Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1873-11-12
Execution of Nelson z. Wade,
at Williamsp0rt, Pa, for the
Murder Of the M'Brfdes.

AT lbs o'clock, November q, 1873,
at Williamsport, Pa. the life of Nel-
son Z. Wade, the author of the heart
rending and sickening tragedy enacted
IN the vicinity of Linden station, Ly-
coming county, on the evening of Tues
day. July 22d, and which resulted in
the brutal murder of an aged couple
man and wife-named John and lsa
bella Mcbride, was legally required to
be taken as the penalty of his fearful
crime.
John and Isabella Mcbride lived in
an old-fashioned log house situated
within 4 short distance of the public
highway leading from Newberry to Lin
den station. For number of yeas past
everything about the premises present.
ed dilapidated and rcpulsive appear
snce-more like the home of S,nt acd
penury than of wealth and abundance.
Here it was that this old couple for
years stood sentinels over = large
amount of gold and silver, which they
had secreted about the premises, all the
time fearing that they would be robbed
in spite of their own vigilance and that
of their trusty watch-dogs. They
would not deposit their money in bank
ing institutions lest a failure should
occur, or conHsgration should melt
the treasure they held so dear. With
plenty of means at their command they
chose this miserly life in hovel, con-
stantly struggling TO swell their wealth,
instead Of conforming to the usages Of
society and procuring the necessaries to
make their lives comfortable and hap
py. No person could enter their rough
and sIovenly domicil without having the
eye of suspicion rest upon him, and by
day as well as by night they kept strict
guard over their boarded treasure, de-
nying themselves the common comforts
of life. In the midst of plenty they
apparently had nothing, and worship
ped money as their God.
Some fourteen years ago an unknown
party visited the house for the purpose
of robbery. When the robbers made
their appearance the dogs became SO
boisterous that they were frightened
away without obtaining any booty
From the time Of this attempted rob-
berry, up to the date of the murder of
the McBrides. light could always be
observed burning in the house at night,
and it Is said that while one would
sleep the other would remain on guard,
showing that there was a constant dread
of robbery and murder.
1t is the general supposition that the
bloody deed was committed on the
evening of the 22d of July, although
the murder vas not discovered until
between two and .hree o'clock the fol-
lowing afternoon. A neighbor having
occasion to pass the house at the hour
named, in the direction of LInutn sta
ton, observed the cattle standing in the
yard and thought 1t rather an unusual
occurrence that they should be penned
up at that hour He proceeded at once
to make an examination of the premi-
ses and was hvrror-stricken TO find the
old lady lying de.d near the cellar door,
her head resting on pile Of stones and
her gray hair saturated with blood
which oozed from an ugly wound just
back of the right eye. Realizing that
dreadful crime had been committed,
he gazed upon the bloody corpse but
for an instant and then fastened around
to the rear of the house through which
he attempted to gain admittance to the
premises, but the door was securely
fastened and he failed. The alarm was
immediately given and other neighbors
soon focked to the scene of the tragedy.
The party then forced an entrance to
the house, where they found the old
mar lying on the floor and the dog on
the bed. The coroner, doctors and
other officers we're summoned without
delay, and upoh their arrival at the
scene of the murder, the old man, who
was insensible, was placed on the bed
in the room where he had been stricken
down and his wounds dressed, seven
deep gashes being found on the top of
his head In the room where the old
man lay was found heavy club, made
out of young pine sapliLg, abou, four
feet in length and two inches in diam
eter, which bore evidences of being
freshly cut and with murdeeous :nten-
tions. 1t was bespattered with blood,
and several graz hairs were observed
sdhering to the rough bark, which
showed conclusively that it had been
used to perpetrate the bloody deed.
The night after the murder two ci:i-
zens of William.port visited house Of
i'll fame kept BY woman named Mar
garet Slifer, on Washington street,
when girl named Jennie Russell
asked one of them to give her green
backs in exchange for FIVE dollar gold
piece, which was done. A short time
af fter this rransoction sha u,a ahsarvad