The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-07-18

evident also that she had been otherwise
grossly treated. The most vigilant search
was set on foot to endeavor to discover the
author OF this horrible deed. But he has
never been discovered. II is still a myste.
~ who killed poor Mary Rogers.
Not less OF a stimulant to the public was
the next mysterious murder: that in which
DR.. HArxey Burdell met his fate. lie was
O middle aged man; a dentist In good
practice. He boarded for some years in a
house kept by Mrs. Cunningham. Other
boarders there were; among them John G..
Eckel, who was the lRndla1y's confldant,
and any. Shodgrass. The relations be.
tween DR.. Bardell and Mrs. Cunningham
1 had been intimate; she had tried hard 10
induce him 10. recognize her publicly as
his wife; they were then on very bad
terms. and had legal difficulties about the
matter. This was all consequently proven.
On the night OF January 80, 1851, he was
murdered In his room. His body was GOV.
cred with desperate stab wounds. 1t was
evident from the appearance of the
room that there had been desperate
struggle, and that his murderer must have
been very powerful man. Mrs. Gun.
ningham, Eckel and Snodgrass were ar
rested. The Coroner's Inquest lasted
many days, as did Mrs. Cunninghams
trial, She asserted that she and DR.. Bur-
dell were secretly married. She and the
others were finally acquitted, and then
she claimed her widows dover in the
dead mans estate, which was valued at
500 900. Her claim was not allowed.
The general opinion was that she had
planned with Eckel TO murder the doctor
or TO have him murdered. so that they
would divide this dover. No one else, Il
was shown, had any motive for commit
ting the murder; but the law officers
Jailed to fasten the guilt upon them. Mrs.
Cunningham went to California. In a
strict legal view this case is also still a
mystery. g14 fat
Early one morning in December, 1885,
hr, Chas. N. Rogers was cleaning the
snow from the sidewalk in front OF his
residence. lie saw two strange men com.
ing down the street, towards him. Que OF
them took of his ovefcoat, gave 1t TO the
other 10 hold, and started for Mr.. Rogers
The other man exclaimed, Don't Jim!"
The latter Immediately attacked Mr.. Rogers
with knife, cutting him severely and re-
peatedly about the head, in the meantime
grasping Mr.. Rogers watch aud chain and
pocket book. Mr.. Rogers tore off the
skirts Of his assailant's coat, and then the
robber gave his victim stab in the abdo-
men, and both the strange men fed. Mr..
Rogers died soon. His pocket book,
watch and chain were found in the thiefs
coat skirt. The robbers hat was left on
the sidewalk. A number OF persons were
arrested, but the guilty man was never
fan nd n Tho Hikt, adm iatrafion uas IN
corrupt and vicious hands, and almost
influence, could escape conviction for crime.
Who killed Mr.. Rogers is also still q
And still mystery is it, too, who muir
dered Benjamin Nathan, the well known
and wealthy New York merchant. One
July morning, in 1870, he was found dead
in his room, in his residence, on West
Twenty.fifth street. The skull was nash
ed in, and near the old mans body was
found heavy iron instrument called a
"dog," which is used by ship carpenters.
One well.directed blow from that on the
head would efectually disable, il not kill,
an able-bodied man, to say nothing Of one
advanced in years. The detectives were
on the alert all over the country. Their
professional zeal being enhanced by the
immense reward offered for the discovery
OF the murderers. Several criminals,
well known To the police, were
arrested. but not an iota OF evidence could
be found TO implicate them. For long
time suspicion dwelt upon one Of the sons
OF the deceased, who had the reputation
Of being dissipated and an unusually
fast man about town, ineurring his faith
er's severe displeasure by his course OF
life; but this was only suspicion. The ac-
Cepted theory is that one man alone, with.
out any aecomplices, committed the crime;
that he entered the house by using false
keys, and was engaged in robbery when
the old merchant discovered him. The
blow with the heavy iron instrument was
the readiest way OF stopping the aged
mans ,outcry. What if it did kill him:
the burglar had no doubt been already
baptized in nanslaughter.
This is the latest of the most prominent
"unsolved mysteries" Of New York's
murder record. The red list extends to
other American cities. Even New Orleans
has her share in it, What q sd exhibit Of
the depths Of depravity to which poor
human nature can descend. 1t requires
the faith, the patience, the philanthropy
Of Wilberforce and Howard to believe
that the beings who perpetrate the hor-
rible deeds OF unbridled passion or
malignant greed, are otthe same race as
SHAKESPEARE, Milton, Hampden, Washing
ton, Lee. But Howard raised the wretches
Of the European dungeons up to the
standard where they were recognized as
fellow.men. Who knows what persever-
ing charity, philanthropy, morality, may
yet do TO transform the dark food Of
crimes birth into the crystal streams Of
true humanity. .....