The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1873-03-26
A MURDER MYSTERY.
4 BROOHLYN PARALLEL 10 THE M
ANTRAGEDY. +:

BROOHLYN PARALLEL 10 THE M
THAN TRAGEDY.
Charles Goodrich Killed at Might In
his Own House-Discovery OF the Deed
by his Brother-Attempt Of the Muir
derer to Create the Theory Of Suicide.
NEW YORK, Earch A..
A murder more foul and strocious than that
for which Foster suffered death this morning
has been committed In Brooklyn within the
last forty.eIght hours. 1t has all the elements
Of O criminal romance, and Is In every respect
Of a most extraordinary character. The vic
tim is Charles Goodrich, wealthy and
much respected lumber merchant of this city.
It seems that he was the owner Of 9 row Of
three story brown stone houses Id Degraw
street, between Fifth and Sixth avenuee-
About three weeks ago he went to Brooklyn
and took up hls residence In one OF them, the
fifth house from Fifth avenue. The house
was elegantly furnished, and 1t was bis inten.
tlon to occupy 1t until he could obtain snils;
BILE tenant. Not having q wife or MNllYss
asd being man Of secluded habits,
he lived alone, not even having q houses
kpgpefto attend tOshls wants. Wednesday
afternoon bis brother, the Hon. W. W. Good.
rich, saw him alive for the last time, on
which occasion he delivered him some papers
connected with his property. Yesterday
morning at about eight O'clock Mr.. Goodrich
drove round to bis brothers residence for the
purpose of consulting him on some business
matter. he knocked loudly at the hall base:
ment doora, but receiving no responge went
away, supposing that bis brother had lefsst
an earlier hour for had not returned home
on the preceding night. This morning he
drove round 10 the house, and once more
falling to gain admission In the usual way ne
became alarmed and determined 10 eject an
entrance. He passed through the adjoining
scuttle and breaking In door succeed
ed In entering his brothers. residence.
he proceeded at once down staire,'
examining the rooms on each floor. On
reaching The front room on the second foor,,
where his brother wac 10 the haoit OF sleep
ing, he found everything In perfect ORDER the
bed not having been disturbed and his broth.'
er's books and pspers In their usual places..
Strengthened by this In his supposition that
bis brother was not st home, but still OPP
pressed with anxiety, he descended TO the
lower part OF the house. The parlor floor was
ln the same condition as those above, every
thing being neat and tidy. he then descend
ed to the basement, the only part oi the house
open the door leading from the hallway to the
front basement room he found that It was
locked from the inside. He therefore passed
through the back kitchen, the door leading
from which into the front basement was also
closed. It was not locked, however. 90 that
he had only 10 turn the handle TO effect an
entrance. -,
THE DREADFUL D1scovERY. a So
...r.s."
On opening the door, q spectacle sufficient
10 freeze the blood with horror presented
Itself. The lifeless body Of his brother Lay on
the floor, the back OF his head resting on the
iegs OF his boots, his arms stretched by hil
side 10 an easy manner, and beside bis right
hand an Ethan Allen seven-shooter, With
three OF the chambers empty. The body lay
fat upon the back, the legs stretched % tuu
length. and slippers silll on the feet. IL waa
dressed 10 dark, helfworn suit. and none oi
the clothes we're In disorder. Mr. doodticn
made hurried examination Of the BODY,
during which he found wound, as II inflicted
by sharp instrument, ovef the righs eye,
and pistol-shot wound over the ear he
then locked the door, and fastened from the
house, proceeding at once to the coroner't
Office and police headquarters, where ne 70
ported the discovery. On the arrival OF INV
police, closer examination OF the body snd
premises were made, resulting In strengthen
lime shroudIng the affair In still greater mys-
terry. Everything In the house WAS In the
most perfect order. There was no evidence
that the deed was the work OF burglatH, as nc
clothing or other articles wcre missfpY: T1ere
lay the body, however, with itB gbastlF lace
and gaping wounds, testifying TO the lou
work OF murderer.
EVIDENCES OF RoBsEKY.
It was discovered by Mr.. Goodrich that bis
brothers. gold watch, which was very valua-
BILE, and bis pocketbook, which is not, how.
ever, supposed TO have contained much
money, were missing. This fact, therefore, In
connection with the direct cause OF death, points
10 the character of the assassin. The room In
which the deceased lay was very plainly
furnished. o. the round table near the win
dow were copies ofseveral New York papers oi
Wednesday, and In addition 10 tho tab!o there
were only two chairs 10 the loom. Theno
lay sideways, the head looking toward Inc
window and about TWO feet from The heater.
There was no blood on the door, Win tne
exception of The small pool beneath his head
and another clot on the marble stene sur
rounding the heater. A most mysterious
circumstance in connection with the affair 10
the fact that there was no blood on the fac9,
which seems to have been carefully washed
and dried after death. Even the hair was wet
as II recently washed with q wet cloth. The p0-
lice found that one Of the panes OF glass ID the
kitchen window h01 been broken, evidently
with the Intention of reaching tho latch from
the outside and thus efecting an entrance 70
the house. A portion of the wood work around
the latch had been cnt, aud Jagged jack
knife, which most probably had been used for
that purpose, lay on the floor iDside. coarse
wet cloth, 4 with unmlstakable traces OF blood
on It, was also found hanging to nall over
the sink. An evening paper OF yesterday,
folded up and wet, was also found on the Side
of The sink. This would seem 10 Indicate
that the deceased was alive at late hour yes
terday afternoon. =
ATHEQRY OF TIE MURDER.
On the arrival of Coroner whitehall, who
took charge of the remains, more rigid e4
animation OF the body was made. The only
two wounds found are those already referred
to. The first was o deep cut over the rignt
eve. and the second the pistol-shot wound on
the LETT side OF the head. The drst, although
serious, would not have caused death. 10
View of the fact that there is evidence Of rob.
berry, and that the fatal wound was on the left
side of the head, together With all the sur
rounding circumstances, there seems 70 be
scarcely the slightest ground for one deteo
tive's theory that the deceased commlttod Bni
cine. The most popular theory, Ii view OF al
the facts developed at the latest writing, u
that Mr.. Goodrich was assaulted and muir
dered on the street, and that his body wa
taken to his home and there skilfully laid oul
in the position as found, for the purpose o.
creating the Impression that he had commit
ted suicide. The revolver found near bis rign'
hand belonged to the deceased, and 1t 10 prob
able that the three chambers were emptieo
by the assassin with the object OF adding lresl
mystery to the affair. The deceased was lorty
tuyo ueara of aga and WidoWer. He was 9