The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-10
Special correspondence Oh the phllaaelph,a rlmesl

WOODS, 4. r. I'd
Especial correspondence OF the Philadelphia Tmes.]
ELwooD, N. j., August Z, 1876.
The people of Elwood were startled yes
tcrday by the intelligence that brutal muir
der had been committed in farmhouse
about two and half miles west from here.
The victim Of the tragedy was an inoffen-
sive old man Of sixty years named George
Chiseled. He was farmer, and cultivated
about forty acres Of land, living with his
daughter Sarah as the only other occupant
OF the house. He was in comfortable cir
| cumstances, and, it seems, usually kept in
the house considerable sum OF money.
About l2s O'Clock on Sunday morning
the daughter discovered three men prowl-
| ing about the place, and she at once aroused
her father. The ruffians, bent upon plum
der, soon demanded admission to the house;
which was refused by its inmates. An at.
tack upon the dwelling was then begun
with stones and whatever other means
seemed likely to secure ingress. The father.
when the attention Of the men was directed
elsewhere, opened the door cautiously and
pecred out into the darkness. This was
done second time, when the thieves, no
ticing his movements,
GREET TO THE DOOR.
Soon aiterward it was opened third time,
and at this iuncture one OF the murderers
| fired at the old man with Il single barrelled
shotgun, loaded with No. shot. The
charge took effect in the neck Of the victim
rs he was leaning over, making horrible
| wound and completely severing the iugular
vein. Death was OF course instantaneous.
| In addition to the wound in the neck sew
eral shot have since been taken from the
heart Of the deceased farmer. Across the
lieless body the trio rushed in to secure
| their booty. The daughter was standing
near where the shot was fired, and the life
less body nearly fell into her arms. For
safety she fled into an adjoining room, the
door OF which was locked by the murder
crs to prevent her escape. The house was
ransacked and plundered Of silver spoons,
forks, and whatever money it contained.
As nearly as can be learned, about fifty dol
lars was secured. This done, it is supposed
that the party left the immediate neighbor-
hood.
THE GIRL,
instead of being detained, rs was intended,
escaped from the house by another door
through the cellar. In her weak and dis
tracted condition she fed to the woods near
by, and remained there in her night-clothes
until daylight, when she went to the house
of Il nelghbor named William Dick. From
there the terrible news spread rapidly, and
soon after o'clock people began to assemble
at the house. It's interior was found in great
confusion, with the body OF Chiseled where
it had first fallen. The windows had nearly all
been broken, and the front door
was very much battered with stones
and clubs. Suspicion was at once fast
ened upon band OF hwess people
who had been living about two miles
| from ChiSeled's house, numbering, all told,
about twenty-five people, and as events have
since proved the suspicion was well found
cd These people are known rs "plne
rats" They secure precarlous living by
picking berries in their season, peddling
| fruit at railway stations, and p!underlng
their neighbors. The gang has been feared
| for some time by orderly citizens, and war
rants have frequently been issued for the
arrest OF different members, but to- little
purpose. More than one highway robbery
| has been committed by them, and they are
no less than outlaws prcyinS upon society
| for q living. For some time their leader has
been desperate villain named
JACK HILL,
who is one OF numerous family, nearly all
OF whom are hardened criminals. At one
time the family lived in Philadelphia, and
it is reported that Jack himself lived in
| Catharine street several years ago. 1t Is
thought he has kindred now living in the
city. Hill is about thirty-fve years old, q
powerful man, si., feet and four inches
high, is roughly dressed, and when last
seen wore light, sandy moustache. His
fellows in crime are known rs John Pullman
alias O'Donnell, who is q brother-in-law OF
Hill, and one Isaac Dayton. Pullman has
been living hcreabouts since last winter.
He is Of slight though wiry figure, has q
smooth face, and dark, Italian-like COM
Dlexion. He is well educated, Of good adj
dress, talks fluently in several languages, is
| deserter from the army, and has long been
regarded as a cunning villain. His relations
with the notorious "Wilow Gang in
Camden are suspected. Dayton is twenty
| two wears old, cranberry-picker, and Of
well-known thieving propensities.
AFTER THE MURDEREEs.
Att O'Clock this morning band Of deter
mined men started from Elwood for the
purpose of arresting the suspected murder
ers. The daughter had noticed outside OF
the house dog which was known to belong
to one of the trio, and on reaching the Ill
fated house it was discovered that the loot
prints on the premises were evidently made
with the peculiar style Of boots worn by
Hill and his comrades. This, combined
with the known bad character OF the par
ties, was sufficient, and it was resolved TO
search their respective houses. Accompa-
MED by Sheriff S. V. Adams, HilFs house
was first visited and searched.
The house is a mere howell, with the earth
for floor. Hill's wife and his four chill
dren were its occupants. The house OF Ed
johnson, brother-in-law OF Isaac Dayton,
was next searched, and here the strongest
circrmstantial evidence OF guilt was dlscoV-
cred. 1t was learned that the murderers
had borrowed q shotgun Of johnson. This
1 led to comparison Of the paper waddlng
which had been found near the body OF
Chiseled thremnants ofaneWspaperfound
in the house. The result was to establish
clearly their identity. Parts OF m article
OH
MOODY AND SANKEY
were found in each piece. When joined to-
pether the article was read continuously.
At last johnson admitted that he had loaded
the gun for the bloody deed. The dwelling
of Abe Dayton, the father Of Isaac, was then
searched, and afterwards johnson, the elder
Dayton, and third man, whose name IS I'M
known, were arrested and sent to jail. Day.
ton admitted that the suspected persons are
the murderers. Soon after daylight the
guilty trio were seen coming from the dense
woods in the rear Of Jack HilPs house. They
could probably have been captured had
it not been for the warning given. by HllPs
wife. The men again sought the woods,
which are known as the "John' s-Branc1