The Republican journal., 1877-06-07
No Safety for Murderers.

In the town of Orangetown, Rockland county,
New York, between Pearl river and Bauveltville,
III the fall of 1867. foul murder was committed
The locality is isolated and marked by the huts
and cabins OF a lawess class Of people. One morn
ing III the fall Of the above year William Hot1me-
yer and his wife were found in their bed covered
with blood and frightfully mutated. Hoffmevers
body lay across that of his wife, and from the
blood that was spattered about on the walls it was
evident there had been struggle. An axe stained
with blood and with locks OF gray hair still cling
ing to 1t was found near the bed. William Hoil-
meyer was so years old. His wife was IS They
mad lved many years in the house where they
were murdered. and had accumulated a fortune
They had habit Of keeping bowls and saucers
full OF gold and silver standing about in their
closets, while between the leaves of books that
lay on tables and were piled in corners they kept
bank notes. They were simple people and the
eccentric disposition of their money was known
to all the hard characters about them. The bowls
and saucers of coin were stolen. The bank bills
had been left in the books
Old Mr.. and Mrs. Hotfmeyer had nephew, who
then lived in Brooklyn. His name Peter
Edsall. Soon after the murder he came upon the
scene, He had will which he said his uncle had
made and given to him, by which he was made
heir To the whole property. He offered the will
for probate. Suspicion fell upon him as the muir
derer Some OF the neghbors OF the murdered
couple SAID they had seen EdSall haugin" about
their house Just before the tragedy But there
was not enough evidence and Edsall was not mo-
Tested The will was admitted to probate
ooine time alter tnc murder, john onien, liv
Ing next door To lIotimeycr, showed some silver
ana gold CONS. He had a number OF them He
had frequently worked for The Old farmer. and
knew all about the house. Believing that Snitien
had murdered Hotflneyer and his wife, ii charge TO
that effect was made against him Le had hear
Ing. but the evidence was not strong enough to
mold. No other arrests We're made although several
OF the deniZens of the mountain settlement were
suspected of being concerned i'll the crime. The
affair was at last almost forgotten.
Among the worthless inhabitants Of the neigh
borhood was an Italian named Pedro CaSaona and
his wife, and man who called John Smith
The latter came trOm BROOKLYN soon after the
murder, Casalonas wife left him and went To live
with John Smith. The Italian then took as his
wife daughter of John Snitfen. These parties
lived Principally by thieving. After Mrs. Casalona
became the companion of Smith. the two travelled
about the country peddling baskets and other arti
cles They still live together.
Last February, while they were in Piermont,
they both got drunk. \ justice of the peace sent
them to the county Jail for thirty days William
Johnson Il coored man, subsequently came for
ward and said that while John Smith and Mrs.
Casaona were quarrellng i'll Piermont. he heard
the latter threaten to expose Smith for having
killed the old couple Smith retorted that size was
as guilty as he, for she 'had carried the axe" The
matter was brought before the grand Jury. There
was insufficient testimony elected to indict either
Smith or the woman but certain words were
dropped at the investigation which turned the at
tentlou OF the authorities IN another o1rectou.
The ncighborhood in which the murder was com
mitted was secured by Deputy Sheriff Wood and
William Coc was taken into custody to rive i'm
portant testimony. William Coe was a boy when
the murder was committed. He lived with Pedro
Casalona He sworc that ON the niubt of the nur
der the Italian went away from home He tod
his wife and the bov not to 90 to he'd nntil he
came back He returned at | o'clock His clothes
Were spotted with blood and his hands We're red.
corner Of the room
At davlipbt CasaI,na rolled tho cIntbin,, in 81