The New York herald., 1876-08-16
A MOST HORRIBLE DOUBLE CRIME.

A CHILD OUTRAGED AND BRUTALLY MURDERED.
George Bowers and his family live at Fosters
Meadow, in the town of Hampstead, the limo OF the
Southern Railroad. Beside himself and wife his son
George and wife live in the house, and ne has be-
sides Two throe children. About O'Clock
Monday afternoon a called at the house aud
asked to be shown the way to the Valley Stream depot
which is distance In easterIy direction from
Mr. Bowers place. Maggie, daughter not quito nino
years OF age volunteered TO 60 with the woman TO
show her. aud that the last known of her by the
family until the murdered and mutated body was
found In the woods yesterday morning.
Her absence at nrst caused alarm in the family,
as supposed she had stopped at hor grandmoth-
cr's, not ia- distant AS evening approached, how.
ever and sho dii not RETURN messenger sent to
the grandmother, when II was asccrtained that sho
had not been there. search Immediately insti-
tuted through the roads in the vicinity but without
success No trace of her could be found
Yesterday morning, early, ncishbor passing
through the woods about quarter of mile from tho
road taken by her IN going with the woman toward
Valley Stream discovered tho body OF tho unfortunate
girl lying under = small cedar tree, and fcw
hundred yards In tho Of hut.
pied BY two negroes, well known IN the neigh
uorhood. He at gave an alarm, aud tho
people in the vicinity were aroused Upon gong to
the spot horrible sight was presented The poor girl
had evidently struggled desperately for her life Her
features distorted and covered with bruises; her
bonnet was stuffed into her mouth doubt to stine
her cres the arms bent and :he fingers clinched
belt which she about her waist had been taken
paced her neck to strange her with, and
other evidences presented of tho mos. horrible
/ treatment.
vices of Dr. Aucrbach make Il surgical examination.
The Doctor found The girls person terribly muIaied
and outraged The middle region OF the body ter
riby laceracd aud covered win blood well as black
and blue discolorations. Dr. Aucrpach decided that
her death caused by stranguaton and the violence
committed upon her.
Tho res,dtnls of The neghborhood were aroused to
almost frenzy OF excitement by the dreadful dis-
covery and measures were at once iaHen 10 d'scover
the perpetrators OF the oul deed II possible Coroner
Hicks empanelled Jury, and the investigation was
commenced with such testimony as could DO procured
at sla0rt notice. The woman whom Maggie had accom-
panied found. and she testified that Maggie was
with her only about three quarters of an hour, when
she parted what she said straight road TO the
Valley Stream depot ana started to return. snying
that she would be at home 10 dinner. IL is conicc
tured that the crime must have been committed Soon
aftcrward, probably about two O'Clock, and this con-
jeclurc sustained by the appearance OF the body
The iather and mother were examined as 10 tho cir
cumstanccs attending their daughters leaving home
and the manner IN which sho was found, aud Wood
ChucIs, colored man, and a 'chum" OF an lrishman
named Michael Collins gave testimony which led 10
tho latters arrest by order OF the Coroner, await
tho result OF the inquest, which was adjourned until
the 2lst INST, when It VIII be continued ut Burns
Hotel. Valley stream
There were, OF course numbcrless rumors flying
about TO this hideous crime and various theories
Meeting many people take IT, one OF which pointed
TO the woman whom Maggie accompanied from home
as having guilty knowledge of The circumstances.
There to be good reason to suppose this TO be
the case however, as she gives straightforward
count OF herself and her movements.
Justioc Bennett, OF jamaica, who with the oIi-
attached to his Office at work at tho all
day yesterday. has theory in regard to the crime
which appears TO be the most probable one. The man
Michael Collins, who is now IN the css at tho Jamaica
Town Hail. he believes TO be occnt Collins sort
Of half tramp king about by small jobs from place
place the neghborhood and does not bear very
good reputaon but he will apparently be able 10 prove
alib lie stu wears The same clothes that nc had on
day OF the murder testified to by farmer Who
gave him some OF the garments that day, hnd they
bear signs OF struggle and are not stained with
blood as they ndo.btcdly would have been we're hc
guilty Of Maggie Bowers outrage and murder Beside
Justice Bennett has further satisfied himself by pri
vate exaninat on OF Collins
The Justices belief Is that the crime was not commit
ted where tho body found but that II conveyed
there aftcrward THIS bclc sustained by the tact that
searchers OF day Maggie missed
passed and repassed the spot repeatedly, and tLcy
could ailod the body had been there
A careful examination OF the place and its surround
Tags made, and evidences OF struggle could be
found-not limb OF the underground appeared to have
been broken, leaf disturbed, and traces OF
blood discernble. IL IS not possible that the
crime couli have been committed there and such
evidences be left Tho position oil tho body. too Is
the branches of which were low, with the feet toward
tho hut and there had apparently been some effort TO
arrange the clothing
Jusiice Bennett suspicion points to two negroes
siding in the ncigbborhood, both OF whom bear very
bad regulations whom II is understood has
served n term IN the State Prison They suspi-
cousy olcous yesterday directing suspicion toward
Collins indeed any else whose uanlc happened
Bennett last evening became thoroughly convinced
that these were guilty that he despatched officers
Hamcr and Hendutterson TO effect Their arrest aud
tncy are doubtless by this time IN custody