Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-12-08
AN UNFORGOTTEN TRAGEDY.

New York Star.
Delmonico's old building at the corner
of Chambers street and Broadway, once
so popular with lovers of the good lunches
prepared by the great restaurateur, pos
sesses an interest lar in excess of that
given to it by the association of Louis
Delmonlco's name. It has oeen altered
recently to suit the occupancy of Messrs.
Tredwell, Jarman s. Slote, clotniers. But
few OF the numerous employees of this firm,
or indeed of the throngs who daily pass
and repass On the great thoroughfare, are
aware that in this stone structure was per-
petrated the murder Of Samuel Adams
by John G. Colt one of the most sensa-
tional tragedies that ever startled the
city.
On the afternoon of Friday, the 18th
day of September, 1871, Mr.. John G.. Colt
professional book keeper and teacher
OF ornamental penmanship, was sitting in
his office on the second floor Of the build
ing, the windows looking out on Cham
bers street. Another book keeper, name
Wheeler, occupied an ajoining. apartment,
with several pupils who daily attended
his instruction. About three o'clock in
the afternoon printer named Samuel
Adams, left his work to visit Mr.. Colt, for
whom ne was engaged in printing text
book. There was balance due him on
the job, and it was to obtain settlement
that the fatal visit was made. Adams
sat down on chair at the opposite side
of the table used by his debtor as desk,
and in this position the argument be-
tween the parties began. Both men were
quick-tempered, circumstance which
sooa brought about ILL feeling in the dis
cussion which ensued. The lie was given,
and then Adams, becoming enraged,
pushed the book-keeper against the wall,
and held him in a vise-like grip. A ham
mer lay upon the table within reach of
Colt, who seized it and delivered blow
after blow upon the head Of his antagonist.
With a groan the injured man fell to the
floor. A red stream poured from his
mutilated head, and in five minutes he
was dead.
Mr.. Wheeler, in the next room, was
startled by the sound of the heavy fall.
He advanced cautiously to the door of his
neighbours room, looked through the key
hole, and saw Mr.. Colt STOPPING over a
PROSTATE :o1m, which he was endeavor-
ing to lift up. There was no noise. He
returned to his room, while John G. Colt
sick and faint, staggered into chair and
hid his hands to avoid the hideous sight.
But prompt action on Colts part became
necessary. He began to realize that it
would not do to leave the corpse on the
floor with the blood soaking into the
planks. His first purpose was to fire the
house and burn tie corpse in it; but this
plan he gave up. Once more he was alone
with the dead body in his room,
and the terrible realization of
his own danger began to dawn upon him.
There was wooden box lying disused
in closet, with some canvas awning and
stout cord. A new plan suggested itself
at the sight of these articles. He first
tied the cord around the dead mans neck
for the purpose of stopping the flow of
blood; then he wrapped the body in the
awning and proceeded to pack it in the
box, after sailing it well with a quantity
OF salt purchased ata neighboring grocery
This work done he washed the stains from
the floor and he walls of the room, went
to the Washington Bath-house in Pearl
street, and there washed his shirt, after
which he went to his home, where his
mistress, Caroline Henshaw. awaited him
The next morning he shipped the body
of Adams to New Orleans, putting it on
board clipper lying at the Maiden lane
Dock. He told his mistress nothing
about it, and congratulated himself upon
getting rid of all evidence of his crime.
But adverse winds kept the vessel back.
For whole week the master refused to
leave port until a change came. At the
expiration Of this time a peculiar and
oVerpowering odor began to assert itself
IN the ship and was traced to the hold.
suspicious were aroused, and orders were
given to break the corgo, in doing which
the sailors stumbled across this myste.
rious box. 1t was opened and the mu-
tilated corpse found doubled up within.
The thrill of horror which this reyela-
ton spread throughout the city can be
more easily imagined than described.
Crowds of the morbidly curious focked
to the pier to obtain glimpse of the ship
which contained the box; representatives
OF the press detailed in the various CITY
journals the horrifying aspect of the case,
while the detectives secured the CITY
precincts to find some c!ew to the perpe
traitor.
The disappearance Of the printer Ad-
ans had in the meantime been made the
occasion of newspaper comment, and be-
fore shutdown of the day on which the
discovery was made a CLEAN OF light was
thrown on the mystery. By the ad-
wee OF District Attorney James X.
Whiting the Superintendent of Carts ad-
yertlsed for the cartman who took the
box to the ship. The man appeared and
told how he was ordered to take the box
from the Chambers street Office to Maiden
lane pier, and that Mr.. John G. Colt cave
him the necessary directions and paid
him. Colt was Immediately arrested
and locked in cell in Murderers, Row
in the City Prison.
There the prisoner lived like a Prince
the wherewith being furnished by his
wealthy relatives. The respectability of
his connections made him an immense