Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-11-27
sIxsterious Murder.
4 LADY :BhcKBD TO DEATH ASn HURRIED
r-s-.- ..r..-- 10 a .GRISP. 49,. 81

81 H
= The evidence before a Jury of inquest
at New Canaan, Conn., Thursday, de-
yeloped one of the most atroUious and
brutal murders ever recorded, and, like
the Nathan murder, completely enYel-
epedin mystery. The victim a widow
lady of about so years of age; living
alone on a small place, in o neat cottage
of her own, with neighbors within few
rods, having but little money or valua-
bles, secure in the thought that no one
would disturb poor, unoffending wild
ow-was brutally killed by a common
woodlands axe of her own, taken from
her woedpile, and used by some inhuman
monster. There had evidently been
three blows struck the first just above
the forehead, and, glancing backward,
taking out a part of the skull about the
size of a silver half dollar, and which,
with the brains, was found in the room.
The second was a side cut on the head,
and appeared to have been given after
the victim had fallen. The third was on
the back of the head, toward the right
side, clean cut through false braid,
and through the thickest part of the
skull the full width of the axe, andmust
have been blow of terrible force, di-
rected by some devil in human form.
The evidence goes to show that she had
arisen early and made a cup of tea,
which, with some bread and preserves,
had been eaten in the pantry for her
breakfast, the teapot being warm when
found on the kitchen stove. The crime
sappears to have been committed about
six o'clock. Mr.. Scofield, of Pound
Ridge, called to take her to his house
about half-past nine o'clock, and, after
knocking, opened the door into the hall,
then the south room door, and, not find
ing any one, opened the north room
door and discovered the room full of
smoke. He went Immediately to Mr.. r.
III. Pennoyer, rear neighbor, and re-
ported Mrs. Selleck's house on fire, and
they Immediately proceeded there to-
gether Mr.. Pennoyer went immedi-
ately into the north room, which was
full of smoke, and through the floor of
which he fell into the cellar, out of
which he escaped by breaking out of the
cellar window. After more neighbors
had been summoned the fire was sub
dued and search made for Mrs. Selleck
not finding her in the house, and no
tracks being found around the house or
outbuildings, the house was again
searched, with the cellar, and not until
the cellar had been visited three times
were the blackened and charred remains
discovered. The house was here left as
found and a jury empannelled, who, on
arriving at the house, found an axe be-
longing to the murdered woman, and
kept at the wOodpile at the side of the
house, lying near the stove, with blood
and hair on it. The floor was saturated
with blood, and piece of the skull, with
brains and hair, showed too plainly the
terrible nature of the deed. Upon look
ing down the hole into the cellar the
blackened mass could be seen, though
hardly recognizable, as the remains of
human being. On examination it was
found that the legs were burned off
above. the knee, and the arms and hands
gone almost entirely The thigh bones
were still remaining in form, although
eharred almost to. a crisp. The head,
with the face. completely eharred, was
in the best state of preservation, and, ON
removing the blackened scalp, the skull
was found cut in three places, as before
described: The body was recognized as
that:of Mrs. Selleck y.the false braid, z
a ribbon bow and set of false teeth.
The bureau drawers had been rumaaeed .
and "a lady's gold watch, a poclletbook, J.
with some. $50 in money, and some nine 4
silver spoons are all. the things missing.
No evidence tending to fix suspicion: on !.
any person was ELECTED, nor any motive 4
found for such "a horrible crime. I. The
jury adjourned until Monday next, when.
further evidence win be taken. The
town authorities have offered q reward !
of $500, and the Masonic Lodge; of !
which her son is a mernber, q reward. of /
$50 for the arrest of the murderer. ,.t Z. i