The New York herald., 1875-09-26
THE PEDLER MURDER
Confession Of One Of the Col
cred Assassins.
DETAILS OF THE CRIME

scat Tor purpose OF neAFlnS besh-
unony agains, the three negroes-Chares Weston, Will
am Thompson and William Elhs-arrested on suspicion
Of murderng the Jew pedler in Lydig's Woods, West
Farms As the chain OF strong croumstantia evidence
N the hands OF the police authorities had been slowly
out sarey circumscrbing the chances by which
he prisoners could hope escape the consequences Of
Iher terrible crime the ETY. Of the citizens TO
the accused parties and watch the proceedings
intense as no such atrocious murder has been com
that section within the memory OF the oldest
resident thereof Not who entered the room
however expected TO hear tho extraordinary develop
ments which transpred when the authors Of tho tragedy
told the blood cuTdng story OF the poor pedlers tax
ing on and with much apparent indifference as
though they describing the in
which a stolen hog had been butchered by them
II but fair state that the Metropolitan Police have
displayed most commendabe energy in working up''
this case their efforts the discovery of the
dered mans remains, having been exerted night and
day towards the discovery Of the guilty parties To
Detective John Mc6owan of the Nineteenth precinct
Is due the credit OF bringing in" the confessed
murdercrs, Thompson and Ellis, whom he found last
Tuesday afternoon tramping among the wilds Of the
town Of Westchester, which borders on Long Island
Sound They are both low sized
vILLASoUs FELLOWS
black the interorof a coal mine and at first in
formed the detective that they poor sailors'' in
bcaICn VI put Nc HsbusJeo bueiT state-
ment and fortunately for the ends justice brought
them to the fremont police station Il will be recol
iected that being searched at the latter place
pocketbook, similar TO those left the pedleTs pack
was found on each Of the negroes Captain Mcdonnell
Df the Eighth precinct has also acted mertorous part
In arTestng Weston, whom he clevery captured
scrbed in the HERALD Of yesterday. The last named
official also effected another very important
late hour on Friday night Having known that Weston
twho Is known II this affair as the negro with white
eye consorted with white girl, the Captain
bent all hn energy to the task ss,,,, OF aSeer- %r
ton about her. but the prisoner, while pretending
10 aid in finding her, endeavored TO lead the Captain
Rstray by telling HIM that her name Jennie and in
other adroit ways trying 10 throw him of her track.
Captain Mcdonnell however, continued his efforts until
they were rewarded with success IN his finding kathe
rine Gugen, the white mistress Of Weston, at No 20
Sullivan street. near Grand street 1t appears that the
official named had information yesterday that Weston
desired TO make statement but his first anxiety
KATE
whose testimony be had abundant reason TO believe
would go far toward eliminating her murderous para
mour Independents of what the latter might say
gard 10 the crime.
AT the inquest Friday night Assistant District Al
torney Herring, after hearing the testimony of boy
who saw the three prisoners taking drink in a
small hotel on the Boulevard and in the vi
cinty of West Farms village shortly after
The murder was committed and observing
that the witness identified all three, with the excep
lion of Ellis who the witness Said wore Fighter
shirt concluded that he would probe the discrepancy
little further. Accordingly, having taken Ellis into
adjoin ng room Mr Herring found upon examinaton
that the woolen shirt which the prisoner had bore
the same manufacturers stamp as observed on
those remaining IN the peders bundle He then took
Weston aside and ntmated TO him that further conceal
ment was useless, as Ellis had one Of the murdered
mans shirts on him at that moment This intelligence
seemed 10 trouble Weston, and this morning before
the court assembled he asked Of the turkeys TO
inform Mr. Herring that he wished to make state
shortly afterward at the cell where Weston
fined, learned from the latter that he present
As viii found below subsequently, requested
10 be allowed TO testify in court which granted 1t
will be observed that the informant endeavors excu
pate himself from all participation in the murder,
throwing the criminality Thompson and Ellis who
In turn boldly acknowledge the participation IN the
WESTON WAS THE nsrTGAroR
and took the most prominent part IN killing the
After the opening Of the court, Captain Mcdonnell
informed Justice Wheeler that be had arrested and
brousht with hlm an important female witness, who
would, If desired, tell her story. This person
Catherine Guyger who, on being duly sworn, testified
A WIDOWS TALE
am widow; Il live at present in Sullivan street. No
"a have lived at No. 10 Grand street last week. lived
there about week; Charles Weston the prisoner
here, lived with me- was his mistress; Weston left
the house on wednesday evening week ago and re-
turned last Saturday about dark; when be returned
William Thompson, now IN court, was with him;
Thompson stayed all night; the next day Sunday |
William Ellis, the prisoner in court,
TO the house and stayed all night;
Thompson stayed days in ALL Weston there all
the time; Thompson SAID he had been the country
and said be would have brought some apples he had
anything carry them in; Thompson and Ellis left nv
house last Monday evening, and wanted Weston to 60
with them; they said they were going back /
the same road Weston refused to 60 ano they said
they would go alone
having been duly sworn testified II am police officer
attached 10 the Nineteenth precinct; went under the
direction Of Captain Mount to about Thomson
and Ellis went TO No AZ Baxter street and inquired II
there were any persons stopping there named William
Thompson and William Ellis, inquired OF Deley the |
keeper Of a sailors boarding house at No ~ Baxter
Rscertaned that Charles Simmons did keep [
the house No ~ Baxter street had I
kawf rfrr Lo-fy
for George Lewis; could not ind such man went TO
No. l63 Leonard street and found inquring Of a \
woman, that man named Simmons kept the house /
No. l63 Leonard street boarding house that
colored man named Thompson had been there but had
not been there for the last two months also that
acoored man named Ellis bad been there formerly /
but not within the last two weeks
STATEMENT
Charles Weston, beng duly sworn, testified as fol-
lows-Two weeks ago from the present time / was
living with Kate Guyger, at No 10 Grand street. am now
prisoner here, anu know that an examination s being
held 10 investigate muroer; | wished 10 be sworn
and testify inemy own behalf as a witness; ] know
ahe prisoner now IN court, charged as William
Thompson; know him TO be called Dad " or
Pop also know the other now in
court charged, as William Ellis d0n't know
his name; have heard him called "wilhe;" left New
York in company with them a week aso last Tuesday
up from New York city aiong Third ave
nue., and crossed the Third bridge over the
Harlem River; il was the Tuesday afternoon that we
lett home crossed the bridge; Ia Thomp
son street near Spring street. before we left The city
We agreed 70 60 in the country
WORK
and was going to my sister; after the
Harlem Bridge took the Boulevard road and walked
until dark and then on Tuesday night we slept in a
barn; on Wednesday mur0ing passed through vii
lage and over a small bridge went into The woods
and stayed there all day; that night we slept IN q
wagon; the next morning Thursday TbOmpsO AID
Ellis went 10 Dig house and got something
70 cat and went up the road
they Joined after they got something TO eat
snd We went up tho road and n an ore hard: we
slept IN the bushes Thursday mght next morninr
we went through short road and through a village
and stopped at house, where asked something 10
eat rom woman then we went and came 70 . VII |
lagei was the same village had been before we
saw man sitting stoop eating crackers and sweet
cakes be had bundle and that basket 10 court
spoke 70 him aud said, Good morning. be re-
pheai and said, Good m0rnng,n Ellis aud nv
seH went and got some water; then we an
went up The road together and a Ooi on both
sides OF the road; all down ou the rocks we re-
mained there little while and man rnrne nnnn urlth