The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1878-08-03
Murder and Horrible
MutIlation OF n Jersey city on

NEW YoRK, August 1.-Henry Smith
q policeman Of Jersey City, with his wife,
retired, last night, at II o'clock. All
o'clock this NOR ming Mrs. Smith aWoke
TO find her husband dead. with his skull
crushed. He had been murdered In his
sleep, and it appears the assassins first
chloroiormed the husband and wife, a.
the deed was perpetrated without Mrs.
Smith knowing anything aboutit.
smith's body was perforated with stabs
and wounds, apparently made By earv-
ing knife, and the bed was sodden with
gore. The head Of the dead man was
twisted around on his neck, an effort
having evidently been made to sever II
from the body. There were also marks
OF = heavy blow across the forehead,
which had crushed 10 the frontal bones ot
the skull, and had evidently been made
with heavy bludgeon, probably a po:
licemans club. II seems that Smith and
his brother had been divorced, and one Of
the brothers married the divorced vile
Of the other. Harry Smith, the victim
Of the tragedy, had married, or at least
wGs living with, young woman recently
veil known about town as Jennie PoEers.
There was no evidence Of forcible en-
trance or egress from the house! The
doors we're all locked, and windows se.
cured.
The weapons used in the murder were
such as would come fret to hand in the
house-a carving. knife and policeman's
club, neither Of which we're found.
The murdered man is brother Of Al.
derman John II. Smith.
Mrs. Smith says she was awakened at
3:l6 A. NJ, by her husband throwing his
head over her face, and she discovered q
handkerchief on her face which hsd 4
peculiar order. She removed the hand.
kerchief, and turning to her husband,
noticed that both pillows covered bis
head and body. These she removed, and
saw 4 pool Of blood under him, which had
also saturated her own clothing. This,
she says, was the frat intimation she had
OF the commission OF the crime. The
handkerchief which Mrs. Smith says
covered her face IL missing. Chief
Nathan has ordered Mrs. Smith arrested,
and close watch is kept upon her.
Officer Smith was one Of four brothers,
one OF whom is member Of the Board oil
Aldermen OF Jersey City, and one Is
conductor on the Central Railroad Of
New Jersey. All bear irreproaehable
characters, and the murdered man was
not known to have had an enemy. But
one clue has as yet been obtained from 4
transaction which occurred on the night
before the murder. About 10 o'clock, as
Officer Smith was entering his house by
the rear door, he discovered man in the
cellar. He ordered him away and the
man left without any trouble. Who he
was or what called him to the place is IN.
known. Some are Of the opinion that
family trouble Was the cause Of the deed.
NV YoRK, August IA great mum.
Der OF people looked to-day, 1t the house
in Jersey City where Richard Harrison
Smith, the policeman, was brutally muir.
dered Wednesday. Three arrests have
been made, that Of the wife Of the man
killed, Covert Bennett and Della Cau6eld,
who is said to have some improper rela.
tious TO Smith. Thomas Coitman, q con-
tractor, who is building sewer in Van.
horn street, was there very early Thurs
day morning looking after his property,
and says: Between Il and 8 o'clock, q
coupe whirled around the corner Of Pa.
cifc Avenue, the horse going ct full gal.
lop, and dashed up johnson street TO.
wards where was sitting on pile oil
dirt and stones, a. the vehical drew near,
the driver exclaimed: "Why don't you
have your DID light burningt' l seized
the light and run into the street TO give
him an opportunity TO see 10 drive, and
az he dashed past heard voice inside
the coupe say: "Go on driver go on for
Gods sakel" This coupe was seen BY
others waiting on Pacific Avenue, and it
is said the police have found the driver
and upon Information given by him they
arrested Bennett.
The funeral will take place tomorrow
and will be attended by detachment Of
police and Amity Lodge Of Free Masons.