The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1877-03-21

ARSON. AND MUKDER.--Our citizens were
startled son last Thursday to learn that Dir.
Ebenezer Largo, and son formerly residents
of this city, had been burned to death early
that morning. at Benniug's Station, near
Washington. Later reports gave evidence
that they had been murdered and the store
in which they slept afterward burned. Mr..
Large carried on the bIacksmithing business
in this city for years, and was well known for
his opcn-hearted and generous disposition.
He left Lambertville and located in Washing
ton during the late war. His remains and
that of his son were brought here on Satur-
day, (his mother and one brother being resi-
dents of this city, and the funeral services
were held in the NJ. e. Church on Monday
morning. Mr.. Geo. Hart. of this city, his
step-son, who went after the remains, in
forms us that the following report from the
New York Herald of last Friday, is in the
main correct :
At two o'clock this morning a country
store on the boundary line between the Dis.
trict of Columbia and Prince deorge county,
in Maryland, was burned to the ground, and
two men, father and son, were burned to
death. The remains of the unfortunate vic
Tins were so mutilated and charred that they
were known to be what they were only from
the circumstances of the place. Nearly every
particle of flesh was burned from thar bones,
and scarcely anything was left except the
blackened skeletons of the two unlucky faen.
The facts attending the case point indpbita-
bly, to the preparation of the double crfne OF
murder and arson. Bennings station, where
the fire took place, is situated ON the line Of
the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad, in the
District of Columbia, but IN that wild and
desolate portion of it which borders on the
toughest and rudest portion of Maryland. As
all who have travelled over this iine to or from
the capital must have observed, the country
which the road passes Is little better than a
wilderness. The scenery is rough, and for
the most part the character of the population
is scmi-savage. 1t Is inhabited for the most
part by negroes who were III slavery years
ago and who now live in the most primitive
fashion ON the farms and plantations to which
they were formerly attached as slaves
Last summer two of this class robbed the
country store at the place called Glymount,
which is in the same region of country and
murdered young man named Everest, a
crime which, 1t will be remembered, they ex-
plated not long ago on the scaffoid.
The store which was burned last night was
owned by Felix Magruder and was attended
mainly by q clerk named John Large who,
with his brother and his father, Ebenezer
Large, came to Washington from Lambert
vile, N. j., short time since. 1t was situat-
ed about 200 yards from the railroad track
and was surrounded by half dozen small
cottages owned by white and colored men.
The store was well stocked with the articles
usually found in establishments of the kind,
and in the evenings was the resort of the
gossips of the neighborhood, who were, for
the most part colored people.
One of the singular circumstances connected
with the affair was that the clerk, John Large
was deaf and dumb, so that he could not have
given offence to any of the frequenters of the
establishment He was 50 intelligent how
ever, that he knew intuitively what every
customer wanted, and was, 1t is said, in ever,
ssiespect a most efficient clerk, possessing thu
entire confidence This employer. 1t was hi
habit every night before the store was close,
to count the receipts of the day and put then
: i'm his pocket, and when he retired to tn
s om,iwhere he slept In the second story
place the package Of bills and ersssnsy undo
his pillow. This was done in the presence o
the crowd of colored men and others VIII
CHANGED to be in the place at the time, and
'ssis the impression that the cupidity Of som
one or more of them was thus excited and tn
plot formed to rob the store. a. 5s..j..
The subsequent steps leading to murde
and arson to conceal the crime were easy
Until n short time ago Large was assisted Ii
the store by a nephew of Magruder, the pro
priet0r, but since the latters departure h
has been attending the store alone. Durin,
the night his father remained with him, 81
that IL any one called he could notify his son
who, as has been said, was deaf. ssWf
The fire, according to the testimony which
was taken before the Coroner to-day, arose al
{ that point Of the building where the win,
3 that was blowing gale at the time would b,
most favorable to the spread of the flames ans
the entire destruction Of bodybuilding. Som
of the witnesses who were examined testifie,
that when they arrived on the scene they saw
the bodies Of the two men suspended between
the floors, the skull of the father broken IL
and the brains protruding, from the fracture
This, and the fact that q dirk knife was fount
near the blacksmith shop Of Large, ST., who's,
plaee was also robbed Of the tools 1t con
tained, is the only evidence obtained thus faI
that q murder was committed. i-,s.~;,ls
Suspicion points very strongly to a, colores
nan named Garrett, who lives near the store
1t is alleged that q short time ago he attempt
ed tcsteal some wood from the premises
when the clerk, Large, drove him off by point
ing revsiyer at him. The general theory O
burglary, murder and arson accounts for til,
fire without reference to this incidents Gar
nett has not been arrested, but it ~ strongl,
suspected by the detectives aud othersthat b,
Is irnplicatcd ~