The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-06-29
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Chair on verandsh, where the son sat
1hair inside the door where the father sat with his
Stable where joyce and his brother stood
s-s,ovc. by the side Of which stood Joyces SON
0-StarwAy
stealthily around the door. post, threw his left
arm about his ihth"rs neck. and was trying to
,h the knife into his heart The point Of
had cut the father 70 the bone Of the left arm,
when joyce jumped nearly ten feet and landed
on the murderers back. The poor old man
toppled from the chair. crying, oh. dear"
He dropped upon his side AT the foot OF a
with Joyce on his back, In an instant the latter
had his arms around his neck and grasped his
right wrist. Quick as Thought the murderer
into the side Of his fathers neck. Joyce called
upon his son for help There was severe
the sioop and cIenched him 10y the wrists. while
his son. boy OF sixteen. began to pull his
fingers. one by one. from the handle OF the
and the weapon was secured. stephen Joyce.
the brother, aided them. and the parricide was
side on the pcrico xii this time the Old" Old man
was welterlng in his blood. He died within five
minutes. The jugglar vein was severed, and
passion had often pointed TO his neck. saying.
:" know where to strike when l want to kill
anybody"
GOODNESS OF THE MURDERER
On being told Of his fathers death. he replied.
Now the estate can be settled" 4 moment
aitcrward he said. j cant lie here | lie pretty
hsrdb e9n r Sand foH must put II
but quickly added. " This rope cuts me. You
must loosen it,
Joyce said they would do it when the neigh
bors came, and not before.
Well" replied the murderer. you have no
right Ia tie me- | have looked up the law be-
fore this. ami know that you haven't / must
be- arrested by constable before you can tic
While sitting in the chair. he said. Il didn't
hurt the old man until after you Jumped on me.
Then did tho deed"
Why did, you come here to my house to do
Because | was bound ,o do IT,, he replied.
" and couldn't do II anywhere else"
Within AN hour the news OF the murder Ind
spread over the country. Constable Oliver y.
Woodruff drove the house as soon as he heard
OF it. The prisoner was united and handcuffed.
A. the manacles clicked upon his wrists he said.
=, Ihems pretty d ug9t tighter than any
9I sd Sn II 8 S G e
He expressed no sorrow for what he had done.
but seemed 70 eXuit over II. One Chase. neigh
Dor and bOyhOud companion. who came up to
assist IN laying out the corpse. said. This is
too bad, Ed"
three more before die
He sat IN chair on the stoop chewing TO,
hacco. and saw his dead father shaved and laid
ont within six feet Il him without exhibiting
the least emotion. Van, snld he. ncco-tlng
his brother-iu-lAw an hour after tho murder
you can help this thing along The quicker
you hang me the. better for M. Help a fellow
Justice George y. Woodruff arrived at
o'cluck. and lmuanrled "A jury. They exam
incd Mr.. Joyce and few of the nnighbors.
and asked tho prisoner several questions. He
acknowledged his guilt and said he was ready
10 die. Tho Jury returned a verdict against
him, Turning toa neiHIhoor, he said That
ris a rope ny On that maple I'll climb the tree
aud Jump on
AWAITING THE HEREAFTER
After the verdict Constable Woodruff took the
prisoner 10 hi- house and kept him until morn
ing. The neighhors were much excited. and II
was feared that he would be lynched If driven
direct TO Danhury. Mr. Woodruff therefore
took him over 10 New Milford. from which
was morose. and said but little, He told the
constable that the job was good one. On be-
Ing asked why lie did 1t he replied. That's my
business. ON preliminary examination he
the action OF the Grand Jury in August. He
Wns, grim and silent on Tuesday. but on
Wednesday his long and sulsen If Of anger
and he burst into tears. and expressed q
Wish for lawyer. He eomprehendf9at
tina, il seemed like something done
long time ago. The writer visited him
on Thursiay evening. He sat upop, his bed
Wife" He is q stout built man OF medium
hesht: His complexion is rudy The .,q..
ache, and We're il not for ihe sray tinee Of his
bristling hair, he might DO taken Tor a very
young man. IL eyes are small but piercing.
His forehead slopes back, and n phrenologist
would say that his animal faculties were well
developed. He wore the suit in which he APP
p'ared at his mothers funeral. lie conversed
readily, said that his father was very hard on
him when II boy. and unjust to him after he
grew W TO manhood He could give no reason
for his fits Of anger. but said that no had re-
peatedly made efforts 10 control them and fail
ed. He acknowledged the murder. and de-
clarod that II all seemed like dream. He could
Motel why he did ii, and had made no attempt
10 anayze his feelings.
With eyes cast down he acknowledged the
shooting Of his wife. II had boon done in tho
heat Of passion. But our difficulties" said
he were all settled and we should have lived
happily together We're II not Tor what has hap
pcncd." He evidently bore no good feeling to-
ward his brothers. and held them responsible
IN degree for his unfortunate situation. told
MN that his wife was coming 10 see him on
Friday. He Frightened up. and said he would
be glad TO see her Tho poor woman has re-
malned at home with her little children. and
much sympathy is expressed for her. The feel
ing against her husband - intense.
visited tho house where tho murder was
committed, and got NJ Ost Of my information
from Mr.. joyce and tbs companions Of Hoyt in
boyhood: The dwelling is a large painted
antique farm house. with shingles for weather.
II. and bees were chasing each other beneath
the fruit trees in the yard. Tho mansion is
nestled beneath the naples Of beautiful val
ley. Joyce says he has not slept a night since
the murder fearing that tho prisoner may
escape from Jail and return and finish his work.
The blulf old farmer believes that he intended
to murder the entire family.