The New York herald., 1877-11-02
THE TOLLGATE HORROR.

n T. 1OLLGAlE HORROR.
DESCRIPTION OF THE LATE MURDER NEAR cHIL-
LIcoTHE-HoRRIBLE DEATH or THE AGED
KEEPER AND HIS wIFE-EsCAPE OF YOUNG
GIRL BY HIDING ROBBERY AND ARSON.
From the Cincinnati Gazette, October col
One of the most cruel ana mercess murders OF tho
time occurred Friday midnight, at a togae on the
Chilicothe ana Circlevie turnpike about six and
half miles north OF Chcothe aud twelve and half
south OF Circlevile. The parties murdered ain
aged couple, Edward s. Mcvey and wife, keepers of
tho tollsatc Mcvey sovanty seven years of age
aud his wife sevcnty-two. Both very foeble un-
armcd and entirely At the mercv Of their assaants.
The toll house is square, one story frame
building. with n small kitchen addition In the
rear Tho front OF tho house is partitioned of
into a broad room, running the entire length
OF the front, about twenty-five feet, and not moro
than ieet in depth. At tho north end
short counter shut or a small stock OF groceries,
such tobacco CIGARS pipes and other little articles
that customers might call Tor small pine desk,
which contained the toll receipts and the simple pa
pers used IN the old mans business stood the
end OF the counter The Of the building d.
vided into Two rooms, running engthwise, the one
used by the aged couple and the other by Alice Dean,
an adopted daughter, little over thirteen years Of
age The house stood entirely alone A deep ravine
forming the bed OF creek IN flood time, closely
aed with shrubbery about forty yards in rear Of tho
house, south westerly direction to the Scioto
RIVER about hall mile away. The nearest neighbors
are Jakes farmers family living up the hill slope
about four hundred yards east of the toll gate, and
Crder's, about an equal distance northward on the
turnpike So the toll house could be approached very
easily without attracting attention, and murder could
be committed without danger body being aroused
by the cries oil the victims.
HONEST sLUMBER.
1t was probably about half-past eleven O'Clock on
Friday night when the murders we're committed. The
night was bright and clear and the roads had for
hours been deserted except possibly, by lew young
people who may have passed on their way home from
festival he Id in the chanel near Crousc;s about two
miles further north
The inmates OF the house had retired about half
past nine or ten O'Clock aud the old folks probably
slept with all the soundness common TO such when
worn and atigued with even the simple lltlo labors
of simple and unlaDorous life. The murderer or
murderers effected an entrance into the house by
opening knchen window and loosen,ng tho bolt Of
the door adJoinnX
II IS probable that the house was entered by only
one, and that the confederate may have remained
outside on watch. The murderer assembled the steps
into the room of the McVeys. where they lay Sleep
Ing and passed through into the front room, where
II was supposed that Mr.. Mcvey kept his money
hidden IL may have been the light used, the
noise made in the grocery, that awakened the
old man, who arose and went into the front
room to ascertain the cause. He had hardly passed
through the door when he shot through the heart
with a revolver. The indications are that Mrs Mo
Vey then hurried in, anu she entered the she,
too was shot, the first bullet probably being the
that entered her face at the right cheek bone and
aterward extracted at the left she sank into the
chair near the door, and the murderer fired again. the
bullet entering just above her right breast pass
ing DOWNWARD TO the back part Of her hip, where II
was extracted She must have died Immediately.
Alice Dean, the adopted girl says she was awakened
by the report OF revolver She Immediately heard
her ''aunty's' voice exclaiming, 40 Lord, save
me-" or some such words, when another shot
fired, and all for time was STILL Alice then slipped
from her bed and hid underneath crouching close up
to the WALL Her story rs sngulsrly clear, and her
ton indicated most remarkable presence Of mind and
wisdom hardly to be expected from anybody ON such
an occasion OF in one SO young She says that she
realized that her turn would come next Seeing her
stockings lying in front OF the bed, and fearing that
they might attract attention, she made the best poss
BILE disposal OF them-slipped them over her feet
oNK OF TnE MURDERERs.
The man, soon alterward, came into her little room
with light, anu, after gancing around proceeded TO
break open the drawers OF her bureau and ransack
Alice says she could see nothing OF the man but his
lower cxremities He boots shoes, dark
jean pants and long dark colored ovcrcoaL She
that while Watching his movements she kept her eyes
partly covered by her fingers order to prevent
tell tale reflection OF the hight upon them. When the
man had satisfied himself 10 the usefulness oil the
contents OF tho bureau he went into Mcvey,s room,
searched tue bed and set lire TO the ticking. He then
returned to Ace's room looked partly under the bed
without discovering her; gathered up some clothing,
threw II to the foot OF the door and set fire her
clothing. which hung on the door He then lef, and
as she heard HIM descending the steps into the kitchen
she arose from heI hiding place. raised the win
dow, which, owing TO the slope OF the GROUND from
above ground, crawied out through the loS opening
swung herself over to the lence top, distance OF
nearly i've ieet and escaped from thence by a plank
stretched from there to the road, she over
the helds and up the hull to Jakes house, throwing
over ner head she neared the house, SKIRT which
she had prudentIy seized AS she left room. She
awakened Mr. Jaaes and told him that the Mcvcys
were being murdered down the tol gate. Mr.. Jakes
aroused his two farm hands, and armed with two snot
guns they started t0ward the toigate Mr. Jakes how
ever, IN the meantime 6rlng OF his gum in order, as
he says, to irghtcn the murderers and prevent them
itfrtuh
not already Killed. Arrived tho road Mr. Jakes
left the men there anu went up TO Mr.. Crdes where
he aroused him ana brought HIM along with him to the
tolIgate.
BLUxDER OF THE SEiGHBoRs
The hring oi The gun appears 10 have been q great
piuhueE nad the party gone quietly they might have
surrounded the house and the escape OF the
murderer II he stlll renamed inside Or they might
have caught sight OF him If he had departed. As IL
was much valuable time consumed and the mur.
derer escaped without leaving any really definite cew
as TO his identity.
When the party finally reached tho house they
broke In the kitchen door and found the house filled
with smoke proceeding from the burning bed, door
plicatlon OF water. The bodies vi the McVcys we're
found In The front room, quite dead. Tho old man lay
At lui length on the Uor the front door, and tho
old lady sat on the chair opposite, reclining forward,
with her head resting on tho stovc.
WIDESPREAD HORROR
Tho news oil the murder created the utmost horror
wherc The Old folks were known Hundreds oi people
from Chcotne aud CircIevilc, ana all along tho road
between VISITED the scene. At one time the crowd in
front OF the togate Was estimated at five hun
dred persons Tho Commissioners OF Ross county
at al once offered reward Of $1,000 tor aae ARREST arrss.
as good, honest, eccentric and pucky man,
and his wife, lar and wide, for her deeds OF
charity. Negnbors loved to call them "Uncle" and
"Aunty McVey,n and to speak Of them rs the two
people without an enemy IN the world They had
logged along through lilo without jar; had seen
vcissitudes, but surmountod ALL and were congratu-
latng themselves Of late the easy manner IN which
Providence was leading them home. The Two bodies
rested side by side in handsome coiins yester-
day, at the residence OF Mr.. Mills, whose vile had
been adopted daughter OF the good people. Tne
collins were surrounded by flowers appropriately
woven, and the folded hands of each hold tube roso
on the breast As an immense tnrong OF people fled
by for hours taking last look at the sweet aud
serene faces one could not avoid comparing tho
to the golden wedding toward which they had been
iondly looking and their neighbors had been preplr
tnu m hs n,x subioct wa