The Indiana State sentinel., 1879-09-03
THE MIDNIGHT CRY.
BY t. C. HARBAUGH.


gained place among the annals of dark
deeds. 1t was murder; but the circum-
stances surrounding it are so noteworthy
that we shall here transcribe them. They
present the most remarkable instance of
young man sealing his lips when his own life
was in jeopardy, in order to conceal petty
vice-the most remarkable instance of the
kind on record.
One night in March, 1884, farmer named
Buskirk, left thriving town where, during
the day, he had disposed of a lot of hogs.
He rode sorrel horse and carried the pro-
ceeds of his sales in heavy leather saddle
bags. The money was mostly in silver coin
of the dollar denomination, and the amount.
therefore, was quite weighty. Buskirk, fear
less man, did not go armed, but rode uncon-
cerned from the town little under the in
fuence of liquor. but not drunk enough to
call attention to the fact.
As he lived but 90 miles from the market
he expected to reach home about midnight.
But when morning dawned Zimri Bus
kirk was still absent from his farm.
His horse stood at the stable door
neighing for admittance. The well-known
saddle-bags were missing, which fact imme-
diately gave rise to suspicion of foul play,
and search for the farmer was at once insti-
tuted.
At distance of five miles from home the
body of Buskirk was found lying by the
roadside, and not far away lay the saddle bags,
rifed of their contents. The villain, in his
haste to get at the money had cut his way to
it, instead of unbuckling the heavy straps.
The farmer was found to be quite dead; one
side of his skull had been crushed as if by
blow from bludgeon, or some murderous
weapon of that sort, and his pockets, like
the saddle-bags had been despoiled of their
contents.
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 an
enemy, and no one ever dreamed that the
murder had been committed for the sake of
anything but that of subsequent plunder.
Though the country was secured for the
perpetrator of the deed, no traces were dis
covered; but clew was suddenly furnished
in a very startling manner.
The body of the farmer had been discov-
cred not far from farm house. occupied by
family named Miiliken, which consisted of
the parents and two children, son and daugh-
ter, who had passed their majority. While
the excitement still ragged, Ellen Milliken
came forward and desired to make state
ment which she said had tortured her ever
she was the possesser of guilty secret
which she could keep no longer; she could
not sleep for it, and it was the spectre for he
waking hours.
The girl then proceeded to state that she
was up at the hour of half past eleven or
thereabout, on the night of the -th and that
she heard q horse coming down the frosty
road from the direction of P. Not re-
garding the sound of any moment, she was
about to re-enter the house when she heard an
oath, followed by a dull thud and a groan.
Then she heard name uttered twice in a
tone of mingled agony and supplication. A
moment later the sound of hoofs came again
to her ears, and the horse appeared to be
galloping toward the Buskirk farm.
The excitement that followed Miss Milli-
ken's narration may be imagined for pen
can not describe it. 1t was believed that
the name which she mad heard was that of
| the murderer, which had fallen from the lips
of his victim before insensibility 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 utter
| the name that might doom one of the young
men of her acquaintance to the gallows, for
she could not believe him guilty; she had
heard Zimri Buskirk call on him to spare his
| life on that awful night.
| Ellen Milliken was pressed to mention the
name, and further the ends of justice, in
which the whole country was interested, and
at last her lips parted.
ssGod help him, and pity mel" she said
'sThe name heard was Abner Tennys."
If thunderbolt had fallen into the breath
; less crowd, astonishment would not have
4 IL Il
name and women uttered cries that added tc
the confusion.
Standing near the witness was young
man of Internationally, the only SON of
minister who watched over the little flock O
believers that worshipped in the church neal
by, and youth of exemplary 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 al
fixed upon him.
His name was Abner Tenneyl He mad,
no effort to fly, and when strong hands wer'
laid upon him, he would face the accusation
The young man was formally arrested oil
Ellen Milliken's statement and brought t,
the bar of judgement. He denied the crime
but astonished everybody with his answer t.
the inquiry concerning his whereabouts oil
the night of the crime.
AZ admit that was not at home, but wher
was 1 will not tellr'
This answer was twisted, as it could easil,
be by the excited community, into broa'
strands of guilt, and the young man was re
manded by the magistrate for regular tria
at the next term of court.
There were a few who believed he might b
innocent. When it became generally know
that he had been suitor for Eva Buslxirk
hand without the satisfaction of her father
revenge was added to the motive Of the muI