The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-02-14

II was very old. and had a rivet through the
handle near the head OF the hammer. 1t is
supposed that Armstrong; skull was crushed 10y
The sharp edge Of the hammer. The handles Of
10th hatchet and hammer bore the initials. r.
N.D' These letters had been cut into them with
a knife. microscopcal examination it is said.
shows that they were fresh cut and that sand
had been rubbed into them to give them the ap-
pearance of age. There were two men living in
Camden whose names answered the initials
One was Ford W. Day. an honest butcher living
along distance from the scene Of the murder.
and the other Ford w. Davis. who resided but
iour or five doors from the spot. The nrst was
stranger to Armstrong but the latter had had
unsatisfactory business relations with MIN.
Lard words and sharp notes hai passed hr-
tween them. and II Is known that Armstrong Was
on his way 10 Daviss house. with the intention
oi enecting hnal settlement when he was
About year ago Davis and one De Marrs.
also llNing IN camden. formed u partnership IN
Ele produce business aud opened a store In
Philadelphia. De Marrls Is said to be Of French
birth. and was at one time sailor. He came
from New Orleans and appears a. be an uneasy
business man. Tor IL is Reported that he has had
AK partners within two years. DAVIS was a
hroken-down patent man, a Canadian hv hifth.
HIS wlle Is an educated and lnduStr Ou- udy
aud IS said To be cousin 10 Theod lIr ltIrr
bdn DAVIS and De- Marris are memher- - the
baptist Church. The firm of DE Marrls DAVIS,
luduce dealers. lasted only thirty-twu days.
ilung that time. however. Armstrong WIS
dawn into bus mess relations with them. Davis
rapurars got money from hlm on notes Of the
irll that De Murrls tried To- repud ate. After
ward Armstrong gave Davis his own note, with
Ar understanding that the latter would get il
discounted. but he. al his rartner's suggestion.
lyl"inecated il with one NJ Naushton fora pro-
,l." oill. aud this gave rise 10 serious trouble
l'iH"en the firm and Armstrong The trouble
Increased after the partnership was dissolved.
am was at " height when the murder was
committed. How serious IT was may be- judged
~ extracts from notes written by Armstrong to
ae's; va , rE1rrnlly E brought l. lEht and now print
~, Armstrong wrote DAVIS rs follows
ie,tived notice from alawNer this afternoon that
HyT sc., 10 ,ue sSl ,@' Wy IT, pI. no e pa T." NaI 's
tt.,.- 40 Aht cae 81 t,,f pid You not come 10 an
''''s; .sseas S S your not ''J & 4 ATsiroSs Ts o%ay
In a letter written to Davis on Sept. 20 Arm
strong says;
o1 t Ssih'o9 a. m.'T M m"it & be gsGa Up Ss,Ge !:
tus eotas m 's h lne '"' W." .H nssn sans ssr T''G @
'5,h 10, lowrf 20 do You must rai,, the sls7 with
,l "l we WE .I' at"'r, a. NO iurIhtr stay can be
Il "1E'Is h''.'' Ai..t fu-l.. j. NJ. ARMSTRONG
Tie following cs'la.; is taken from letter
without date, written wtA a blue lead pencil
have been loohn, laurly for you To- call in aud ar
XIX, .I ni'",' ,, a, yo po ,d Thy exlirauon ui unc
,d g''Hi Rb,, 10 s' m ae % ana have NE whole lrmio
Ticd oI. 10 s,er, i , M e H. IN tr PTe'n e nGSy
| WIZ YOU can to mend tlc wrong Oh me.
INV whi @ any iA, N. claims. ne oth,r !, to mud
y r ist iy,, ,r & 10 no Se9n!y .ail IRON srrt
,@t, t, n' w M'1 ,' so N, s,eariiy IN the. masr,
"'' M ',mtlhins at once. No more delays promises
respectfully your, j NJ AgMsfRosG
ips following postal card was written witt
IT, p-h'll hhi addressed f. ". DAVIS. 522
''"' sIeet camden, " J.:'
- vi he over to see YOU Tomorrow Tuesday eve At
ny o'clock Be sure 10 be ln. Respectfully j. NJ. A.
iuen,laY, Jan. y. was the day before the mur-
|bt iUHt hlght Armstrong did 20 and see
lr,ii " nnai PASSED between them Is unknOwn.
Ns.apiy DAVIS threw the responsibility on De
va r. Inr on leaving his house Armstrong
lslre.r lS erS9rd to say; Il will now 60 ior De
AYE morning after the murder the finger
bfsIo"n suspicion pointed AT DAVIS. The |
Inilsr, ia ilir hammer. the fact that he used n
he 4',ai mo-, Instrument ln an odd Job oi knocking
ponn,,r ,,rhr rom old bricks, and. above all. his |
Irgn"n',aary difficulties with Armstrong. wer.
ttnt W against lim. On the night of the |
npi..ei Armstrong is said to have lrit the law |
ayY,.l ol g. i. carr, fith street, PAiladeiphi |
Il. Hs rs ~ was going to see Davis and DE Mar |
ss Wal ,al th"y bolh owed him money, and he |
p |p'la'4 "i them, On this evidence alone. |
l,v,N N.Y know nothing about the letters, |
Julia VA arrested by the authorities. The
Vas :, 'n' -Ail ipn was 50 great that lynch law |
dimo"Nt "t ,""h"l. DAVIS told the story Of hls |
arrr,t I'','1 ~ van Armstrong, and TINT led to the
-" w. Dg AHrrs. 1t was then charged that |
ur4.., ur4.,'4ih nih franklln. II backsmiih OF Dock |
Meh i.'."1'llhm. had lent The hammer with |
luti,l H. H. NuIpo7ed ths murder was com |
! Ir Marrt 0' met +ihD NNll' ill' III VI
II lreh"",'I ~ DAVIS was IN existence After APP |
II inn,ins ,oh' n1lh wor" placed in solitary con |
ITcSrnt NobJdy was allowed 10 SEE them. |
Iay,. u'lor james NJ. Scovel was employed Ms !
tnort,.' 'glh7"i. hut says he WIS forced To- get |
b,lor., ,i In VEN IA" Judge Of the supreme Court |
he ir W.. .nr Nhlri OF Police would admit him 10 |
b. rat',N'r' DAVIS proved an alibi. No doubt |
All Il ~ l.is mouse al the time Of the murder. |
nea, 80 he won't 10 the Baptist church 10 PRAYER |
~. ibns, I' Marrls also attended the meeting; |
tiG, ro,,at'ln MS concerning his whereabouts |
ssa%S"Ie contradictory.
,all Itn,,r Itn H. ia" authorities struck another |
Ir a wall 'prnils told them that benjamin Hun
isfge ln.,"upWn res don't Of Phllalep phia. held |
Al lpn,"',it dh'" policies on Armstrong; life
tlevgat -, ~ d. we house OF the murdered man |
lxll tue following letter. which Wss |