WA
hE Just Inside OF tho do"r the other weights over in
the corner" about eight further one Of the weights
WAS ooit' or piece OF an iron axle II about ieet
ohS and an inch and quarter In diameter got over
AOou' "here this bolt was sitting when turned
Turner with the cge hammer hands, as ho found that
"a" what he doing he said Give your pocket book
or Kill you then snatched up bolt or piece Of ax
And Just As did so he struck with the edgc hammer
'he oo~ aInS on my hat dentng the hat bat
touch my head as stopping then struck at him
with the bolt axle. intending strike him on the head but
missed bis head and struck him the ear
hs e ana don't think he kicked aitcward This was
Just after sunset he fell his side then ct Of him.
et hs pulse aud found he did not Intend to Kill
num- ou' ohy INTENDED to knock him down that no would
not h.i me- tAora long pause the prisoner continasiI
Hp.lN tANft.
Fountains hotel got my supper and didn't no hack an,
more that evening but again on Tuesday morning
about 10 "r II clock ten thought would cut Turner in
pieces ahd carry him of aud bury oil b.. head
hAiS aud iee With my penkue ne here shown hal four
blades aud dcntned by the prisoner he d the
cutting whl cut oil feet with the pen knlf,
and skinned the by hatis the knic pointiug t) which
'N on the table, broke Of the blades cutting the bones
broke several of the bones with the piece OF axle this
not all done before dlnuer; don't much did do
OeoFe dinner went to dinner that day, the
exact tme do not remember poave, whether was back 10
ny ounce htr dihuer Or not; in tho afternoon
and carriage of Mr. Fountain and went out To Ilr,to m,
nome ani come back In tho evening thinking to take the re-
mains away and bury thrm; sIV 0 clock that
evening" and brought down Turner from my ogc,
IN water bucket whisn about half piece
' paper the horse Smcled it and would take IT.
hon SET down Iust inside OF the outer door, aud locked
i"or hoH brought the horse and stable and
went to the hotel and warmed myself then Thought
would carry the remains in bucket aud bury them went
back to my office about ocock then bucket which
had the skin In 1t aud the street with it, WAS
going down Lueksuan New street aud then turn m
TO New street had not before there were two dogs
alter me; found the ground hal moth
ng to dig hole with then turned aud brought 1t back to
NY room again. thrn rmanrd Ia my thinking what to
TO- aud then concluded would large box had To piece,
nd make box that would hold the the purpose of
shipping them the Delaware Railroad to some point and
hen follow and bury them found that getting late
ina couldn't stay any later that night; them about n
clock came up to the hotel bed this WAS Tues
q a and ,kl
back to till about OcOck the morning than
onnd the remains smelling could ship tn. IN on the
airoad got dinner at the hotel day aud was about
N different places iii the afternoon returned to my office
'Oout O'Clock In the Afternoon, took my knife and
tut the lips aud nose of thu head intending and
ut seine pieces rom the Rbionen thOn head
"ith the bolt or iron axle for te It up so
hat could not be recognized but found could make
10 Impression IL afraid II skinned tho head Il
Fould still retain tts shape and would be after
took the head In bucket took down hoap near
he Railroad aud rolled II in the lime. and then
n the bucket and carried II place where buried H.