The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-04-14
MURDERED FOR MONEY.

MAIL CARRIER KILLED IN LONELY NOUN
TAIN RoAD--sKILFUL DEVELOPMENT OF
EVIDENCE LEADING TO THE IDENTIFICATION
OF THE ASSASSIN.
BY TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD.
KEysER, West Va, April Is, 1877
The facts Of the murder OF David c. Hsor the young
mail carrier, whose bullet pierced body and ried mail
sacks were found on the bank Of tho South Branch
River few days ago. mako tragedy. tho narrative of
which reads like a Leaf from the romantic legends
Of our earlier literature. The sceno
wild ravIne in tho midst OF towering mountains. Tho
object Is plumber, the victim mail agent, galloping
along with his pouchcs and the murderer an assassin
who ntcrcepts his victim from q mountain pathway
The c,rcumstnnal evidence TOO which tends TO asten
the crime on the suspected man, IS highly dramatic.
Although tho crmo occurred about week ago il Is
still the subject Of. tho most intense excitement
throughout the entire country around Petersburg and
Moorleld The rlckety old jail Of Grant county, ut
Petersburg. in which tho suspected murderer Doug
lass ssconlned Is continually surrounded by crowd
Of & t<ss people: while thousands OF persons, men,
women and cnildrcn, impoilcd by tho Diood-cning
"reminiscences OF the murder have vistod tho OF
the struggle between the carrier and his assassin.
THE VALLEY or DEATH
1t Is spot well suited Tor the terrible dced--the
mouth or opening OF a dark, lonely guch on the bank
OF the South Branch River On one side is n towering
clin OF rocks In the SHADOW OF tins ciin
nj the bottom oil the valley and this proves tho valley
Of the shadow Of death to the young mail carrier.
Two government detectives who have been working up
the case have finished their work as far II
Gun now DO completed. One OF them. Colonel
Henderson. passed through here tins morning
on his way 10 Washington. Tho other, Mr. Tidbai,
went to Wheeling 10 confer with the United states
District Court authorities with reference 10 tho prose-
cdtien OF the accused Mr.. ridba has made n
diagram Of the spot which the final struggle took
place and has procured number Of points IN the way
Of crcumstaDtial evidence, which are SAID 10 dictate
very clearly that Douglass committed the murder
ELIMINATING CIRCUMSTANCES.
In the first place Douglass known to have seen
the carrier on tho morning OF the murder In posses
sion OF one hundred dollar bill Soon after
TINS tho carrier left on his route 70 Keyser, and almost
simultaneously Douglass lett on horseback ut rapid
gait In the direction taken by Hiscr but gong by
shorter and less frcqucntcd route. Arriving ut the
mouth OF the canyon Is thought TO have waited Tor
the approach OF mas victim by the longer route. The
horse OF the murderer Is surmsed to have been hchcd
20 a small tree the OF the ACTIVITY before
noted. The ground surrounding this sapling was
found by the detectives TO bSYindcnted by horses
hoois. These indenations SLOWED that upon Quo OF
the horses icet AN imperfect SHOE ana "a broken
shoe, corresponding with the Impressions ut the sap
ling, was found upon the horse ridden by Douglass
Numerous deep marks small sand level where the
murder occurred showed that the struggle hal
desperate A very minute Examination Of tho loot
result OF this examination with the boots clothes
OF Douglass, has convinced tho detcctves that they
have got the right man.
Az IMPORTANT WITNESS.
a aborer at work the OF the elf, high above
tho valley, have witnessed part the death
struggle HIS attention attracted 10 the bottom Of
this euch by pistol shot, followed almost instantly by
two other reports vi firearms. Ho became frightened
this and ran away TO raise an alarm lie did raise
an alarm, but when the spot visited by party Of
men the deed was done and the murderer gone.
THE BODY THE BOOTY.
The body OF young Hscr was found IN the river,
short distance from tho scene OF the tragedy. Tho
mail pouch with no LEFT Mooried also ouni
IN tho river, near by hanging sawyer" or snag.
IL had been riicd aud IT'S contents burned few yards
away from the fatal sand level small tbicket OF
undcrs The murderer secured only about $50 In
money from two registered letters IN the pouch and
small sum from the clothes OF his victim. 1t tran
sprcd the butchcry and robbery Hiscr dis
posed OF the 500 bill he seen by Douglass to
have before he lett tor keysor The impression here
That had Douglass been aware oil this he would not
have the risk OF king the carrier for the booty
afforded by the pouch.
PROBABLE PUNISHMENT.
The prisoner to be tried In tho Grant
Circuit Court. The United States District
Attorney, General Nathan Con, Jr, has telc
graphca from Wheeling that no will assist
the Grant county prosecutor conducting the case
against Douglass, Us the murdered man In tho
government service ut the time OF his death. Many
persons icar. however, that the case will never come
trial court, but that the people will
minstration OF justice INTO their hands hang
the prisoner Under the West Virginia laws anu prac.
tco II Is very difficult To hang criminal, though capt.
tai punishment Is not prohibited.