Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-08-31

I4AE 8AOk "
A most horrible blood-curdling story
concerning MI. A. ]. Tyrrell, n Of the
Republican aspirants for the G~ubernatorial
nomination, has lately been circulated
in the western part Of the State. We re-
ceived it in confidence some time since,
and treasured it up as . choice morsel Of
campaign thunder. in the event Of Mr..
Tyrrell becoming the Republican standard
bearer. In the Enterprise Of q few days
ago Governor Daggett attempted something
in the way of an apology for his rival for
the Storey delegation. Withholding the
facts, not designedly. we are charitable
enough to believe, he stated just enough
to awaken the curiosity Of the public. The
story having gained general publicity,
the Gold Hill Nesos proceeds to supply the
particulars. We reproduce the account OF
the Neus in simple justice to Mr.. Tirrell'
who. We have no doubt, is an honorable
gentleman. Says the Necs
The really horrible incident referred to
originated, IL we remember Alright, IN 1876
or 1847, in the town of Weymouth, Massa-
chusetts. The name Of the principal &C.
tor in the tragedy was Albert J. Tyrrell, .
young man some nineteen or twenty years
Of age. His father was q rich shoe dealer,
and at his death Albert became heir to
about $50, 900. As might be expected with
apampered, favored son, he spent the
money his father had laboriousiy accumu-
lated, in . very lavish and reckless manner
going in for q Jolly good time while it
lasted. He effected the ruin Of 3 most
beautiful young girl named Maria A. Bick-
ford, residing with her parents in the same
town, and she became his mistress. One
night, we forget whether in Weymouth or
Boston, in a fit of jealousy, or inspired by
the devil, he deliberately and most cruelty
murdered her while lying abed, cutting
her all to pieces with q Ratchet. He was
arrested and on trial, through the ability
Of his counsel, the celebrated Rufus
Choate, and the doubts Of circumstan-
tial evidence, his neck was saved and he
got off with eight years in the State
Prison at Charlestcwn. What became Of
him thereafter, or whether he is living
now, we know not, but we well ~recollect
that this most cruel tragedy created q very
lively sensation at the time.
Some fourteen years ago, A. j. Tyrrell,
whom everybody has known for many
years here in the foundry business, as q
very square, straightforward, honorable
citizen, applied for admission to member
ship in the Silver Star Lodge, F. Il A. M,
Gold Hill. As q matter of course, his past
record had to be understood, as in case Of
admission to any Masonic Lodge, and thus
it was that, through similarity of name
and initials, the old murder story came
up. A committee was appointed, and
after about q years critical examination
and correspondence it was found con-
clusively that Mr.. Tyrrell could not by
any possibility be that man. He was
in another part Of the country when
to California in 1849, while Albert ],
Tirrell was in the Massachusetts, State
Prison. Since his admission into Silver
Star Lodge, Mr.. Tyrell has passed upward
through every degree Of Masonry, without
one black ball cast against him, and il
now at the top round Of the ladder, Q
knight Templar. All we'll informed brother
Masons know this to be true; the records
are accessible to them all.
The whole affair is substantially as mar
rated by us above, and we give it as a mat
ter OF simple open justice to the man whose
name is. by ~singularly unfortunate coinci
dence, accidentally connected with so ter
rible a story. To bring up this old and
most horrible narrative against the charac
ter Of . man who should be known to bt
innocent, is cruel and r~eprehensible in thu
extreme. To make use Of it for politica
purposes is still worse, besides being very
mean and dishonorable. Open justice ant
. fair, square deal is all that honorable
men ask for in love, war or politics.