Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-27
MURDER WONDER SOLVED
ARREsT and CONFESSION OF JOHN
NJ. ARMSTRONG,s MURDERER.
The Deed 1nstigated by Benz. Hunter, who
Held the Policy of Insurance on Arm
strong's Life-A Cold-Blooded Narrative
OF the Murder--Completing the Assassin's
Work.
philadelphia March 2p Correspondence N. Y.

Work.
Philadelphia (March 2D Correspondence N. Y.
Sun.
lhe mystery which, for two months has
surrounded the murder of John NJ Arm
strong in Camden, has been cleared up by
the arrest and confession of Thomas Ora
ham, who says that he committed the deed
at the instigation of BENJAMIN Hunter.
Graham was former employe of Hunter,
who held policy of insurance on Arm
strong's life. He lives at Wharton and
Tenth streets, in this city, near Hunters
residence, and has been for some time under
police surveillance. Both the Sheriff of
Camden and the detectives were convinced
by certain circumstances of the tragedy, not
generally known, that while Hunter instigated
the murder, another hand struck the blow. In
looking for the actual perpetrator of the deed
their suspicious were excited by the conduct
and surroundings of Graham, as well az bv
his intimacy with Hunter previous to the lat
ter's arrest. These suspicious last night led
so nearly to certainty that it was determined
to take him at once into custody. Accord
lngly, Sheriff Dankman, accompanied by
Detective Yoder, went to his house and de-
manded admittance. Graham was in bed.
and the officers at once secured him. He is
only n years of age and unmarried. He
trembled and turned deadly pale when con
fronted by the officers, but offered no resist
ance, and at once confessed his guilt. His
confession is as follows:
81, Thomas Granam, without any prom
ises or threats whatever. knowing at the same
time the fearful responsibility am assuming
do state that I met Hunter in the early part
of December, 1877, in the neighborhood OF
Ninth and Reed streets. He asked me if
knew Armstrong, and said did. He said
HE owes me lot of money and has to be
killed. said; Does he?' He said: gu
give you $500 to do it, and if you don't do il
you're no friend of mine.' I had been Hun
ter's apprentice and journeyman together
eight years. met him the following week
at Sixteenth and Cherry streets at his place
OF business. He wasn't in when got there
and | waited for him. got So. l went
several times after that to Sixteenth
and Cherry without seeing him. l went to
Hunters home the Saturday night before
New Years. He gave me SIS. One of the
twins OF Hunter let me in at the back gate.
| saw him again on New Years at my own
door, 1928 South Seventh street. He said.
lake the hammer; this is what it's got to
be done with. The hammer had got q name
on it, the name of F. w. D., meaning F. w.
Davis. Then let the hammer lay, and it
will be blamed on him, as Davis owed Arm
strong money He came to my place where
was working some time afterward. and
gave me plan or drawing of the houses and
the situation of where Davis lived in Cam
den, showed me the whole location, and said
| could put Armstrong in one OF
the cellars in that neighborhood
lie said Davis owed Armstrong
and that Armstrong would be over to get it.
lie said he was going to Virginia, but he
would send me some money when he was
gone, but did not The understanding was
that Graham was to do the deed while Hunt
er was In Virginia. I did not see him again
until tuesday before the murder; saw him
again at Sixteenth and Arch streets the pre-
vlous Monday, and talked with his Journey
man few<1moments Hunter then crossed
the street and took hold of Armstrong; arm,
and the two walked down SAMSON street.
across Independence square, and into the
back OF the postof6ce, and on the way Arm
strong dropped package of papers into
the box. They then passed out on
Chestnut street, down Chestnut street to
Delaware avenue, and then to Market street,
and there took the boat. I followed ali
the way, and went over on the same boat.
Hunter and Armstrong got in car at Cam.
den and rode to Vine street. I had to run
to keep up. Then they walked up Vine
street to the place where the murder was
committed. There was small alley there.
Hunter said he wanted to go there to urinate.
1t had been agreed between Hunter and me
that when he said YES was to strike the
blow. Hunter said Yes, hit him. and then
l struck him in the forehead frona the front.
Then my courage failed me, and ran rapid
~ away, dropping both hammer and
natcnet Armstrong staggered, but
l can't tell whether he fell
or not when struck. 1 ran away for
the cellar, and jumped down the first,
climbed up the back wall, came out on Fifth
street, and ran down to Market and then to
the ferry. left Hunter behind me and met
him in the front part af the boat. I walked
down slowly. [ said, sWell?' He said ]
finished him. He told me he had to hunt
for the Ratchet before he could find it. He
said this while crossing on the boat. After
we got over to the city he gave me twenty
i've cents, here marking that that was all the
change he had. We got back to Philadel-
phia between and 8 o'clock; 1 cannot tell
exactly. I met him again next day on
Wharton street, below Eighth. AS he passed
me he told me to meet hin, at
Broad street and Girard avenue in the
afternoon at 3o'clock, which did, and he
gave me $lO. That was the last saw of
him till heard that Detective Yoder had or
rested him and took him to Camden. He
was at my house four or five times, but / did
not see him. He was also at my mother'e
and sisters looking for me, so they said. On
the Thursday mentioned when he saw me he
said, You had a rough time on account of
Armstrong's working till late every night. -
Then Hunter added, Its got to be done to-
night He then gave me postal card di.
rected to Davis, stating that Armstrong
would be over to Camden that night. The
postal card said:
Will be over at Up. NJ. (signed) JIM.
II dropped it into letter box at Sixteenth
and Arch streets or Sixteenth and Filbert-
somewhere in that neighborhood. He
charged me to be sure and be over. I said,
All right but did not go, went up to
Sixteenth and Arch next morning, and told
Hunter that Armstrong was not over in
Camden last night. He said, That's queer,
and said he would go to Armstrong; office
and see, and was to meet him at Eighth
and Pine. went to Eighth and Pine,
waited for half an hour, when he came. He
said Armstrong had been over to Camden.
l said that did not see him. Hunter said,
Its all right; I have made arrangements
to go over tonight with him myself Then
we went down Passyunk avenue, be-
low Washington, to Spilesky's hat
store. Hunter bought soft hat, for which
ne paid one dollar. left him and had ar
ranged to meet him that evening at Eighth
and SAMSON streets, to go to Camden and
XII Armstrong. The rest of the day went
around drinking; went home and got the
hammer, put it in my pants pocket, letting