The New York herald., 1872-12-07
Brutal Massacre Of an Old Man
in Pennsylvania.
The Most Internal of In(ernaI
Machines Employed.
A Gas Pipe Loaded with Powder and SlUgS
Fired by Fuse at the Sleeping Victim.
MIRACULOUS ESCAPE OF MRS. ALLINGHAM

Rural districts have OF late We'd with each other
In the enormity OF the crime perpetrated within
their borders From time to time deeds have been
committed 30 shocking in every characteristic that
municipality seems perfect paradise In coinpar-
is0n. Murder and suicide, in their most revoItingi
and instead OF examples being made by the en-
foreement Of the ultimate penalty, the oppos te
course has been too frequently pursued.
THE LATEST ArRoCTTY.
The list OF fearful crimes Is increased by one thad
was perpetrated at a very early hour this morning
at the quiet village OF Eldersvile, in Washington
county, on the line or the Pan Handle Railroad.i
The victim OF the crime Is an old man, upwards od
seventy years OF age. named John Alngbam, who
with his old wife have lived for many year I'M
contentment and in happiness IN Eldersville. He
kept a sman grocery and from his sales realized
sufficient to maintain him and his aged partneH
in comfort Last night he closed up his store at ant
early hour, is the custom In quiet village sncht
as this Is, and retired to bed. Some time afteN
midnight Mrs. Allingham was awakened by ~
dreadful shock which caused the plasterlng to fai1
from the ceiling on TO the bed in which she and her
husband were sleeping. 1t was like the report Oh
an old ana rusty musket overloaded ana whicn
had been completely shattered by the dscharge-
Her hand gave her intense pain at that moment,
ana she discovered at once that one OF her Dngeis
had been shot away and that 1sAE
STREAMS OF BLOOD
were dyeing her white nigntcothes. Tne tenlfieN
woman jumped nom her bed, and, calling on
her husband and receiving no response, was all
most distracted with fright. She caled again ana.
getting no reply, again approached the hed. aud.
placing her injured hand upon mis- head found that
only portion OF it remained, ana that his
BRAINS AND BLOOD WERE SCATTERED
over the bedciothing and upon the ceiling. An
riya nd fua mo- inr
who had not been reused from theif
sumber by The terrific report OF the weapon
gathered in brief time into the apartment oi death.
A light revealed a scene calculated to Leszc sis
crimson, lay old Aingh I'm, bloody and disiigured
corpse. Halt OF his skull was carried ava; aud "a
his brains were scooped out as clevcry and skill
iully as il IL were the work OF an experleneeN sur.
strewn with his brains, ana blood was spa'hcd
high on the wall opposite to the bed
HE HAD BEEN KILLED
BY this time tie neighborhood had been cons
pletely alarmed and the excited peo lie were seen
bearing lamps from one house 20 the oInef ap-
proacnlng the scene oi the murder. An exaiina.
\ ton OF the premises revealed the most ingenious
or water pipe, about i've teet in length and with
bore OF two lncaes. The inhuman wretcbes who-
half iu OF powder and slugs OF themcat deadly
description, and, thus prepared iof laelr dI.-
tardIy deed, wenaed their way 70 tue old mans
his ued, which was an easy matter ior the house
was small, its apartments limited. and that where
the Old couple slept was on tue ground foor, a'i-
joining the room devoted t. The purposes " no
grocery. - -
The deed was most deliberately planned anu luiI
preparations had been made or It's execution. 4
| window, without shutters and with Il com n0a cal
leo blind was affixed IN the wall directly Opposite
the bed. the iend or tiends reared u platform IN
the yard the height OF the window, and upon thS
they placed the instrument OF destruction. IL ~
possible the exact Whereabouts OF he head Oi their
intended victim had been precisely ascertained,
nd thp mi
with Keen eye.
M A SLOW MATCH
was then placed 10 IT, and after the lapse Oi a few
minutes the instgum mt was discharged, hurting
itself back On the instant almost dozen yards, as
| II ashamed u1 the shocking Work II had Just per-
formed at was fearful Deed said every one,
as they hung about the spot untu daylight TINS
! morning, being unable Co Sleep after tnclr csyj
had met such a spectacle as was presented.
| ON tho approach oil morning Rev. W. Il. wilson
sent despatch To Mayor BlackmOre OF TINS
city, requesting that detective be sent au
officers we're despatched to the scene. The murder
evidently was not committed for the purpose OF
robbery, for the doots Of the building were locked
and everything about tile premises was in the same
orderly condition as the night previous. Nothing
was broaen but the sash OF the window, which was
literally demolished by the heavy sugs which were
poure1 rom out the devilish engine. From !.
neighbor OF Mr.. Anlngham learn, late this even
Ing that certain parties ~ the village OF Elders
vile bore him ill-wll account OF some
petty transaction OF mercantile character. Sus-
picon rests some OF these partics as the proba-
bic perpetrators OF this dreadful murder. 30 ar
rests have been made up TO this evening and
there is no positive clew 10 the guilty party
parties. The Old wife OF the decease,l IL almost
soable That ner aged partner, with wIom she
had travelled through lie and bore with nm its
trials and anXieties, should be rom hcr by
\ such an nniioly method, Is too much Tor her to
I bear.