The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1879-02-06
THE MIDNIGHT CRY.
RY T. G. HAKBAUGU.

Al Iuc caIly OayS VI q 1oIt"Ah W eo'>Ah
State, a crime was committed which has
gained place among the annals of dark
deeds. It was murder; but the circum-
stances surrounding it arc so noteworthy
that we shall here transcribe them. They
present the most remarkable instance of
a young man scaling his lips when his
own life Was in jeopardy, in order to con-
ceal petty vice-the most remarkable
instance of the kind on record.
One night in March, 1881, farmer
named Busk1rk left thriving town
where, during the day, he had disposed
Of a lot Of hogs. He rode sorrel horse,
aud carried the proceeds OF his sales i'll
heavy leatbean- bags. The money was
mostly in silver coin of the dollar de-
nomination., and the amount, therefore,
quite-weighty. Buskirk, fearless man,
did not 60 armed, but rode unconcern-
eddy from the town a little under the in
fuence Of liquor, but not. drunk enough
to call attention to the fact.
As he lived but twenty miles from the
market, he expected to reach home about
midnight. But when morning dawned,
Zimn Buskirk was still absent from his
farm. His horse stood at the stable door
neighine for admittance. The we'll
known saddle bags were missing, which
fact Immediately gave rise to suspicion
oftoul play, and search for the farmer
was at once instituted.
"A distance of five miles from home the
body of Buskirk was found lying by the
roadside, and not far away lay the saddle
bags, rif1ed OF their contents. The william,
in his haste to get at the money. had cut
his way to it, instead of unbuckling the
heavy strap. TIE farmer was found to
be quite dead; one side of his skull had
been crushed as if by blow from blud
geon, or some murderous weapon of that
sort, and his pockets, like the saddle
bag, had been despoilcd of their con-
tents.
The excitement from the moment of
the discovery became intense. Zimri
Buskirk was one of the most influential
farmers OF the neighborhood, and man
universally liked. He was not known to
possess AZ enemy. and no one ever
dreamed that the murder had been COM
mitted for the sake of any thing but that
of subsequent plumber.
Though the country was secured for
the pcrpctrator Of the deed, no traces
were discovered: but clew was sudden
~ furnished in startling manner.
The body of the farmer had been dis
covered not far from farm. house oceu-
pied by a family named Milliken, which
consisted of the parents and two children,
son and daughter, who had passed their
majority. While the excitement still
ragged, Ellen Miliken came forward and
to make statement which she said had
tortured her ever since the night of the
murder. She said she was the possessor
Ola guilty secret which she could no long
-er keep; she could not sleep for it, and it
was the spectre of her waking hours.
The gIl then proceeded to state that
she was up at the hour of half-past elev-
!. EN- Or thereabont, on the night of the
til, and that she heard horse coming
down the frosty road from the direction
Of P. Not regarding the sounds of any
i moment, she was about to rc.enter the
house, when she heard an oath, followed
by dull thud and groan. Then she
heard name uttered twice in tone of
mingled agony and supplication.
A moment later the sounds of hoofs
came to her ears, and the horse seemed
to be gallopi1g toward the Buskirk
farm.
The excitment that followed Miss Mil.
linens narration may be imagined, for
pen cannot describe it. It was believed
that the name which she had heard was
that of the murderer, which had fallen
from the lips of his victim before insen-
sibility or death followed the blow. The
young girl visibly hesitated when asked
by the magistrate to pronounce the name.
She covered her face with her hands,
and in all probability would have fallen
if she had not been supported by her
brother Hiram. She did not like to ut
ter the name that might doom one Of the
young men of her acquaintance to the
gallows, for she could not believe him
guilty, yet she had heard Zimri 3uskirk
call on him to spare his life on that awful
night.
Ellen Mllliken was pressed to mention
the name, and further the ends of justice,
in which the whole country was inter-
ested, and at last her lips parted.
"God help him, and pity mel" she
said. The name heard was Abner Ten
news"
If q thunder bolt had fallen into the
breatliless crowd, aatonishmedt would
not have been more complete. Men
started at the name, and women uttered
cries that added to the confusion.
Standing near the witness was young
man of five.and-twenty, the only son Of
the minister who watched over the little
flock of believers that worshipped in the
church hard by, and a youth of exem-
plary habits to the outer world. His face
was pale as death, and at the mention OF
the name he started back with CRY, and
found the eyes of affixed upon him.
His name was Abner Tenney!
- He made no effort to fly, and when
strong hands were laid upon him, he
smiled and told the people that he would
face the accusation.
The young man was formally arrested
on Ellen Milliken's statement, and
brought to the bar of Justice. He de.
MED the crime, but astonished everybody
with his answer concerning his where.
abouts on the night of the crime:
81 admit that was not at home. but
where was will not tellp'
This answer was twisted, as it could
easily be by the excited community, into
broad strands Of guilt, and the young
man was remanded by the magistrate for
regular trial at the next term of court
There were few who believed that he
might be innocent When it became
generally known that he had been q
sutton for Eva Buskirk's hand withou,
the sanction of her father, revenge wa.
added to the motive for the murder
Ellen Millikin's word waa ho,iovo1. IN,